“Explore a massive and dynamic open world offering an incredible variety of gameplay possibilities,” reads the game’s description. “Hack your way through traffic while you engage in dangerous car chases through the winding streets of San Francisco, traverse the rooftops of the colorful and vibrant neighborhoods of Oakland, and infiltrate the cutting-edge offices of Silicon Valley companies. There are many secrets to uncover in the birthplace of the tech revolution.”
Marcus Halloway is described as a “brilliant” hacker who sets out to shut down the ctOS 2.0 operating system, a software platform used to silently control the citizens of San Francisco. Armed with elite hacking skills, Halloway must access the city’s infrastructure while also controlling security robots, cameras, drones, cars, and more.
Nearly everyone and every device can be hacked, whether it’s a civilian with a smartphone or an enemy’s laptop. Manipulating enemies and pedestrians means players can trigger an unlimited number of chain events to get the job done.
According to Ubisoft, gamers can take out enemies using a mixture of stealth and hacking. They can also take advantage of Halloway’s skills to use devices such as Quadcopter drones and RC cars as weapons, or create their own using 3D-printing technology.
“Stay connected to your friends with a brand new seamless multiplayer experience that includes both co-op and player vs. player activities, all available in a shared open world experience,” Ubisoft adds.
The virtual roads of San Francisco will be completely open, allowing players to roam free and choose where they want/ need to go. The area is reportedly twice the size of what was offered in the original Watch Dogs installment, and will consist of numerous “zones” including Silicon Valley, the downtown district, Oakland, and more. The areas can be accessed on-foot or by using a vehicle.
Although Ubisoft hasn’t provided the system requirements for the PC version, Watch Dogs 2 will be sold in Standard, Gold, and Deluxe editions across all three platforms. The $70 Deluxe version will include the base game and two personalization packs to dress up Marcus, his car, his drone, and weapon. The $100 Gold edition will include everything in the Deluxe package plus the season pass, which will provide all the downloadable content, additional missions, and customization items.