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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →For a first playthrough, play the series in release order: Watch Dogs, Watch Dogs 2, then Watch Dogs: Legion. That sequence follows the franchise’s published chronology and lets you see how each game frames connected technology differently. Ubisoft identifies Legion as the third entry, but it does not state that release order is mandatory; it is a practical newcomer recommendation.
The recommended Watch Dogs play order
The three main games were released across six years, with each using a different lead, city and interpretation of hacking. Starting with the first game gives you the clearest baseline for the series. Moving to the second shows a different protagonist and a broader set of connected devices. Finishing with Legion introduces the largest structural change: recruiting people in the world and switching among them.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Watch Dogs Legion - PlayStation 4 Standard Edition | $9.40 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Watch Dogs | $28.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Watch Dogs xbox one | $9.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Watch Dogs 2 - PlayStation 4 | $23.11 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Watch Dogs Legion (PS5) | $22.75 | Buy on Amazon |
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| Order | Game | Release date | Lead or player structure | Setting | Defining hook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watch Dogs | May 27, 2014 | Aiden Pearce | Chicago | Use connected city infrastructure through Aiden’s smartphone; Ubisoft describes the city as a weapon. |
| 2 | Watch Dogs 2 | November 13, 2016 | Marcus Holloway with DedSec | San Francisco Bay Area | Hack connected devices and systems such as drones, cars, cranes and security robots. |
| 3 | Watch Dogs: Legion | October 28, 2020 | A roster of recruited resistance operatives | Near-future London | “Play as Anyone”: recruit people you encounter and switch among operatives with different abilities. |
The dates and descriptions above come from Ubisoft’s franchise and product pages. They establish the release sequence and each game’s headline design, not a requirement that every player follow one path.
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Watch Dogs is built around the idea that ordinary infrastructure is networked and therefore vulnerable to manipulation. Phones, vehicles, surveillance systems and other automated equipment become potential tools. The central question changes from game to game: who is doing the hacking, what city are they trying to influence, and how much of the world can the player operate remotely?
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- Recruit and play as anyone from London. Everyone you see has a unique backstory, personality, and skill set for unique situations
- Hack armed drones, deploy spider-bots, and take down enemies using an Augmented Reality Cloak
- Explore a massive urban open world featuring London’s many iconic landmarks and fun side activities
- Team up with your friends as you complete co-op missions and unique game modes
- Upgrade to the Gold Edition or Ultimate Edition for access to the season pass and more
The first two product pages foreground one named protagonist each. Legion instead foregrounds a resistance organization made up of people recruited from the city. That difference affects how you think about progress: the first two entries present a continuous lead, while the third asks you to maintain and use a team.
Do not assume that every character, relationship or story event carries directly from one game into the next. The official material used to describe the games establishes their protagonists, settings and systems, but it does not establish that all events or playable characters transfer between entries. Treat each title as a distinct campaign within the same franchise concept.
Watch Dogs: the Chicago starting point
Who you play
The first game follows Aiden Pearce. Because the game is organized around one named lead, your progression and story perspective remain centered on Aiden rather than a rotating cast.
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Where it takes place
The setting is Chicago. Ubisoft’s description emphasizes that the city itself can be used as a weapon, making infrastructure a central part of the game’s identity rather than simple scenery.
How hacking is framed
Aiden uses a smartphone to interact with connected city infrastructure. In practical terms, the game’s defining fantasy is remote control over systems that normally operate in the background of urban life. The city’s connected network is the main lens through which you approach problems.
Why it is a useful first game
- It establishes the franchise’s basic premise before later games reinterpret it.
- Its single-lead structure gives you one consistent viewpoint for learning the setting and the hacking concept.
- It provides a reference point for understanding how the later games change tone, location and player structure.
Choose this entry first if you want the most straightforward introduction to the series’ original formula or if you prefer a campaign built around one protagonist.
Watch Dogs 2: a broader connected-device sandbox
Who you play
Marcus Holloway is the central character, and the story is associated with DedSec. The official product description therefore shifts the focus from one individual operating in Chicago to a named protagonist working with a collective.
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- HACK THE CITY: Control the city's infrastructure, in real time, with Aiden's cell phone; Trap your enemy in a 30 car pileup by manipulating the traffic lights; Stop a train, and then board it to evade the authorities; Narrowly escape capture by quickly raising a drawbridge; Anything connected to the city's CTOS can become your weapon
- SEAMLESS MULTIPLAYER EXPERIENCE: Discover a new level of interaction, cooperation and confrontation between players thanks to a brand new multiplayer game system that links the single and multiplayer modes into one seamless experience; That means no menus, no loading screens, just instant open world multiplayer action
- DYNAMIC NAVIGATION: Watch Dogs gives you the ability to not only use the city's ctOS to your advantage, but the streets as well; In real world Chicago, cut through one of the buildings or climb to the rooftops to catch your target
- HIGH OCTANE DRIVING: Get behind the wheel of more than 65 vehicles bursting with horsepower to explore the massive city while completing missions; Ubisoft Montreal partnered with Ubisoft Reflections, the acclaimed studio behind the award winning Driver series to develop each vehicle with state of art physics and handling
Where it takes place
The game is set in the San Francisco Bay Area. That setting is not simply a location swap; it accompanies a different emphasis on the variety of connected objects you can manipulate.
What you can hack
Ubisoft highlights drones, cars, cranes and security robots alongside other connected devices and systems. These examples show the intended breadth: hacking is not limited to city fixtures. It can involve mobile machines, construction equipment and security technology.
What changes for a newcomer
- You move from Aiden’s individual perspective to Marcus’s work with DedSec.
- The product pitch emphasizes a wider range of hackable devices, so the environment is presented as a more varied toolkit.
- The Bay Area setting gives the second game its own identity rather than treating it as a simple continuation of Chicago.
Play Watch Dogs 2 second if you want to see the series expand its connected-world idea after learning the original premise. It is also a sensible first choice for someone primarily interested in device variety, although starting there means you will encounter the franchise’s original setup later if you go back.
Watch Dogs: Legion: recruiting your playable cast
Who you play
Legion is set apart by its roster system. Instead of foregrounding one named lead, it lets you recruit people encountered in the city and play as members of a resistance. Ubisoft calls this feature Play as Anyone.
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Where it takes place
The game takes place in near-future London. The city is populated by potential operatives, and recruitment is part of the way you assemble the group you use during the campaign.
How the roster works
Each recruit brings different abilities and equipment. Ubisoft’s launch announcement, attributed to Mikel Reparaz and dated July 12, 2020, gives examples including uncommon strength, a missile-equipped car, a flying drone large enough to carry a person and a megaphone used to rally crowds. The same announcement says recruits can wield a wide range of hacks for manipulating the automated world and obtaining sensitive data.
“Each recruit brings unique abilities, weapons, and more to the table,” the announcement says, before listing examples such as uncommon strength, a missile-equipped car, a person-carrying drone and a rabble-rousing megaphone.
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SaleWatch Dogs xbox one
- HACK THE CITY: Control the city's infrastructure, in real time, with Aiden's cell phone. Trap your enemy in a 30-car pileup by manipulating the traffic lights. Stop a train, and then board it to evade the authorities. Narrowly escape capture by quickly raising a drawbridge. Anything connected to the city's CTOS can become your weapon.
- SEAMLESS MULTIPLAYER EXPERIENCE: Discover a new level of interaction, cooperation and confrontation between players thanks to a brand new multiplayer game system that links the single and multiplayer modes into one seamless experience. That means no menus, no loading screens, just instant open world multiplayer action.
- DYNAMIC NAVIGATION: Watch_Dogs gives you the ability to not only use the city's ctOS to your advantage, but the streets as well. In real-world Chicago, cut through one of the buildings or climb to the rooftops to catch your target.
- HIGH OCTANE DRIVING: Get behind the wheel of more than 65 vehicles bursting with horsepower to explore the massive city while completing missions. Ubisoft Montreal partnered with Ubisoft Reflections, the acclaimed studio behind the award-winning Driver series to develop each vehicle with state-of-art physics and handling.
The quote is Ubisoft’s description of the system, not an independent performance test. Its practical implication is that you choose an operative partly for their abilities, then switch to another when a different capability suits the situation.
Why it feels structurally different
- Your playable identity is distributed across a team rather than fixed to one hero.
- Recruitment becomes a major decision because abilities vary from person to person.
- Loss, switching and roster management are more central to the concept than in the two named-lead games.
Start with Legion only if the recruit-and-switch structure is the feature that most interests you. It is the third entry by release chronology, but its premise is understandable without treating the earlier games as prerequisites.
The key differences at a glance
| Comparison point | Watch Dogs | Watch Dogs 2 | Watch Dogs: Legion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player focus | One named protagonist: Aiden Pearce | One named protagonist: Marcus Holloway, working with DedSec | Recruitable resistance operatives; switch among members |
| City | Chicago | San Francisco Bay Area | Near-future London |
| Core fantasy | Turn connected city infrastructure into a weapon through a smartphone | Use a broad network of connected devices and systems | Build a team whose members have different abilities, weapons and hacks |
| Examples emphasized by Ubisoft | City infrastructure | Drones, cars, cranes and security robots | Specialized recruits, including unusual vehicles, drones and crowd-focused equipment |
| Best reason to choose it | You want the original premise and a consistent lead | You want a collective protagonist and varied connected devices | You want the Play as Anyone recruitment structure |
The table compares the framing presented on Ubisoft’s official pages. It does not claim that one game has every ability listed for another, nor does it rank the games by quality.
Which play order should you choose?
For most first-time players: release order
Use Watch Dogs → Watch Dogs 2 → Watch Dogs: Legion. This is the clearest route for seeing the concept develop from one hacker using city infrastructure, through a collective working with many connected devices, to a roster-based resistance in London.
If you care most about a single protagonist
Begin with Watch Dogs and continue to Watch Dogs 2. Both product pages foreground one named lead, so this route lets you experience the first two entries before deciding whether the roster structure in Legion appeals to you.
If you care most about device variety
Watch Dogs 2 foregrounds drones, cars, cranes and security robots, making it the most direct introduction to the franchise’s broad connected-device pitch. You can then go back to the first game for its city-infrastructure focus and finish with Legion for the recruit system.
If you care most about playing as different characters
Choose Legion. Its Play as Anyone design is the defining distinction of the series’ third entry. Starting there is valid when that system matters more to you than experiencing the concept in release order.
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- HACK EVERYTHING Every person, vehicle and connected device can be hacked. Take control of drones, cars, cranes, and more to use them as your weapon
- CONNECT WITH FRIENDS Play Co op and Player vs. Player activities in a seamless shared world
- YOU ARE IN CTRL Develop your skills and combine hacking, weapons and stealth to complete missions in ways that suit your playstyle
If you are deciding based on story continuity
Release order remains the safest default because it preserves the franchise’s published sequence. However, the official descriptions supplied for these games do not establish that every plot event or character must be known in advance. Do not delay playing a title solely because you expect a strict, fully continuous protagonist arc.
How to get started without buying the wrong edition
1. Pick the game that matches your preferred structure
- Choose Watch Dogs for Aiden Pearce, Chicago and smartphone-driven city infrastructure.
- Choose Watch Dogs 2 for Marcus Holloway, DedSec and a wider set of connected devices.
- Choose Watch Dogs: Legion for recruitment, interchangeable operatives and near-future London.
2. Confirm your platform before purchasing
Ubisoft’s product pages list platform information, but a product page alone does not verify the stock, physical format or compatibility of a particular retailer listing. Check the exact platform version shown by the seller, especially if you are buying a disc, a code or an older release.
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3. Check the regional edition for Legion
Ubisoft Help’s page, updated June 2, 2026, says that Legion editions can contain different combinations of the base game, Ultimate Pack and Season Pass. The support page also warns that included content may vary by region. Read the listing for your country and platform rather than relying on an edition name alone.
4. Decide whether additional content matters before checkout
If you want only the main campaign, verify that the listing includes the base game. If you want the add-on package, verify that it explicitly includes the Season Pass or the individual content you want. Edition names can bundle different components, so the itemized contents are more useful than the label.
5. Install in sequence if you are playing the whole series
For the recommended route, finish or set aside the first game before moving to the second, then approach Legion as the roster-based finale. You do not need to install all three at once; buying the next entry after deciding whether the previous structure suits you avoids committing to an entire bundle prematurely.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the Legion editions can include
The current Ubisoft Help listing describes the Season Pass as a package that can include the following content:
- Bloodline.
- The “Not in Our Name,” “Guardian Protocol” and “Swipe Right” story missions.
- Four operatives for the main campaign.
- DedSec vehicle paint.
The same support information says editions may combine the base game, Ultimate Pack and Season Pass in different ways. Ubisoft’s July 12, 2020 launch announcement provides historical context by describing what the Gold Edition and Ultimate Edition offered at launch, but current purchase decisions should use the up-to-date support listing together with the regional product description.
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- Open-world London, explore a massive urban open-world where you can visit London's many famous landmarks
- play as anyone, experience a never-seen-before gameplay Innovation. Anyone you see can join your team complete with a unique backstory, personality, and skill set
- weaponise London's Tech infrastructure. Hijack armed combat drones, deploy stealthy spider-bots, covertly take down enemies using an augmented reality cloak, and much more
- bring your team online and join forces with up to three friends and explore the world together or take on entirely new co-op missions
| Edition question | What is established | What you must verify |
|---|---|---|
| Base game | Some editions include the main Legion game. | That the specific listing is for your platform and region. |
| Ultimate Pack | It can be included in certain edition combinations. | The exact digital items in the edition you are viewing. |
| Season Pass | It can include Bloodline, three named story missions, four campaign operatives and DedSec vehicle paint. | Whether the listing includes the pass, and whether regional terms change the package. |
| Regional availability | Ubisoft Help warns that content may vary by region. | Your country, platform, storefront and edition description. |
Common mistakes when starting the series
Assuming release order is a rule
Release order is recommended for orientation, not presented by Ubisoft as a compulsory requirement. If the recruit system is your priority, beginning with Legion is a reasonable preference-based choice.
Expecting the same protagonist in every game
Aiden Pearce, Marcus Holloway and the recruited operatives represent three different player structures. Treating Legion as another single-hero campaign can lead to the wrong expectations about how you build and use your playable cast.
Assuming “hacking” means the same thing in each entry
The first game emphasizes city infrastructure, the second highlights a larger range of connected machines and systems, and the third ties abilities to individual recruits. The shared theme is connected technology; the practical expression changes.
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Ultimate, Gold and Season Pass references do not by themselves tell you every included item for your territory. Compare the itemized contents, platform and region before paying.
Inferring unverified compatibility or availability
The official pages confirm that the games exist and list platforms, but they do not verify stock, physical formats or compatibility for every retailer SKU. Check the exact listing you intend to purchase.
How the series evolved
The chronology shows three design emphases rather than three identical versions of one formula. In 2014, the premise centers on one person turning Chicago’s infrastructure into a tool. In 2016, the focus moves to Marcus and DedSec in the Bay Area, with more examples of machines and systems that can be manipulated. In 2020, Legion changes the player-character model itself by making recruitment and switching central.
This progression explains why release order is useful even when strict story dependency is not established. You can recognize what each later entry is changing because you have already seen the earlier baseline: fixed lead, then collective context, then a changing roster.
Ubisoft’s franchise page says the first Watch Dogs gathered more than 40 million players worldwide. The page does not state the year for that figure, so it should be read as an undated Ubisoft statistic rather than assigned to a particular release year.
Quick Recap
A concise decision checklist
- Want the conventional first-playthrough route? Start with Watch Dogs.
- Want one named lead and the original city-infrastructure concept? Start with Watch Dogs.
- Want Marcus Holloway, DedSec and examples such as drones, cars, cranes and security robots? Start with Watch Dogs 2.
- Want to recruit people and switch among operatives with different abilities? Start with Watch Dogs: Legion.
- Buying Legion with extras? Confirm the base game, Ultimate Pack, Season Pass contents, platform and region.
- Playing all three? Use Watch Dogs → Watch Dogs 2 → Watch Dogs: Legion.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
