How to make money in Watch Dogs

Similar to real-life, the more cash you can collect in Watch Dogs, the easier your life will become. A wealthy Aiden Pearce can splash out on lavish vehicles and weapons, crafting materials and other items that will help you to beat missions faster. With this in mind, we’ve composed a guide on the best ways to make money in Watchdogs, and which hacking skills will reward you with the most money. Follow on to discover our Hints and Tips that will see you funding that $40,000 shotgun within no time at all. 


What is yours is mine!



It’s very easy to get your hands on some hot cash in Watch Dogs, and the easiest method also appears to be the most lucrative. This technique involves hacking into NPC’s mobile phones to access their bank accounts and clear all of the cash inside. Sadly not every mobile that you hack grants you access to the owner’s full bank accounts, but you may gain a crafting item, new missions or possibly just some worthless chatter. You can expect to receive anything from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars from each NPC, to increase the income you can receive using this method, you must unlock additional hacking skills [See below].

Make your way over to a rich area of Chicago which currently has a lot of pedestrians walking the streets and sprint around the local area hacking into the bank accounts of those that you pass.

For a visual walkthrough on making cash by hacking NPC’s bank accounts, check this video below:

The most lucrative hacking skills




We’ve narrowed down the three best hacking skills for making money to the ATM Hack Boost, Profiler Optimization and the ATM Hack Boost Plus. Those who pre-ordered Watch_Dogs and have access to the “Palace Pack” DLC can collect the ATM Hack Boost early on in the game, which will increase the sum of money recieved when hacking bank accounts at ATMs. The Profiler Optimization skill will automatically highlight the civilians with brimming bank accounts, luxurious vehicle unlocks, system keys and other valuable rewards. When you pass an NPC with high value, with this skill unlocked, he/she will will be highlight with a blue square. Finally the ATM Hack Boost Plus will grant you an even larger boost in the amount of cash that can be gained from hacking bank accounts.

Mini Games



There’s a vast selection of mini-games scattered across the Watch Dogs map, which are typically quite easy ways of earning money. These activities include:
Chess - There are two separate variations of Chess in Watch Dogs, firstly there is the traditional version of chess, the second game includes different puzzles which give Aiden a half-played game to complete. The number of moves that Aiden can make and the pieces that he can use are restricted.
NVZN -This mini game is an Alternate Reality Mobile Phone game where Aiden must protect Chicago from the attacking aliens by destroying them using his ‘blaster’. Race against the clock and record your highest scores.
Shell Game - The classic hussle which involves a dealer slipping a ball underneath one of three cups and shuffling them up at a fast pace. Keep your eyes peeled, as a correct answer results in a sweet payout.
Cash Run - Race against the clock as Aiden avoids the ghosts and collects coins in order to compete for a high score. Keep your eyes peeled for the bonus purple clocks which extend the time on the clock.
Poker - The classic Texas Hold’em with a twist. Use cameras to your advantage by peeking at your competitors cards, monitor heart beats, or just strike lucky for lucrative win.
Slot Machine - Nothing but luck with this game, slot some cash in, pull the level and cross your fingers for a high value reward.
Drinking Game - Compete in a drinking contest, with the last standing player stumbling off with the jackpot.
Digital Trips -This mini game allows Aiden to enter a digital world without rules. There are 5 of these trips: Madness , Alone, Psychedelic , Spider Tank and Conspiracy.

For more information on the these mini games, read more in our Watch Dogs Mini Games guide here.

Have you got any tips for making easy money in Watch Dogs? Share your methods in the comments below.

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