Ubisoft’s PvPvE franchise The Division is getting a new installment and it’s looking to add significantly more depth to the gameplay. Set to release on March 15, 2019, The Division 2 sends players to Washington D.C. six months after the original game took place. Featuring a plethora of new content – including a fleshed out post-game – it’s clear that developer Massive Entertainment is going all in.
Here’s a breakdown of everything we know about The Division 2:
The Division 2 Release Date
The Division 2 is set to release on March 15, 2019, for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. There will be no Switch version of this game.
The Division 2 Beta
Just like other multiplayer focused titles, The Division 2 will hold a beta for players to test the game. In order to sign up for the beta go here and select your platform of choice. The website will then ask you to sign into your U-Play account, so make sure your email is up to date so you can get into the beta. After entering your information you’ll be added to list of people for the beta.
There is no date for when the beta starts or when sign-ups close.
The Division 2 World
Following in the footing of the first game, Massive Entertainment is striving to produce a massive, immersive environment. Set in Washington D.C., The Division 2 boasts an almost 1:1 scale of this iconic city. During the live stream after the Ubisoft E3 conference, we learned that the map is 20% larger than its predecessor. While that doesn’t sound like much on paper, The Division’s original world was quite large.
Unlike the first game, players will be fighting in what appears to be in the spring or summer time. Nature has begun to retake the city, so expect a stark contrast to the cold and sleek environment of the first. There will also be a larger variety of locations to explore such as forests, the main city, and residential areas.
The Division 2 Gameplay
For the unfamiliar, The Division is a third-person shooter that has players assume control of their own Division Agent. Users will have access to a wide variety of different guns and gadgets that can easily turn the tide of battle. Here is a quick breakdown of four items we know will be in the game:
- Assault Drone – An unmanned drone that is controlled by the player who uses it. This item is designed to “unleash a special brand of hell” upon your foes.
- Chem Launcher – This tool allows players to fire off a variety of different chemicals. These include restorative nanobots, explosive gas, and corrosive acid.
- Hive – There are two variants of the Hive, but only one has any details on it. Despite being a defensive ability, players can use the “Wasp Hive” can launch a volley of small drones for area of effect damage.
- Seeker Mine – When activated, players will release a drone that rolls along the ground until it hits the intended target and explodes.
Combat still consists of taking cover and whittling down your opponent’s health bar until they die. However, this time around it appears that many of the enemies aren’t bullet sponges. This was a common complaint in the original, as some foes took forever to actually dispatch. Squads still consist of 4 people and it appears that approaching a situation tactically is even more important this time around. We also know that the max level cap for The Division 2 will be 30.
We get a glimpse at some new enemies called the True Sons, who are a paramilitary organization bent on controlling Washington D.C. During Ubisoft’s post-E3 conference demo, we got a look at a big, juggernaut style enemy that could be killed by shooting off his armor. Additionally, this soldier could be slain by destroying the fuel tank on his back. So far this is the only group we’ve seen so far, but we suspect multiple factions will be fighting for control of the city. Whether returning groups such as The Cleaners will make a return is unknown at this time.
The Division 2 End Game
When the original game launched one of the biggest concerns was a real lack of end game content. This was updated as the game progressed, but Massive Entertainment is making a concerted effort to deliver a stellar post-game experience. During the Ubisoft conference, we learned a fair amount about what players can expect after finishing the campaign.
One of the biggest announcements came in the form of 8 player raids, which is a first for the series. Massive Entertainment didn’t go into detail about what this content would offer or how long it would take to finish. It will be interesting to see if The Division 2 incorporates puzzles or more complex fights.
After players hit level 30 they will be able to go into one of several different specializations. Selecting one gives players a unique weapon and skills to further enhance their character. These are designed to synergize with your squad and other abilities. So far we only know about three specializations, so here’s a look at each one.
- Demolitionist – For those wanting to blow things up, consider selecting the Demolitionist specialization. This is based around causing as much chaos and disruption in a fight as possible. Your signature weapon is a grenade launcher.
- Sharpshooter – If you prefer to fight from a distance then the Sharpshooter is the specialization for you. Not a lot is known about what skills it will offer, but players will get a sniper rifle as their signature weapon.
- Survivalist – This is the most unique of the three, as Survivalists focus on setting traps and unleashing status effects. They appear to be the closest to a support class in The Division 2 so far. Their signature weapon is a precision crossbow that fires explosive-tipped bolts.
The Division 2 will also boast clans and new co-op activities for players to enjoy. Massive Entertainment hasn’t revealed any details about this yet, but we will update this post when new information becomes available.
The Division 2 PvP
PvP (Player vs Player) is confirmed to return to the sequel, but there’s no information on what that looks like. While the Dark Zone was a great idea, the execution left some players feeling mixed about the balance. All we know about PvP is that users will earn high-end loot for competing in whatever The Division 2 offers players.