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Ubisoft: Watch Dogs is leading on next-gen/PC, then being ported to current-gen

In an interview with a Dutch game website, Ubisoft's boss Yves Guillemot tells more about the development of Watch Dogs.

It appears that the next-gen and PC-version is developed first, and after that is finished, they'll be looking at how to put it on X360 and PS3.

The quote: "The team is developing it on high end pc's and next gen, after that other teams are looking how they can make it fit for the older generation. So the first approach is to see how they can take full advantage of the next gen consoles."

Interview here (in Dutch).

Other interesting tidbits:
- "Maybe we can show both versions (of Watch Dogs) at E3"
- Rainbow Six: Patriots still in development! "A good team is working on it and they have good ideas. It costs us some time to figure it out and to bring out the right feeling in the game."
- "We're still working on some Vita-games. I can't announce anything yet, but it's coming. The Vita isn't dead to us yet."
 

Mpl90

Two copies sold? That's not a bomb guys, stop trolling!!!
...Wait.
This + Wii U version already running means that...the Wii U version is a downscaled next-gen one?
 

miksar

Member
So they already started porting it on Wii U but not on PS360 that will account for most revenue? Interesting. I also love the tidbit about how Vita is not "yet" dead.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
So they already started porting it on Wii U but not on PS360 that will account for most revenue? Interesting.

They will simply port it from the WiiU, which I imagine would be a much less time consuming thing to do than downsample PS4 code.
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
Then how did they in the other interview mention what exact differences there will be, like wind and AI, if they've not started?

Anyway, this means far shorter dev time for PS360 so people will use a shoddy port to show the generational gap. If that happens a somewhat fairer comparison would be other current open world games like AC2, Sleeping Dogs, JC2, Crackdown 2.
 

Seance

Banned
"The team is developing it on high end pc's and next gen, after that other teams are looking how they can make it fit for the older generation. So the first approach is to see how they can take full advantage of the next gen consoles."

Glad to hear it. Downport to the old gen after, I want Watch Dogs to be looking it's best.
 

MormaPope

Banned
This sounds like one of the dumbest financial moves ever, release a game for much smaller user bases first and then port it to past gen consoles that have much larger user bases later?
 

Erethian

Member
Hopefully a native version...?

A lot of game development starts on a PC-based version of the title before it's ported over to the consoles. It's how MT Framework games are developed, and Platinum Games uses a similar system as well. Actually a pretty good way of doing multiplatform development.
 

Number45

Member
Didn't this happen with the first current gen Splinter Cell game, and the previous generation version actually turned out to be the better game? Doesn't sound like that's going to happen here (because if memory serves they were farmed out to different studios (Montreal/Shanghai?)), but interesting that it's Ubi again.
 
I'm thinking of picking up the Wii U or PS4 version(s), I think that Watch_Dogs would work terrific with a ZombiU-like UI on the GamePad.

I wonder if the Wii U version will be closer to the other versions if it's actually in development-
 

Lord Phol

Member
Glad to hear it's not being ported from current to next gen. Perhaps it might even end up running well on the PS4.
 

Superflat

Member
Yikes. So this means at this time they don't even know how much they have to cut down on to make it run on current gen?
 

MormaPope

Banned
Sort of coincidental or ironic how they delayed a next gen game (Rayman Legends for Wii-U) to release it on Xbox 360/PS3 and then now they're releasing Watch Dogs for the Wii-U and other next gen consoles before releasing the current gen versions.

Ubisoft is acting goofy as hell.
 

Aostia

El Capitan Todd
A lot of game development starts on a PC-based version of the title before it's ported over to the consoles. It's how MT Framework games are developed, and Platinum Games uses a similar system as well. Actually a pretty good way of doing multiplatform development.


you are right.
the fact that they already have the game running on the Wii U, and that they think that the gamepad will be a perfect fit for the hacking device make me hope for a good wii u version.
 
Porting from Wii U won't be difficult and they'll release on time. Better to use that as the meta-lead for any three-way game as you can add a few bells and whistles beyond the PS3/360 and then port across without too much hassle.
 

Spiegel

Member
I don't see how this:

"The team is developing it on high end pc's and next gen, after that other teams are looking how they can make it fit for the older generation. So the first approach is to see how they can take full advantage of the next gen consoles."

means this:

Development PS3/360-version Watch Dogs not started yet


Am I missing something?

Because that's exactly what they are doing with the WiiU. Montreal develops the game and Bucarest try to make it fit for the WiiU
 

Rhindle

Member
This sounds like one of the dumbest financial moves ever, release a game for much smaller user bases first and then port it to past gen consoles that have much larger user bases later?
By that logic everyone should still be making PS2 games.

The main user base (i.e. guys who pay $60 for new games at launch) will switch to PS4/Durango VERY quickly. I'd expect that by early 2014 next gen sales of new full price games will exceed 360/PS3 sales.
 

MormaPope

Banned
By that logic everyone should still be making PS2 games.

The main user base (i.e. guys who pay $60 for new games at launch) will switch to PS4/720 VERY quickly. I'd expect that by early 2014 next gen sales of new full price games will exceed 360/PS3 sales.

That's a very bold statement, one I wouldn't put a lot of confidence in.
 

StuBurns

Banned
By that logic everyone should still be making PS2 games.

The main user base (i.e. guys who pay $60 for new games at launch) will switch to PS4/Durango VERY quickly. I'd expect that by early 2014 next gen sales of new full price games will exceed 360/PS3 sales.
CoD sells like twenty million full price, AssCreed sells about eight, Sony and MS will be very lucky if they have a combined install base of 8 million early 2014, let alone have games selling in with a one hundred percent tie ratio.
 

Nibel

Member
So Ubisoft Bukarest has the game up and running for Wii U, but they didn't start to develop the versions for the consoles with the biggest userbases?

Wat
 

Oblivion

Fetishing muscular manly men in skintight hosery
Ubisoft: 'Development PS3/360-version Watch Dogs not started yet'

Wait, what? Why is such a thing even being discussed to begin with?

edit: Double wait, what?! There's a Wii-U version actually in development right now?! o_0
 

Rhindle

Member
That's a very bold statement, one I wouldn't put a lot of confidence in.
Not at all. Go look at last gen's crossover. 3rd parties moved almost all new franchise development to 360 after November 2005, and had transitioned completely by the time PS3 launched in 2006.

CoD sells like twenty million full price, AssCreed sells about eight, Sony and MS will be very lucky if they have a combined install base of 8 million early 2014, let alone have games selling in with a one hundred percent tie ratio.
I'm referring to new franchise development. COD//Madden/FIFA etc. will continue to release on PS360 for a few years.
 

MormaPope

Banned
Good news from this is a Rainbow Six sequel still exists.

Not at all. Go look at last gen's crossover. 3rd parties moved almost all new franchise development to 360 after November 2005, and had transitioned completely by the time PS3 launched in 2006.

2013 is a very different landscape videogame wise than 2005.
 
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