Reports Suggest Ubisoft Might Revive the Watch Dogs Franchise

Reports suggest that Ubisoft might be preparing to revive the Watch Dogs franchise with a re-release of a previous game in the series. The Watch Dogs series first launched in 2014 with the original title that centered on technological vigilantism in a fictionalized version of Chicago. The debut game was a big commercial success, but Watch Dogs 2 wasn’t able to replicate the same level of impact.

In 2020, Ubisoft tried to reignite interest in the franchise with Watch Dogs Legion. Unfortunately, the game wasn’t able to meet player expectations and received a mixed response from both fans and critics. In the years that followed, reports began to surface online suggesting that the French publisher had canceled several projects related to the franchise and was on its way to shelving the series. Things took a turn for the worse in early 2026 when industry insider Tom Henderson suggested that the Watch Dogs IP was “completely dead” and that fans shouldn’t hold any hopes for future installments. However, it seems like the situation may have taken another unexpected turn.

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Ubisoft Might Revisit The Watch Dogs Series With a New Game

In a podcast episode with Insider Gaming, Tom Henderson once again spoke about the Ubisoft franchise and claimed that the French publisher is working on a re-release of Watch Dogs Legion. This new version is said to be a director’s cut that could bring additional content, a dedicated night mode, and even newly recorded motion-capture sequences. However, there’s still no confirmation on when this re-release will actually see the light of day, how much it might cost, or in what ways it’s planning to expand the game’s narrative.

It’s clear that since Henderson’s last report on Watch Dogs, where it was stated that the franchise is dead, things have clearly changed. The Watch Dogs maker is itself going through an operational overhaul, including cancellations of multiple games and mass layoffs. Even though the Watch Dogs franchise hasn’t performed well in recent years, it’s still a recognizable AAA game. Reviving an already established IP is far less of a risky move for Ubisoft right now than investing in a brand-new one without existing brand awareness and a fan base. What makes this report interesting is Ubisoft’s decision to revisit the series through Watch Dogs Legion, which is considered by fans to be the weakest entry in the franchise. The idea of “play as anyone” in the game didn’t sit well with fans, and it wasn’t able to reach the highs of its predecessors.

Choosing a character in Watch Dogs Legion

Another possible reason behind Ubisoft’s renewed interest could be the upcoming Watch Dogs movie adaptation. Even though the project has faced multiple delays, reports suggest that the project is still in active development. There’s a chance that Ubisoft is preparing to align a Watch Dogs Legion re-release alongside the film’s eventual launch in hopes of capitalizing on the newfound attention. A similar situation has already happened with the Fallout series, which reignited the interest in Bethesda’s long-running franchise and even pushed the developer to release updates for several entries in the series.

In that context, a re-release of Watch Dogs Legion might prove to be the testing ground to measure fans’ interest when the film is released. If the movie is received positively, Ubisoft might take another look at the franchise with new games or even additional updates to existing games. As always, it’s crucial to take these rumors with a grain of salt, as Ubisoft still hasn’t confirmed its plans for the franchise. Only time will determine whether these possibilities will become a reality, so fans should wait for official updates from the French publisher about the franchise’s future. Still, it’s reassuring to know that the series may not be over just yet.