Watch Dogs delay sent an "important message" to Ubisoft's first party studios

The delay of Ubisoft's Watch Dogs sent a reassuring message to other first party studios at the company, according to David Polfeldt, managing director of Massive Entertainment, which is currently working on The Division.

Watch Dogs was scheduled to launch alongside the new consoles at the end of 2013, but was delayed to give the team time to ensure the game's quality.

"It's tremendously important for us as a developer studio, to know that the owner and the publisher are ready to take that hit, and [the Watch Dogs delay] was a massive hit," said Polfeldt in an interview with Examiner. "I think their shares fell 25 per cent on the day it was announced it was being delayed.

"It takes so much courage to live through that day and still think that was a good decision. So for us in the development [side of things], that's an important message that ultimately the management will back up the goals that we have, which is the game has to be great.

"That's ultimately the end goal and then it's a million times better if it's on time," Polfeldt added, "but if there is a choice between time and quality, then quality will win."

There is not yet a release date in place for The Division, though Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has previously hinted that it will be close to the end of 2014. Meanwhile rumours have circled that the game is likely to be pushed back further.

Thanks, CVG.