The much-anticipated PlayStation showcase that took place on May 24 confirmed a handful of rumors and showed glimpses if plenty of new titles coming to consoles in the future. From aremake of Konami classicMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eaterto the announcement of a sequel to the long-overlookedDragon’s Dogma, there was something for everyone to enjoy. The show kicked off withFairgamesbefore Jim Ryan welcomed players to the festivities, and the game that whetted players' appetites for more had some obvious parallels to another well-established property:Watch Dogs.
It comes at an interesting time, not only because the PlayStation 5 is entering its peak years on the market, but also becauseWatch Dogsseems to have been in a steady decline in content and fan interest in recent years. Little is known aboutFairgamesaside from its reveal at this week’s showcase, but the themes of fighting against corruption undoubtedly draw some compelling comparisons to Ubisoft’s hacker franchise. It could reinvigorate the idea to reach new audiences, and give fans of the themes presented inWatch Dogssomething new to sink their teeth into.
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Fairgames Looks Like a Fresh Angle on a Familiar Theme
Fairgameshas been described by developers as a ‘thrilling competitive heist game’, which perhaps puts it more in line withPaydaythan anything. While this may be true when it comes to gameplay and progression, the themes of overarching corruption and pulling back the curtain to expose the truth are all things that are reminiscent ofWatch Dogs.Payday 3is on the way, andFairgamescould be a closer competitor to it than anything that Ubisoft has planned forWatch Dogs. The instant tone of the trailer at the PlayStation showcase still felt similar to the latter.
Story matters in games today, and thoughFairgamesmay not put the narrative at the forefront, the fundamental thread of exposing a corrupt higher power is interesting.Dedsec inWatch Dogswas a compelling bunch simply because its ideals were fun for players to contribute towards, andFairgamesseems to deploy that idea once again. The audio flourishes in the trailer also give vibes so reminiscent of Ubisoft’s property that it’s hard to ignore the resemblance.
Watch Dogs May Have Been Put Down
Though there were glimpses of hope thatWatch Dogscould become the product that was promised way back in the early 2010s, the reality is that it didn’t live up to the hype. The 2014 original was a shell of what was expected. While Marcus' adventure in San Francisco was a commendable effort that had its redeeming qualities (not least the superb recreation of the city), it could not steady the ship. WhenWatch Dogs: Legioncame and went with a whimper, its place in Ubisoft’s catalog of future titles was put into question.
There arerumors thatWatch Dogshas retiredfor good, and though this is a shame as it has a lot of potential, it’s perhaps not a surprise given its trajectory.Watch Dogs: Legionneeded to be a hit, and it failed to leave a lasting impression in a year when there were so many other great AAA third-person action games likeGhost of Tsushima, Final Fantasy 7 RemakeandThe Last of Us 2. Though all may have felt lost,Fairgamescould be the key to reinvigorating the idea that some may have assumed would die withWatch Dogs. More information needs to be revealed to be sure, but the Haven Studios-developed project shows signs that there could be life in the old dog yet.
Fairgamesis in development for PC and PS5.
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