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Blume Corporation

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Blume Corporation, or simply Blume, is a major corporation and overarching antagonist in the Watch Dogs series.

Description[]

Blume serves as the main antagonistic faction of both Watch Dogs and Watch Dogs 2 and a major antagonistic faction of Watch Dogs: Legion. They are a technology company that specializes in communications technologies, information technologies as well as security technologies. It is the company that developed and owns CTOS as well as its iterations, and is responsible for their operation, maintenance and advancement.

Through CTOS as well as its iterations, Blume Corporation has a borderline monopolistic power on digital information systems across the globe, as well as its subsidiaries and utilities. Self-described as the "world's foremost innovator of high-tech, high-performance communications and security technology", [1] Blume Corporation specializes in everything from wireless phone operating systems, home computers, to digital imaging processors, and linked-by-network security systems. They take great pride in the fact that they helped create most of the markets they now dominate. Blume stands poised to reshape the way people think about Information Security Architecture (ISA).

Blume had its own security contractors in Watch Dogs to protect the company's major interests like CTOS Control Centers, Blume property, and so forth. These security members could be identified with CTOS signs on their gray uniforms. They were notorious for various criminal records of its members. In Watch Dogs 2, Blume hires Umeni Security Corps to provide security to their facilities. It is unknown if this was only for the Bay Area or if Umeni Security Corps were also contracted to replace Blume facilities in Chicago after the events of Watch Dogs. In Watch Dogs: Legion, Blume hires Albion Private Security to protect and guard their facilties and the Blume Complex. They most likely don't do security outside of London as Albion only operates in the UK.

Blume made many sketchy deals with organizations by giving them access to CTOS data and related technology like the Bellwether system, in exchange for funding and information. This in turn created one of the largest corrupt corporate monopolies that even included U.S. government agencies such as the FBI.

History[]

Watch Dogs[]

By the year 2003, CTOS was in beta in parts of rural Ohio but was limited to monitoring systems for electricity and other utilities. Raymond "T-Bone" Kenny a former employee of Blume that helped make the CTOS hacked the system by abusing a vulnerability in the CTOS, causing the Northeast Blackout of 2003, Blume would be able to reset the system afterwards but by the end 11 people had already died during the blackout. The events of which would push Blume to develop the Smart City Program, with plans to make CTOS to predict crimes, run transportation and create profiling systems to collect data to make life more efficient or to be sold off to other companies. CTOS also was going to be used to help feed their advanced behavioral modification program, Bellwether.

By 2011, the first version of the city sanctioned CTOS was installed in Chicago and Pawnee. The system was greatly appreciated by most Chicago citizens, however some people had concerns of possible manipulation with the system. The hacker collective DedSec, would use vulnerabilities in CTOS to expose the issues with the system. At the same time Blume would make agreements with the Chicago South Club and Pawnee Militia, giving them access to the system, making deals and using them as illegal street hustle. By the end of Watch Dogs, trust in CTOS was at an all time low, mainly due damage caused by DedSec and Aiden, as well as another blackout caused by an altercation with Damien and the the Fox. In late 2013, Blume unveiled plans for CTOS 2.0, which was planning to be launched at the end of year, and to be pushed across the United States and the rest of the world

Watch Dogs 2[]

CTOS 2.0 was released on a massive scale, with almost every city across the United States and select cities around the world gaining access to the new CTOS. The new system prided itself on being more secure, giving many people new hope into smart city development Due to this, DedSec divided into smaller groups across most of North America. The new CTOS was much more invasive than it was previously as well, part of that was due to the collaboration with Nudle, giving CTOS access to millions of Americans and their private activities. Haum Electronics also partnered up with CTOS, their operating system found in their products designed to directly feed the system. All of the data received was processed in sever farms across the world and was all coordinated at the Blume Global HQ in Silicon Valley.

The San Francisco branch of DedSec was committed to shutting them down and exposing the illegal activities done by Dušan Nemec, the CTO of Blume and the one controlling the CTOS. Dušan would then use DedSec was a boogeyman to help him recruit major companies and even governments into his plans for a satellite-based web security system (which would ultimately allow Dušan to see, use and sell their data for his personal gain). Dušan would also confront Marcus, a member of DedSec and even admitted that he admires Marcus, but he also proclaimed that the people do not care for DedSec's agendas, even if it is true. He even revealed that he has recreated Marcus' CTOS profile and has put out a warrant for his arrest and then leaves.

Dušan then contacted the Galilei Corporation to send CTOS satellites into orbit to create his new data backbone. He also handed the Auntie Shu Boys access to Bellwether to manipulate the New York Stock Exchange. He also set up a 10-year contract with the Tidis Corporation to build advanced "Riot-Suppression" robots to be used on people that disagreed with Blume and to be controlled with CTOS 2.0. Dušan Nemec issued a press conference and promised the citizens to further strengthen the CTOS 2.0. DedSec would later shut down the Auntie Shu Boys and reveal to the public what Tidis was planning. DedSec then sabotaged Mark Thruss a puppet of Mary Catskill, the CEO of !Nvite and Dušan. After these events, Marcus Holloway's profile was once again added into CTOS 2.0 and a bounty was put on his head by the FBI. With the help of his fellow DedSec members, Marcus Holloway was camouflaged from CTOS 2.0.'s surveillance systems and he used the opportunity to break into Blume's HQ with the intention to steal all of the data and research Dušan Nemec had for his plans as well as the list of his allies. Marcus and the rest of DedSec eventually gathered more than enough evidence of Dušan's plot to expose him to the public and the authorities.

Blume then made a public statement, condemning Dušan Nemec to try and save their image. However, by this point it was too late, and trust in CTOS 2.0 was at a record low, with many politicians planning to reconsider their city contracts with Blume.

Watch Dogs: Legion[]

CTOS 3.0 was launched sometime thereafter, with plans to roll out the system throughout Europe, with a long-term plan beginning in London by gradually switching out the CCTV system that had been a ongoing fixture of London since the early 1960s with CTOS cameras connected to Blume's cloud. The corporation would also work by bribing the mayor's office to make the CTOS cameras the new standard. Blume would make deals with Tidis to create CTOS drones for drone surveillance and to act a portable camera and would also help to create the Spider-Bots for server Maintenace. Blume would partner with IXATECH to allow cargo drones to be connected to CTOS and would do the same with the GBB and Parcel Fox. Blume would also buy the BT Tower, transforming it into their regional headquarters, and eventually allowing Skye Larsen to use the extensive facilities underneath for her company Broca Tech.

However, their biggest claim to fame would be the creation of the OPTIK, for Blume, the Optik was the next generation in computing Technology, while Optik 1 was a pair of AR glasses, Optik 2 was much more popular. The newer system consists of a surgically implanted on the user's temple, directly interfacing with the optic nerve to create an augmented reality environment, and a small handheld device that acts as the base station. The Optik quickly replaced regular smartphones, as it allowed users to read and type emails, browse the Internet, take calls, send messages, and everything else without the need to take the device out of the user's pocket. Bolstering its usefulness was the ability to make payments, use public transport, receive treatment, and even cross borders without the need for physical cash or documentation. To ensure widespread adoption, Blume flooded the market with the devices, available free of charge with free wireless Internet and phone plans. This move ensured that the vast majority of consumers have readily obtained an Optik, ignoring the vast privacy issues inherent to a device that not only accesses, but processes everything the user sees and does, streaming data to Blume's servers. This streaming functionality is necessary, as Optiks alone do not have the processing power necessary to process the data. Blume would also partner up with Broca Tech, to create Bagley as an AI personal assistant for the Optik. After Brexit and Scotland leaving the UK, Blume had more power in London than ever before, as all cars in the UK legally had to be autonomous vehicles, with CTOS connectivity. By the events of Legion, all UK citizens were legally required to wear an Optik 3, and the Optik 4 was planning to be unveiled at the Technologies of All Nations Global Conference (TOAN), with Optik 4 already being released in Singapore.

After the Zero Day Bombings, Blume would partner with Albion. Together, all major Albion technology was to be powered by CTOS, including the Albion Checkpoints, drones, turrets, and all their vehicles. After the events of Watch Dogs: Legion, Skye Larson (to public knowledge) was dead, a few days later a dangerous CTOS update brought by Sabine that caused all Bagley 's in London to attack infrastructure would lead to a altercation at the top of Blume Tower and the shut down of all Bagley AI servers. Blume would comment later saying the situation was contained, not long after the United Nations would make it illegal to make Optiks a mandatory device to be used on civilians. Ending the control Blume once had over London.

Mission Appearance[]

Watch Dogs[]

Watch Dogs 2[]

Known Personnel[]

Former Personnel[]

Known Blume Facilities[]

Blume's known facilities are:

  • Blume Campus, Silicon Valley, California: Global Headquarters
  • Chicago: State Headquarters, various monitoring stations
  • Treasure Island, San Francisco: Data Center
  • Blume Tower, Camden, London: UK Headquarters
  • Delaware Township, New Jersey: Data Center
  • Dublin: Offices
  • Dubai: Offices
  • Yongsan, Seoul: Offices

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • One tactic that the Blume Corporation did to win over the populace with the CTOS project was to install free Wi-Fi hotspots across the city.[2]
  • "Blume" (ˈbluːmə) is German for "flower". Although pronounced differently in the game, there might be a connection between the meaning of the word and the corporate symbol.[3]
    • "Bloom", which is how the corporation is pronounced in the game, means for a flower to blossom, further referencing the logo, which resembles a flower.
  • Originally, Blume had its own Security Guards. However, they were cut from the game due to unknown reasons.
  • As seen in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Blume Corporation sent a corporate sales email to Abstergo Entertainment's CCO, Olivier Garneau, in which they advertised CTOS, and offered the possibility of having a localized system installed at Abstergo Entertainment's Montreal facility.
    • This was the start of many Easter eggs to be shared across both franchises.
  • Blume is referenced via radio broadcasts in Far Cry 5, in which they are described as "cybersecurity experts" helping American credit agencies following massive data breaches.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ This is information provided from an Easter egg in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag
  2. ↑ IGN (2013). Youtube: Watch Dogs - 15 Minutes Open World Gameplay Commentary!. @09:40. Retrieved 2014-03-21.
  3. ↑ http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/translate/german-english/Blume

External links[]

  • CTOS (Blume CtOS website)
  • CTOS (Recreated Blume CtOS website)
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