Hack the world with Watch Dogs mobile companion game 'ctOS'

By Simon Sage
published

Watch Dogs is a great-looking console and PC game that just came out, and alongside it is a companion game that allows mobile players to compete against others live online for free. Anyone on an Xbox, PlayStation, or PC plays as a vigilante bringing justice to a futuristic Chicago by hacking the world with their phone. Meanwhile, players on Android or iOS act as the police force, viewing the pursuit of the criminal from a bird's eye view. To slow him down, those officers use the creepily omniscient ctOS operating system to control traffic lights, blow open steam pipes, buzz the area with a chopper and mounted sniper, and dispatch ground forces to bring the other player down. Fast forward to 4:40 in the above video to get a feel for how the mobile play works out.

There are 13 races and 13 free rides all told. Races require console players to drive through multiple checkpoints in rapid succession before the clock runs out. Free ride is a bit more open world, as there's no GPS tracking, and the distance between waypoints is larger. Progress in ctOS is completely separate from Watch Dogs, so you don't need the console game to compete on mobile (though it also means any progression you're making on iOS or Android isn't carrying over anywhere else). Still, you can play against any of your buddies online, and there aren't any in-app purchases whatsoever.

This is a really promising tie-in to a AAA console game, and I'm eager to give it a shot. What about you? Have you already picked up Watch Dogs? It's too bad about the lack of a Windows Phone version, though... How many of you guys want to see one?

Source: Ubiblog (opens in new tab)

Simon Sage
Simon Sage
105 Comments
  • No ctOS for us
  • And not available for WP as usual. All such things just keep trying my patience. If anyone needs to learn how to have patience, they ought to buy a WP. :P
  • It's not WP not even Windows 8.1 :-(
  • Support for wp8 would seriously spark enough interest in this game to convince me to pick it up.
  • And of course no wp8 version. Oneplus one needs to hurry up seriously. I can't wait for that phone
  • You'll get it maybe in two years when the invitation bs is over.
  • I thought u were about to announce it for windows phone thn :(
  • That's what I thought as well. There were a few of us on the Ubi forum ask why there was no WP8/W8 app. I'd probably buy it if I could get the app. Now I'll wait for it to hit Games w/Gold status.
  • Goddam no windows phone. Though windows 8 could have got a look in though...
  • I thought because of the title that it also came out for Windows phone... Damn lol
  • Sure, I don't want to be misleading or anything. It looks like a solid Xbox game, and I figured this would be a good spot to get people to let Ubisoft know they want ctOS on Windows Phone.
  • I'm sure by now that every company knows we want the same apps for WP. They don't give a damn or they would make them up front.
  • Exactly. Is there an app we'll go "nah, it's popular on iOS and Android, but we don't really want it on WP." We don't need to let anyone know anymore. They know.
  • Misleading is what it is, starting from the headline.
  • Yes it is. I was thinking "awesome" until I saw "Android and iOS users"...
  • They know. They just don't care. These articles will only anger most. Very unnecessary.
  • Then you probably shouldn't have written it. It is misleading. At best this article is a "Check out this cool thing we have but you don't!"
  • But who is "we"? This is WPCentral. No one should be bragging about what they have in our feed. Lol
  • Lolno. This is Mobile Nations. Any editor can post in any section. The exact same article has been copypasted onto Android Central and iMore. See for yourself.
  • This app and this site is for WP news. Yes, this is Mobile Nations. But if they wanted us to see everything about every platform, there would be a single giant blog. As such, they have split it up. This article is not relevant to WP, so it is not relevant to this portion of the feeds for Mobile Nations.
  • Agreed.
  • +1520
  • Like Assassins Creed? Oh... Wait..   Kind of sick of this stuff from Ubisoft, why can't they simplify their companion tie ins with something like Smartglass?
  • Let them have decent servers first...
  • Not again
  • This lack of support ( although alot better since 7 ) is pretty f-ing lame.
  • Is this some kind of ad? Cause otherwise I don't see a point in it.
  • Yeah, I don't get it either. "Hey, here's this cool game you can't get on WP. Do you want it?"
  • its a slap in the face. WP has a app support problem and this article is about a game's app support which is not available for WP.
  • Yeah... wth... you would think they would at least come out with second screen capability for smartglass
  • Not available on Windows Phone
  • Hey everyone, I'm trying to get them to make this app for windows, can you please click to tweet this link, http://ctt.ec/amf1b . If you don't have a twitter, then can you go to their publishers' facebook page here, https://www.facebook.com/ubisoftus?brand_redir=1 . It would really mean a lot to me and I know others would greatly appreciate it. Please spread the word that people have windows devices and that they want to use the companion app to play WatchDogs ctos.
  • Done
  • Done
  • Thanks guys!
  • Done.
  • Done
  • Done.
  • I refuse. Fuck 'em. Stop groveling.
  • Done. I probably won't ever play it but I think it is something devs should do and it's good for the platform if we're all vocal about not having apps we want.
  • Waaaaap wahhhh...
    Almost thought it came out for WP8 as well...
  • If it's not for WP nor windows why would you write this article ?
  • Good question.
  • Just to put that final question "How many of you want to see it in Windows Phone?" ... You know, just to piss off.
  • around 10/11 % of smartphone users want it on WP8 :P
  • Things like this are really making me consider jumping ship towards Android. I'm tired of missing out on companion apps just because I'm on WP...
  • Ditto :( I've been on WPhone since the Samsung Focus and yet still very little progress.
  • I'd say iPhone is better than Android.
  • Only if you enjoy wearing a wool coat year round.
  • I keep an android phone handy. I can't fully go back to Android or ios for that matter. Windows just works for me. I use my HTC one to tether and for apps like this.
  • Was happy until I realized there is no WP version. This article feels like a big tease to window phone users.
  • Thank god I have an iPad, lol. Anyways, if you guys want to help out, contact Unisoft and the developers on twitter, and use #MobileEquality. :)
  • Ubisoft :)
  • WPcentral having an article on this is a huge tease. >.>
  • man that is freaking lame you would think Microsoft would make it a point to secure this app for their platforms as well.
  • Did you seriously give us download links for iOS and Android? Like, do you have a coconut for a head or something? Don't take personal offence but the whole point of the article is stupid. You could just say that WD is out for Xbox and leave it there. The worst part? The first reply to my comment will probably be some kind of "leave the poor author alone". Again, this is not a personal attack but you should know better. You had me believing that a companion app was out at the release of a game, rather than 10 months later.
  • +820
  • +1520
  • Yup. This article is idiotic. Maybe we can get tons more articles about apps we don't have, and ask "if we want them"? 'Cause, hey, maybe we just don't want popular apps on WP, right?
  • +929
  • No joke the final straw that made me decide to pass on Watch Dogs was the lack of support for Xbox Smartglass or Windows. The way Dead Rising 3 used SmartGlass would be perfect for this game (turning your phone into the characters phone). I also passed on CoD ghosts because they didn't use Kinect to command the dog. When these developers miss obvious opportunities to innovate I refuse to support them.
  • Good call, won't support such devs either. No excuse for such rubbish.
  • This is the kind of hate train I can get behind.
  • Want it so much for Windows phone!!
  • This kind of questions "How many of you guys want to see one?" on all WP apps lack article ... it's annoying already. For God sick.
  • Another none windows phone related article.
    1 a day is not too bad I guess
  • We should all blow up their forms asking for WP game
  • Been playing all night since midnight release. Such a good fun game. Wish the companion app was on windows though. Oh well. .
  • Why in the world did you post this?
  • This lack of support for Windows Phone, if continued by Game Developers will surely cause concern for a lot of us WP owners going forward with regards to future phone upgrades.
  • I USE Nexus 7, lumia 1020 and surface rt to get 99% of Apps
  • So why does windows phone central post about a app that is not even out for windows phone this has to be one of the things that piss me off I love the phone but new apps for games come out on everything else first then months later if that we get them 2 things that really piss me off apps for games and how I can't even post a video on my friends page on Facebook its a hassle to c
    opy and paste
  • Lets talk about a companion app that WP users can't get... Not cool
  • Sooo this is a post about an android and ios app thats not available for windows phone, on a WP site? Musta been a paid/sponsored article..
  • Look a great companion app for for an Xbox game you can't have. Useless article for this website.
  • What was the point of this?! You had me all excited thinking we were gonna get the companion AP but you really posted Android and IOS links like I couldn't have found that out by myself.
  • Blasphemy I tell you! Lack of Windows Phone support is a shame. The devs should fell sorry for themselves.
  • Here I was thinking we got this on Windows Phone 8, or at least Windows 8. Instead, this is just a WPCentral article about an app on Android and iOS, seems like a silly thing to promote apps on the competing ecosystems.
  • Why did WPCentral post this article.
  • Why even cover this when there is no app for windows phone or windows 8.1? Unbelievable. smdh
  • What I find even more unbelievable is that Watchdogs is on Xbox and Windows yet this, the companion app, isn't available on Windows 8.1/RT or WP8. Why is this even being covered on here when it has no relevance to Windows or WP?
  • Wasted time on the article and video only to learn that I can't have it?
  • This article should be removed.
  • I don't see why ppl use companion apps... Why not just use the console? I think companion apps are just a hassle. No real use except for maybe the a map but I can easily see it on the console instead
  • i thought they released windows or wp app when I saw this article. how misleading...
  • So this companion app is, literally, on everything but WP?! F**k Ubisoft!
  • My copy of watchdogs arrived today XD thankfully I have an android tablet so I can get the ctOS app. Posted via the WPC App for Android!
  • Alot of people getting their knickers in a twist about a companion app not on Wp. So what!!!.don't get it with companion apps or mobile games will stick to my xbox one for gaming and my lumia 820 for phone calls,messaging etc. Just saying
  • Exactly, this isn't even news related to the Windows Phone. Let alone ANY Windows devices, yet it's posted on Windows Phone Central. Please don't pollute my RSS feed with articles that have nothing to do with the first reason why I follow the RSS feed. This isn't available for us, your readers, so don't post about it. Yes, I'm furious it's not available for us if you can't tell.
  • Surprised they even posted this on WP Central. Posted via the WPC App for Android!
  • I would like a Windows phone version of the companion app even one for the surface devices would be great. Hopefully if enough people respond with the same request it will happen.
  • Windows Phone version, or bust. I'm only ever gonna stay on Windows Phone for the next 10 years, so Ubisoft and EA should get on that. And Rockstar, Bungie..
  • Waiting for the UPS guy to deliver it any min now, got it from the MS Store with $15 Xbox credit and even 4% cash back.... I'll wait the extra time to get a deal like that on a day one release :)
  • This article hasn't been removed yet? smdh
  • +1  
  • No love for WP...this suxcx
  • Same as always, not For WP users.
  • WTF, why the hell is this on WPCentral as WP news. This has absolutely nothing about WP in it. Its not even available for the damn WP.  
  • I was just about to go pick up my preorder from Gamestop.  I will instead be cancelling it.  So tired of it.
  • 10 hours later, and still no member of the WPCentral staff explaining the bizarre posting of this article...
  • This is what gets at me, if Microsoft were not in the gaming business then I could understand it, but they are in the gaming business and are keen to promote Smartglass and also to get Xbox One in a better position as far as lower sales are concerned.
    Even if we didn't have the app as standalone but have it inside Smartglass, like dead rising. Either way both consoles and phone are part of same overall business but as always WP gets no love. You cant increase market share without work effort and ingenuity. They have that sooooo......!!
  • well that was a tease holy thanks for nothing article...
  • After seeing what information the seem to want access to on Android, assuming this is all true. I do,t think an app needing rhi access could eve get approved if developed due to the sandbox nature of some of the part of WP. This would require a partial rewrite instead of a simple port. http://i.imgur.com/xHVmqEJ.png
  • Ah Gk ada buat windows phone dasar pilih kasih
  • Typical of Ubisoft. They really must hate Windows and Windows Phone over there... It surprises me that Watch Dogs isn't a PS4 exclusive... Developers need to use Smartglass alot more!!