Blume

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Blume Corporation is the creator of ctOS (central Operating System), a fictional computing network that connects every electronic device in a city together into a single system and stores personal information on most citizens. The company is first introduced in Watch Dogs (2014), set in a fictionalized version of the Chicago metropolitan area in 2013, where ctOS is already fully operational and exploited by corrupt companies, crime bosses, and rival hackers. In Watch Dogs 2 (2016), set in a fictionalized version of the San Francisco Bay Area in 2016, Blume has released ctOS 2.0, and the hacking group DedSec seeks to raise social awareness about the dangers posed by the system and expose the corruption of its creators at Blume Corporation. By the time of Watch Dogs: Legion (2020), set in a futuristic, dystopian London circa 2030, Blume's ctOS infrastructure has enabled Albion, an oppressive private military company, to turn the city into a surveillance state following a series of terrorist bombings. The franchise's antagonists are usually corrupt companies, crime bosses, and rival hackers who take advantage of ctOS, with Blume consistently serving as the corporate entity behind the system.

In Their Own Story

In Watch Dogs (2014), Blume's ctOS is the backbone of Chicago's surveillance state, and Aiden Pearce, a gray hat hacker and vigilante, uses his own access to ctOS to control various devices in combat, stealth, and puzzle-solving as he seeks revenge for his niece's killing. The game's development began in 2009 with a budget of $68 million, and the final game triggered controversy over accusations of graphical downgrading from its E3 2012 reveal. In Watch Dogs 2 (2016), Marcus Holloway, punished for a crime he did not commit through ctOS 2.0, joins DedSec to expose Blume's corruption. The game features a much more vibrant and optimistic tone than its predecessor. In Watch Dogs: Legion (2020), set in a near-future London, DedSec seeks to clear their names after being framed for terrorist bombings and liberate London's citizens from Albion's control, which was enabled by ctOS. The game introduces a multiple playable characters system, allowing players to recruit virtually any NPC found in the open world, each with unique skills and backgrounds.

Reader's Guide

Blume Corporation is not a playable character but the overarching corporate antagonist across the Watch Dogs series. Players interact with Blume's systems constantly: ctOS is the network that players themselves hack into using their in-game smartphone to control traffic lights, call police on NPCs, and solve puzzles. In Watch Dogs (2014), the player controls Aiden Pearce, who uses ctOS access to complete missions and side activities. In Watch Dogs 2 (2016), the player controls Marcus Holloway, who uses ctOS 2.0 access to raise social awareness and expose Blume's corruption. In Watch Dogs: Legion (2020), the player controls multiple DedSec operatives who use ctOS access to liberate London from Albion. Blume itself is never directly confronted as a physical entity; instead, its influence is felt through the ctOS network and the corrupt entities that exploit it. The company's role is consistent: it created the system that enables the surveillance state, and the protagonists' goals involve exposing, subverting, or dismantling that system.

Did You Know?

• Blume Corporation created ctOS (central Operating System), a fictional computing network that connects every electronic device in a city together into a single system and stores personal information on most citizens.
• In Watch Dogs 2, DedSec seeks to expose the corruption of Blume Corporation, the creators of ctOS 2.0.
• By the time of Watch Dogs: Legion, set circa 2030, Blume's ctOS infrastructure has enabled Albion, an oppressive private military company, to turn London into a surveillance state.
• The first Watch Dogs game was derived from a potential sequel to the Driver series that had been in development at Ubisoft Montreal, and was reworked into a hacking-focused game after Driver: San Francisco's commercial performance was weak.
• Watch Dogs: Legion introduces a multiple playable characters system, allowing players to recruit virtually any NPC found in the game's open world, each with unique skills and backgrounds.