GameTimeline

Release & story order

Watch Dogs games in order

This Watch Dogs games in order page covers Ubisoft's open-world hacking trilogy with US ship dates—from Aiden Pearce's Chicago debut through Marcus Holloway in San Francisco and anyone-can-be-a-operative London in Legion, plus the Bloodline DLC that brings Aiden into Legion's city. Release is purchase history: Watch Dogs (2014) → Watch Dogs 2 (2016) → Legion (2020) → Bloodline (2021). Story is a loose shared universe (Chicago → SF → London); Marcus is not a direct Aiden sequel. Use Start Here for a 2026 path; FAQ covers skip costs and DedSec continuity. Open-world neighbors: Far Cry games and Assassin's Creed timeline.

Updated September 2026

Pick your path:

Full trilogy + Bloodline Modern DedSec Aiden focus Full release list Story order

Where to start

Pick Full trilogy + Bloodline for every mainline city plus Aiden's London return, Modern DedSec for Watch Dogs 2 then Legion, or Aiden focus for Watch Dogs plus Bloodline after you own Legion. Essentials trims optional noise; hide rows you do not need.

  • Bloodline requires Legion—path order already accounts for that
  • Watch Dogs 2 is the friendliest 2026 tone entry—FAQ
  • Legion's recruit-anyone fantasy is optional if you only want Aiden / Marcus stories

Release order

When Ubisoft shipped each Watch Dogs chapter in the US—Watch Dogs (May 2014), Watch Dogs 2 (November 2016), Watch Dogs: Legion (October 2020), then Legion — Bloodline DLC (July 2021). Bloodline needs the Legion base game and is listed as its own Release entry with a DLC tag.

  • Newcomers → Watch Dogs → Watch Dogs 2 → Legion → Bloodline DLC
  • Tone-first → start Watch Dogs 2 if you want brighter DedSec comedy; return to WD1 later
  • London-only → Legion works as a soft entry; Bloodline adds Aiden after you own Legion
  • Skip cost → skipping WD1 loses Chicago ctOS context and Aiden's setup for Bloodline
Story order tips

Loose shared DedSec / ctOS universe: Chicago (Watch Dogs) → San Francisco Bay (Watch Dogs 2) → near-future London (Legion). Marcus Holloway is a new protagonist, not Aiden's numbered sequel. Bloodline drops Aiden Pearce into Legion's London for a self-contained campaign after you own Legion.

  • City arc: Chicago (Aiden) → San Francisco (Marcus) → London (anyone / Legion)
  • Watch Dogs 2 is same universe, different cast—not a direct Aiden sequel
  • Bloodline brings Aiden into Legion's London—play after Legion base
  • On Story order, later entries may be hidden—reveal when ready or use Show all spoilers

Timeline

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When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Watch Dogs

    Watch Dogs

    PCPS3PS4Xbox 360Xbox OneActionMainline

    Watch Dogs (2014) opens Ubisoft's hacking open world in a ctOS-run Chicago—Aiden Pearce's vigilante campaign against crime and the city's surveillance grid. Release tab year here is 2014.

    Overview
    Phone-as-weapon hacking layered onto third-person open-world crime drama—traffic lights, cameras, and personal data as combat tools. Watch Dogs defined DedSec and ctOS before the brighter Bay Area sequel.
    In-game setting
    Chicago under Blume's ctOS; Aiden Pearce hunts those who harmed his family while the city watches back. Sets the shared universe tone before Watch Dogs 2's San Francisco jump.
    Should you play it?
    Required for Aiden's full arc and for Bloodline context. Skip only if you want Watch Dogs 2's tone first—you lose Chicago setup and much of Aiden's motive.
    Release date
    US May 27, 2014 on PC, PS3/PS4, Xbox 360/One; later ports followed. Prefer current-gen storefront editions where available.
  2. Watch Dogs 2

    Watch Dogs 2

    PCPlayStation 4Xbox OneActionMainline

    Watch Dogs 2 (2016) relocates DedSec to the San Francisco Bay Area with Marcus Holloway—a looser, more satirical hacktivist campaign than Aiden's Chicago revenge story. Release tab year here is 2016.

    Overview
    Co-op friendly DedSec fantasy with drones, parkour, and corporate satire instead of grim antihero noir. Often cited as the series' most welcoming entry for new players in 2026.
    In-game setting
    Same Watch_Dogs universe, new cast—Marcus and Bay Area DedSec, not a numbered Aiden sequel. Bridges Chicago's ctOS themes toward Legion's anyone-can-hack London.
    Should you play it?
    Best standalone tone entry if Chicago's grim vibe put you off. Play after Watch Dogs for universe continuity; skip WD1 only if you accept missing Aiden's origin.
    Release date
    US November 15, 2016 on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Still the easiest mainline to find on modern storefronts.
  3. Watch Dogs: Legion

    Watch Dogs: Legion

    PCPlayStation 4PlayStation 5Xbox OneXbox Series X/SActionMainline

    Watch Dogs: Legion (2020) moves the fight to near-future London—recruit almost any NPC as a playable operative against Albion and corporate control. Release tab year here is 2020.

    Overview
    Play-as-anyone recruitment turns London into a living roster of hackers, construction workers, and spies. Biggest structural swing after the Aiden/Marcus single-hero games.
    In-game setting
    DedSec London resists privatized security and surveillance capitalism. Soft continuity with prior games; Bloodline later drops Aiden into this same city.
    Should you play it?
    Play after Watch Dogs 2 for modern DedSec flow, or jump in if London recruitment is the hook. Required before Bloodline; skipping earlier games costs Chicago/SF context only.
    Release date
    US October 29, 2020 on last-gen and next-gen consoles plus PC; next-gen upgrades followed. Requires Legion base for Bloodline.
  4. Watch Dogs: Legion — Bloodline

    Watch Dogs: Legion — Bloodline

    PCPlayStation 4PlayStation 5Xbox OneXbox Series X/SExpansionExpansion

    Watch Dogs: Legion — Bloodline (2021) is story DLC that brings Aiden Pearce—and Wrench—into Legion's London for a focused campaign alongside the recruit-anyone sandbox. Release tab year here is 2021.

    Overview
    Guest-star campaign mode inside Legion's London—fixed protagonists (Aiden, Wrench) instead of random recruits for this arc. Closes the Aiden thread without remaking Chicago.
    In-game setting
    Set in Legion's London after you own the base game; Aiden returns years after Chicago. Best as a coda once DedSec London is underway.
    Should you play it?
    Optional if you only care about Legion recruitment, required if you want Aiden's London chapter. Buy after Legion; do not treat it as a substitute for the 2014 game.
    Release date
    US July 6, 2021; requires Watch Dogs: Legion. Often bundled in Ultimate / season-pass editions—check your storefront.

FAQ

Release vs story order, Aiden vs Marcus, Legion recruits, Bloodline placement, and what you can skip.

Release order

Release and story order match for the four entries on this page: Watch Dogs → Watch Dogs 2 → Legion → Bloodline. The difference is emphasis—Release is US ship history; Story is Chicago → San Francisco → London cast handoffs in a loose shared universe. Marcus is not Aiden's direct sequel. Use Release to buy; use Story if you care about city chronology and when Aiden returns.

Default: Watch Dogs → Watch Dogs 2 → Legion → Bloodline. Tone-first: start with Watch Dogs 2 if you want brighter DedSec comedy, then decide whether Chicago and London still interest you. Legion works as a soft London entry; add Bloodline only after you own the base game. Ubisoft open-world neighbors: Far Cry games in order and Assassin's Creed timeline.

Story & cities

Same Watch_Dogs universe and DedSec / Blume themes, new protagonist. Marcus Holloway's Bay Area campaign is not a numbered continuation of Aiden Pearce's Chicago revenge plot. You can enjoy Watch Dogs 2 without finishing WD1, but you will miss Aiden's setup that Bloodline later pays off in London.

DLC & editions

After you own Watch Dogs: Legion. Bloodline (July 6, 2021) is story DLC set in Legion's London featuring Aiden Pearce and Wrench. On this timeline it has its own row tagged DLC. Play it once you are comfortable in London—or after the main Legion campaign if you prefer guest-star stories last.

Optional & related

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.