Watch Dogs: Legion is the third major entry in the Watch Dogs series. Its major gimmick relies on the fact that players can essentially recruit anyone they want from the game to help them rescue London from the dystopian rule it finds itself under -- and clear DedSec's name.
But despite the fact that there are plenty of different recruits available to bring into the DedSec cabal, players may only take a finite number under their wing: 45, to be exact.
What happens when you meet the 45 active playable operative count, and how do you get around it? Here's how you can retire operatives and bring new candidates on for different situations.
How to retire operatives in Watch Dogs: Legion
The way you can reliably retire operatives in Watch Dogs: Legion depends on whether you're playing with permadeath mode on. If you've opted to leave it on, when your agent dies, they're out of the game for good. Letting this happen will ensure you've freed up a spot for a new operative posthaste.
However, if you've decided to turn permadeath mode off, there's a little bit more of an involved process to let your agents know their services are no longer required. It isn't difficult by any means, but it does take a conscious effort on your part.
To get started, all you need to do is head to an operative's profile. You should see their stats page here. Look at the bottom right of their page for a button that's labeled "Retire Operative." This will be Square on PlayStation 4 or 5, X on Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, or simply "Retire" for PC players. Following this action, the operative will be permanently retired.
Because of this, be extra sure this is the path you want to take. You will not find them in the world to recruit again. For this reason, only prune your ranks one operative at a time to lessen any potential mistakes you could make.
How to retire prestige operatives in Watch Dogs: Legion
It isn't always as simple as just retiring an operative in Watch Dogs: Legion. There are certain agents that will be completely devoid of the button we spoke of previously. If you feel they no longer deserve a place on your team, you'll, unfortunately, have to turn permadeath on and send these characters out to die.
It may be gruesome, but send them on a mission you know they won't come back from. Eventually, they'll leave an open slot in your roster. That's your cue to go ahead and find someone to fill it up again. Then you're well on your way to customizing your Watch Dogs: Legion team the way you've always wanted.