There’s a moment in Watch Dogs: Legion where your brain just goes, “Oh… so THAT’S what’s been going on.”

kinda sneaky, but it's just pure realization.

You finally learn who Zero Day really is — and suddenly the whole game feels different. Like rewatching a movie and noticing all the hints you ignored the first time.

And if you’re replaying the game already knowing the truth? Yo… that changes everything.

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS FOR WATCH DOGS: CONTINUE READING AT YOUR OWN RISK!

So let’s talk about it.
In Watchdogs Legion, who is Zero Day? What actually happens after Zero Day is revealed? And what happens when you play Legion knowing the answer before the game even asks the question?

Yes, Zero Day Is Sabine (Relax, That’s Not the Ending)

Alright, no dancing around it.

In Watchdogs Legion, Zero Day is Sabine Brandt.

The same Sabine who helps rebuild DedSec.

The same Sabine who’s been in your ear since the beginning.

The same Sabine who says all the right things.

First-time players usually hit that reveal and think, “Okay, cool, final boss unlocked.”

But here’s the funny thing — the game doesn’t actually end there.

The twist isn’t the finish line. It’s more like the game saying, “Alright, now that you know… how do you feel about everything you just did?”

And yeah, that question hits harder on replay.

Blind Playthrough Energy vs Second-Run Awareness

Let’s be honest. Most first playthroughs are messy.

You’re recruiting random citizens like it’s Pokémon. You’re hacking everything that moves. You’re skipping half the dialogue because Albion is shooting again.

It’s not deep. It’s survival.

On that first run, your mindset is simple: finish missions, unlock stuff, save London (or at least try).

But once you already know Sabine is Zero Day? Yeah… the vibe changes.

Suddenly, every conversation with her feels weird. Not creepy-weird. More like “this aged badly” weird.

You start catching little comments. Little nudges. Little moments where she’s steering things just a bit too confidently.

You’re not discovering the story anymore. You’re watching it unfold — knowingly.

Ever thought about what would happen if Zero Day actually won? here's our own take on that topic: What if Zero Day Won?

The Game Makes You Feel Smart (Even When You’re Not)

One thing Legion does really well is making you feel like a genius hacker.

You topple systems. You embarrass Albion. You expose corruption left and right.

Feels good. Feels powerful.

But on replay, knowing who Zero Day is? You realize something kinda hilarious.

A lot of this was supposed to happen.

Not because the game is scripted (well, it is), but because Sabine already accounted for DedSec’s actions.

That’s not you outplaying the system. That’s the system letting you feel clever.

Which is… unsettling. And also very on-brand for Watch Dogs.

Skye Larsen: The Moment Players Slow Down

Now let’s talk about Skye Larsen. Because this is where players actually pause the controller.

Skye isn’t a cartoon villain. She’s not yelling about world domination. She genuinely believes she’s improving humanity.

Unfortunately, her version of “improving” involves trapping minds in machines. Minor detail.

On a first playthrough, a lot of players eliminate her without thinking too much. She crossed the line. She built the nightmare. End of discussion.

But on replay? Knowing what Sabine becomes?

Letting Skye live feels… different.

It's not like its heroic or anything, it just feels more like, “I’m not becoming the executioner this time.”

You’re not saying Skye is right. You’re saying the cycle has to stop somewhere.

Once You Know Zero Day, Everyone Looks Complicated

Here’s something Legion does quietly well: once the big reveal happens, nobody looks clean anymore.

Albion? Yeah, they’re awful. But they’re also just another power structure abusing tech.

Clan Kelley? Trash humans, no debate. But they exist because the system allows them to.

Even DedSec? Not perfect.

On replay, you stop sorting people into “good” and “bad.” You start sorting systems into “broken” and “dangerous.”

And Sabine? She’s the final form of unchecked certainty.

Does Legion Actually End When Zero Day Falls?

From a gameplay perspective? Yep.

Story missions wrap up. London breathes again. Credits roll.

But emotionally? Nah.

The city doesn’t suddenly feel fixed. It feels… tired.

Like it survived something, but knows something else will replace it eventually.

That’s kinda the point.

Legion isn’t saying, “You saved the world.” It’s saying, “You stopped one version of disaster.”

What if Zero Day Won?

People would band together . Probably Albion or Kelley members still keeping control of some areas and fighting back . Even if dedsec failed at some point someone would fight . Although many people would die from the technology all being hacked . Hospital machines , vehicles it would all be killing . Everyone would be marked as wanted since Bagley even said he was assigning criminal records to babies . It would be a world of chaos .

This interesting take is via a post on Reddit, seems quite interesting yeah? Now that's a game I'd love to replay. Talk about replay value games? Watch Dogs has to be there, somewhere!
You can check out This Article to read more hot takes on this topic 'if Zero Day actually won'

Replaying Legion Turns It Into a Warning Story

On replay, Watch Dogs: Legion stops feeling like a revolution fantasy.

It starts feeling like a cautionary tale.

Tech isn’t evil. Control is.

Transparency matters more than intentions. And being “right” doesn’t give you the right to decide for everyone.

Sabine didn’t fail because she was weak. She failed because she believed she was the smartest person in the room.

And yeah… we’ve all met someone like that.

So What Really Changes After You Discover Zero Day?

You stop speedrunning the story.

You listen more. You hesitate more. You think twice before pulling the trigger.

You’re not chasing the “best ending.” You’re chasing an ending you can live with.

And that’s lowkey impressive for a game that lets you recruit a grandma hacker.

Final Thoughts

Watch Dogs: Legion has flaws. Some mechanics feel shallow. The “play as anyone” idea doesn’t always hit.

But replay it knowing the truth? The story lands harder.

Discovering Zero Day doesn’t end the game. It reframes it.

And that second playthrough? That’s where Legion quietly earns its respect.

Clinton Nwezeaku

Founder, Quantorv Games