Watch Dogs drop-in multiplayer can be turned on or off

A recent livestream from the team behind Ubisoft's upcoming open-world action game Watch Dogs answers several fan questions, including why the game was delayed and how its drop-in multiplayer will function.

According to lead game designer Danny Belanger, players who aren't interested in unexpected visits from other players can easily switch the function off.

"All the online activities are just part of the menu," Belanger said. "They're a choice. But if someone is not into that .... they can totally turn it off."

Additionally, Watch Dogs has a system in place to keep players from being bombarded by invading hackers.

"There's also something important called the shield. If someone comes into your game, they can't come in right after so you can't be spammed in that way — unless you become aggressive and you start going into other people's games," Belanger said. "Then you really become available. But it's just a player choice in the end."

Belanger added that the game's multiplayer is not about being aggressive, but instead features a "hide-n-seek" focus that involves hacking and getting hacked. For more on the game, check out the stream.

Last week, Ubisoft confirmed that up to eight players will be able to roam freely through the game's multiplayer mode.

Following a delay last year, Watch Dogs will launch on all current platforms — with the exception of Wii U — May 27. The Wii U version is expected later this year.