They say you don’t get something for nothing in this world but that’s not technically true if you’re one of those who have pre-ordered the next installment of Assassins Creed. For all you salty seadogs who are positively salivating at the prospect of more hijinks on the high seas and have already committed to picking up a copy, you’re in for a bit of a bonus. And it’s absolutely free.
Cryptically called The Watch, access to the “ultimate fan platform” is granted simply by logging in with the special pass code given to you when Black Flag is reserved at selected retailers and synching it to your Uplay account. The portal that opens unlocks an online playground for all you pirate wannabees, where you can explore official and fan made content.
It’s early days but there’s already a fair amount of content on the site and it’s easy to navigate. It’s constantly being added to and we’re promised it’s going to be brimful of news, upcoming events and information from the studio, as well as videos and picture galleries. It’s got a very social media feel to it and everything is designed to be shareable.
As the trailer says, The Watch is a “unique quest where you can demonstrate your knowledge of Assassin’s Creed and get rewarded for your skills and involvement in exclusive and exciting missions, quizzes, assassination contracts, real-time operations and riddles.”
By taking part in the various so-called missions, you can earn rewards if you interact with the community. Perhaps the highlight, however, are the “Behind The Black Flag” articles, which take you back to the early 1700s and explain a little more about the locations, characters and the pirate life you’ll experience in the game.
Overall, first impressions are pretty good and there are already some decent assets available. As a pre-order incentive, I reckon I’d prefer a few maps or weapons instead but The Watch is nevertheless, worth a look.