An Independent Scotland Exists In Watch Dogs Legion
The next Watch Dogs game is set in London. However, the Watch Dogs universe is not solely focused on the capital city. The rest of the UK does play a part in the story of Watch Dogs. For instance, after Brexit, the UK has shrunk a tad bit and has managed to lose Scotland. Maybe Ubisoft is sympathetic to the independence of Scotland.
A preview featured in the Guardian mentions that Scotland is, in fact, its own independent nation in the world of Watch Dogs Legion. While this news might bring a smile to the faces of Scottish nationalists everywhere, don’t get too excited. The gloomy dystopia is still very much a reality in Scotland as much as it is in London or the rest of the UK for that matter. The Watch Dogs series is not exactly the happiest franchise out there. It can be quite depressing sometimes.
Clint Hocking, a creative director with Ubisoft stated that the team had been working on the game prior to Brexit in 2016. After the referendum passed, the creative team just sort of worked the idea of Brexit into the game. So the existence of a free Scotland is something that isn’t based on the wishful thoughts of Scottish patriots. The last Scottish referendum was held back in 2014 so the idea would have been somewhat fresh at the time. And the passing of Brexit has only made the desire for a second vote to leave the UK all that more appealing to Scots.
Adding in controversial political happenings into Watch Dogs Legion is a very gutsy move on behalf of Ubisoft. This could explode in their faces. Or it could garner respect from their fans. Tackling complex issues like Brexit or Scottish independence is not an easy task.