Watch_Dogs Collector’s Edition Guide Cover: Behind the Scenes

“This cover perfectly captures the spirit and tone of Watch_Dogs. I wanted to highlight the duality of adrenaline and action. The adrenaline is represented well by the organic nature of the blue veins and the grip of the gun slowly becoming the drawn map of Chicago. This contrasted well against the rational and cold side of Watch_Dogs, so the hacking is composed by graphical lines spreading out of Aiden’s smartphone against a backdrop of Aiden’s profile.”

—Sidonie Weber, Watch_Dogs Art Director, Ubisoft Montréal

^{Guest Post by Elevendy}

As we approach any gaming project, our first mission is to immerse ourselves in the details. We strive to understand the core elements that will become iconic and meaningful to gamers. Once our team is on the same page, we start throwing out ideas and sketches until we find a handful that get us all excited. From there, we hop into our photo studio and begin shooting our main poses we want to explore.  

One of the main aspects to Watch_Dogs is connectivity, and using that connectivity to hack and gain access to systems that help you accomplish your objectives. As a massive, open-world game set in Chicago, we saw the city as one of the game’s core elements – acting almost like one of the characters. Aiden, the main character, is obviously a vital aspect to the game, but we wanted his presence to be subtle. His mask, gun, and phone really define both his image and purpose. Our overall vision for this artwork was to combine these three elements in a way that made them a part of Aiden. His connection to the people and systems within the game are so pivotal that they’re almost a part of his DNA. 

To combine all these pieces, we started with real data maps of various web traffic and information flows throughout the city of Chicago. We then integrated in-game UI elements to bridge the gap from the real world to the virtual. In our studio, we dressed a model in Aiden’s signature wardrobe pieces and photographed the image being used. From there, it was off to Photoshop where the various pieces were combined and retouched to create the bad ass cover for this genre-defining game. 

Elevendy is one of the world’s pre-eminent video game and advertising art studios. Their team of highly talented artists, photographers, and strategists has been hand-picked for their ability to drive visual innovation. Their work on AAA titles like Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Watch_Dogs, Assassin’s Creed, and The Division has the world taking notice of this small-but-mighty team out of Northern California.

Get your copy of the complete, official Watch Dogs strategy guide and you too can own this masterpiece .