We got our first glimpse at The Division 2 during Microsoft’s E3 2018 press conference, but Ubisoft released a few interesting nuggets of its own during its press event. Most notably, the game will have raids and free DLC.
Raids will be be playable with up to eight people. Ubisoft didn’t go into much detail on these multiplayer events, but it’s obvious Ubisoft is taking cues from Destiny here.
In addition to raids, Ubisoft will keep up with the new industry trend of offering free DLC post-launch. Throughout the game’s first year on the market, players will receive three DLC packs, all of which will be free to all players. That’s in stark contrast to the first game, which had a paid season pass for its own trio of expansion packs.
The Division‘s DLC packs gradually made the already solid game better post-launch, so this new free model should keep even more fans engaged with the shared – shooter in the months following launch. Post-campaign character progression should also keep players hooked after finishing the main story.
While the first game’s snowy version of New York City was beautifully realized, the post-pandemic streets of Washington D.C., the setting of the sequel, are also quite a sight. The sequel takes place six months after the pandemic that wiped out a large percentage of humanity. That places it just a few months removed from the events of the first game. The cinematic trailer showed off the United States Capitol building and other well-known buildings. We also saw agents square off against armored enemies near the wreckage of Air Force One.
The gameplay shown suggests that enemies will have weak points that players can strategically target to inflict more damage. It also seems like environmental damage will come into play, allowing you to shoot through minor obstacles to eliminate enemies.
Ubisoft will hold a beta on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC ahead of the game’s 2019 launch. Dates for the beta have not been revealed, but if it follows a similar format as the beta for the first game, expect to play a handful of early story missions.
The Division 2 launches on March 15, 2019, on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
