Radio Stations

Lore & Background

In the Watch Dogs universe, radio stations are subtle storytellers, weaving the cultural and technological DNA of each metropolis into your earbuds. Chicago's airwaves—stations like 'The Loop' and 'Bounce FM'—throb with electronic, hip-hop, and rock, their dark, bass-heavy tracks echoing the omnipresent cameras and ctOS surveillance. Across the bay in Watch Dogs 2, San Francisco's 'The Bunker' and 'The Bounce' serve up indie, funk, and global beats, reflecting the city's vibrant, anti-authoritarian hacker scene. DJs rarely break character, but when they do, it's to drop a sly comment about a blackout or a DedSec stunt—a wink that keeps the world feeling alive without derailing your mission.

In Their Own Story

The rain slicks the asphalt as Marcus idles his car at a red light near Pier 39. The radio crackles to life with a funky bassline from 'The Bunker' station, a track he's heard a dozen times before. He taps the steering wheel, glancing at the ctOS node pulsing on the lamppost above. The DJ's voice cuts in: 'Another blackout in the Marina district—must be those DedSec kids again.' Marcus smirks, shifts into gear, and drives on as the music swells, the city's rhythm syncing with his own.

Reader's Guide

In Watch Dogs 2, the radio system is accessible in any drivable vehicle across the San Francisco Bay Area, including districts like Oakland, Silicon Valley, and San Francisco proper. The visual identity is sleek and modern, with a minimalist interface on the in-game phone that lists station names and current tracks. Key points of interest include the 'Bunker' station, which features electronic and indie tracks, and 'The Bounce,' focusing on hip-hop and funk. No major story beats are tied directly to radio stations, but they enhance missions like the 'False Profits' heist by providing a dynamic soundtrack. The in-game media ecosystem also includes podcasts and news reports, but radio remains the primary audio backdrop for driving sequences.

Did You Know?

• The radio stations in Watch Dogs 2 include tracks from artists like The Prodigy and The Chemical Brothers, reflecting the game's tech-savvy setting and high-energy hacker vibe.
• In the original Watch Dogs, the station 'The Loop' features a mix of electronic and rock music, complementing the game's dark, surveillance-heavy theme and Aiden Pearce's lone-wolf journey.
• Players can change radio stations while driving by using the in-game phone's music app, which also allows for custom playlists in some versions—perfect for curating your own heist soundtrack.