Watch Dogs Legion: Permadeath is a "Tactical Choice," Says Dev

Once the leaks began to roll in prior to this year's E3, some fans were intrigued by the prospect of Ubisoft's next Watch Dogs installment. Upon the arrival of gaming's biggest stage, and those leaks were confirmed, players wanted to know more about the game that allows one to become any NPC they see. Of course, this is a rather interesting concept, and after seeing it on display, it became apparent that Watch Dogs Legion was going to provide some fascinating gameplay. That said, permadeath will be featured in the game, and one of the devs has recently explained the reasoning for it and how it is a "tactical choice."

During a recent Ubisoft event, art director Josh Cook touched on the permadeath featured in Watch Dogs Legion. "Permadeath is a bit of a controversial inclusion in the game," he said. "But it's something that I personally love, I think a lot of people actually really love the way that amplifies the stakes of the game. I think it's very important to note that permadeath is a result of a tactical choice. You have the decision to make, you have the opportunity to surrender, and your operatives will enter a cooldown period where they'll be placed in a hospital or a prison or in different circumstances depending on how they go down.

"But it's a tactical choice. If you choose not to surrender, then you're putting your operative at risk and they are at risk of dying, they will be done and they will be dead and they won't be coming back. It really raises the stakes, it makes the game very exciting. It's a risk/reward situation – losing them for a brief time, or continuing on and finishing up that last bit of progress – that makes for some really exciting moments in the game and I'm glad we have it. I personally love it, I think it's a great idea."

Watch Dogs Legion is set to arrive on March 3, 2020 for Google Stadia, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. For even more on the upcoming title, check out some of our previous coverage as well as the description below:

"In the near future, London is facing its downfall: the people are being oppressed by an all-seeing surveillance state, private militaries control the streets, and a powerful crime syndicate is preying on the vulnerable. The fate of London lies with you, and your ability to recruit a resistance and fight back.

"Watch Dogs Legion delivers a never-before-seen gameplay innovation that allows you to recruit and play as anyone from the entire population of London. Anyone you see can join your resistance and has a unique backstory, personality, and skillset.

"Unlock unique perks to personalize each member of your Legion according to your playstyle. Level-up each character within classes such as Hacker, Infiltrator, and Assault. Customize them further with unique outfits and iconic masks."

[H/t Wccftech]