I think the reason why so many people are being so critical of this ad isn't that people are trying to dislike it, it's that they were hoping (myself included) Ubisoft would see this as an opportunity to take a hard look at the mistakes the first game made, focus on instilling a sense of authenticity and awareness, and build a product that at least attempts to deliver on the promise that Watch Dogs' original concept presented to us. This ad gives off the vibe that the second game will just end up being the same focus tested mess the first game was, albeit directed towards a younger and less cynical crowd. My biggest gripe is it just isn't an effective ad, though. It feels like you could interchange the subject with about anything and it would vaguely resemble any other youth-targeted advertisement on TV right now, from soda commercials to fast food.
I might be in the minority, but to me, the hacker fantasy is about access, in a form that's almost (read: usually/nearly always) voyeuristic and perverse. Yeah, there's also the ideology of freedom, expression, and justice, but at the end of the day that will vary from player to player, as it varies among real-world hackers. Watch Dogs built its hype off of that fantasy, and that's something that hasn't really been explored too heavily in games unless you're a fan of stuff like Uplink or Deus Ex. I think the reason people are reacting so negatively is that people still crave that experience; it was never delivered upon, and it doesn't seem like it'll be delivered upon even in a second iteration. The frustration doesn't come from this being a 30 second ad directed towards teens and 20-somethings, it comes from the fact that even when given a second chance, Ubisoft still seems to be missing the appeal of their own franchise.
