Ubisoft's WATCH DOGS
WATCH DOGS is Ubisoft’s (the makers of Assassin’s Creed) new video-game set to be released in November 2013. Here is Ubisoft’s official description:
Set in Chicago, where a central network of computers connects everyone and everything, Watch_Dogs explores the impact of technology within our society. Using the city as your weapon, you will embark on a personal mission to inflict your own brand of justice.
Chicago's overarching network is known as the Central Operating System (ctOS), and it controls almost all of the city's technology and information - including key data on all of the city's residents.
You play as Aiden Pearce, a brilliant hacker and former thug, whose criminal past led to a violent family tragedy. While seeking justice for those events, you'll monitor and hack those around you by manipulating the ctOS from the palm of your hand. You'll access omnipresent security cameras, download personal information to locate a target, control traffic lights and public transportation to stop the enemy... and more.
I took the challenge of creating an app to better link gamers and to get them talking about the WATCH DOGS while attracting press at the same time.
HACK_THIS_CITY_APP
(Augmented Reality)
Creating its own network of users, this game hopes to attract not only Ubisoft's target audience, but others that like the thrill of playing a highly integrated game. This app allows users to fight, hack, and earn.
Fight
In its most basic form, this is a citywide game of Laser-Tag.
Scope map for enemies.
Scope in live mode
Enemy will light up in red
Once in cross-hairs, shoot and disable
When you find them, make sure to "Shoot" them if they are in your cross-hairs. You will receive the "kill" and the user that was "shot" will be unable to play the game for a set amount of time.
Hack
The game is centered on a hacker, so this concept is incorporated through the HACK_THIS_CITY app as well.
Search map for "Hack-able" content
Look for WATCH DOG related posters
Once the user find the poster, they will realize that this isn't your ordinary poster. Lines of codes will come up that the user will have to hack.
Hack Poster
Hacking
Win armor for game and exclusive content
After a player get’s 30 kills, they are automatically emailed a file of poster with a unique coding on it. They may post these posters all over the city as “fake” Watch Dogs posters. If another player tries to hack the poster, they will automatically be killed. This will make people want to place posters the entire city, hence crowd-sourcing advertising.
Earn
As the user plays, they will rack up more and more kills, and the more they “Hack” the posters, better “Equipped” and “armored” they will be, most likely giving them a better chance to rack up more kills. Before the final release of the game, Kings of the City will be announced to go to the release party at Ubisoft Studios. The other next line of top players will receive free copies of the game. The next line will receive a discount, and down the line to other giveaways or discounts, but everybody will have fun.
