Choose Watch Dogs if hacking connected city systems is the kind of tool you want to use for scouting, stealth, combat, and changing your surroundings. Choose Grand Theft Auto V if you want a crime story centered on three protagonists and dangerous heists, or want a separate online mode to play with others. Neither is an objective winner: the games emphasize different things.
How the games differ
It is tempting to call Watch Dogs “GTA with hacking,” but that misses the more useful distinction: hacking is presented as a defining way to interact with the city in Watch Dogs, while GTA V is framed around a crime story and heists, with a separate multiplayer experience.
| # | 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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Watch Dogs: use the city’s connected systems
Ubisoft describes hacking and manipulating city systems as a way to shape how you approach the game. Its product page says, “In a world led by technology, you will be able to hack and manipulate the city’s systems to stop traffic lights, detonate gas lines, turn off the electrical grid and more.” Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs page and PlayStation’s listing emphasize hacking; PlayStation also highlights profiling.
Grand Theft Auto V: a three-protagonist crime story
Rockstar describes GTA V as a story following three protagonists caught up in the criminal underworld and attempting dangerous heists. The Rockstar store listing presents Story Mode alongside GTA Online.
#1 Best Overall
- 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
Which should you play?
| If you want… | Start with… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hacking connected city systems as a signature mechanic | Watch Dogs | Ubisoft and PlayStation foreground hacking; PlayStation also mentions profiling. Ubisoft; PlayStation. |
| A crime story structured around three protagonists and heists | Grand Theft Auto V | That is how Rockstar describes its story premise. Rockstar Games. |
| A distinct ongoing multiplayer world | Grand Theft Auto V | Rockstar describes GTA Online as an evolving online universe for up to 30 players. Rockstar Games. |
| A particular edition or bundle | Compare the exact platform store listings | Bundles and platform details differ; check the edition you intend to buy. |
These are preference-based recommendations drawn from official product descriptions, not a controlled comparison. Those descriptions do not establish which game has better graphics, driving, missions, or story quality.
What to check before buying
Watch Dogs editions
Ubisoft’s store page lists Watch_Dogs Complete Edition and says it includes the game plus Season Pass content, including a new game mode, weapons, outfits, and missions. The page is for Ubisoft’s UK store, so confirm the current edition and availability for your platform and region. Ubisoft also notes that DLC bought from Ubisoft.com or Ubisoft Connect is compatible only with base games bought on those platforms; do not assume it will work with a base game from another store. See the Ubisoft Store Complete Edition listing.
Rank #2
- 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
GTA V editions and GTA Online
The examined Rockstar PC store listing includes GTAV Enhanced and Legacy; Rockstar says Legacy is included for hardware that does not meet Enhanced’s minimum requirements. Other platform editions and storefront bundles may differ, so verify the current listing for your platform and region, including whether it includes the mode you want. Rockstar describes GTA Online as “a dynamic and ever-evolving online universe for up to 30 players”; “up to” is the store page’s stated capacity, not a promise that every session will have 30 players. Check Rockstar’s current listing.
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Quick Recap
Best Value
- 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
Rank #4
- PLAYSTATION EXCLUSIVE Play future Mission Packs 30 days early on the PlayStation4
- EXPLORE THE MASSIVE AND DYNAMIC OPEN WORLD OF SAN FRANSISCO BAY Experience an incredible variety of game play possibilities in the winding streets of San Francisco, the vibrant neighborhoods of Oakland, and cutting edge Silicon Valley
- 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
Rank #3
- 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.
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.
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