Graphics disparity, downgrades, sub-1080p resolutions and a frame-rate far enough away from 60fps that even that mysterious island in the show Lost seems like an easier place to get to by comparison – Watch Dogs hasn't had the easiest time on the road to release.
Nevertheless, tough times and hard knocks on the hype train hasn't wavered Ubisoft's confidence in their brand new, open-world hacktion IP, Watch Dogs. In fact, Ubisoft is so confident in the property that they're expecting Assassin's Creed-sized sales numbers for the game right out of the gate.
According to IGN, the site is reporting that Ubisoft's CEO, Yves Guillemot, dropped some mad math during a financial call, where it was revealed that the game is targeting 6.3 million copies to be sold across six gaming platforms.
The likelihood is that the game will probably move a million or so on the PS4, two million on the PS3, a million or so on the Xbox 360 (since it's receiving about as much promotion on the 360 as a Darius Rucker album at a Klan rally), 750k for the Xbox One (for obvious reasons), 300 – 500k on Wii U and the rest on PC.
My only reservation about the sales on PC is that Uplay keeps gamers on edge and hating Ubisoft since it's a third-party chastity belt between gamers purchasing a digital title and having a good time with their game. Over the course of time I imagine Watch Dogs on PC might pick up a stronger following with Steam sales and whatnot.
Regardless of sales projections and perception, the game is already Ubisoft's most pre-ordered new IP in the history of the company, according to reports picked up by Terminal Gamer.
All the negative buzz about the consoles' downgraded graphics haven't hurt the game's pre-order momentum one bit (or at least, not enough to impact a negative report given by Ubisoft to potential investors and shareholders.)
Tony Key, senior vice president of sales and marketing at Ubisoft commented about the game's strong pre-order appeal in a post-Aliens: Colonial Marines climate, saying...
“These strong pre-orders are a clear indication of players’ anticipation and excitement for Watch Dogs,” ... “The teams have worked tirelessly to ensure that players will enjoy a top quality game with enormous scope, and we can’t wait to get the game into their hands.”
The game's success definitely determines whether or not Ubisoft will pursue more IP along this line or if they'll eventually turn Watch Dogs into an annual franchise, just like the Assassin's Creed series (or what I like to call, "CODified"). It's a definite wait-and-see sort of thing, but the pre-orders are certainly a positive thing for the upcoming title.
You can look for Watch Dogs to release on May 27th for the geriatric twins, the Xbox One, PS4 and PC. The Wii U's version of the game is due for release this fall.
