Following huge success in 2016 with the original game, The Division 2 is official and is set to come to PC and consoles in March 2019. The loot-focused co-operative shooter offers something different to the likes of Battlefield and Call of Duty, allowing gamers to operate in squads in an open-world environment.
We’ve scoured the internet and compiled everything that there is to know about The Division 2 so far, including the latest news, release date information, platforms and gameplay. For a more in-depth look at gameplay, take a look at our The Division 2 hands-on review.
If you’re looking for an open-world game to play right now, why not check out our selection of the best open-world games?
When is The Division 2 being released?
The biggest question is, when are we likely to be able to get our hands on The Division 2? While there was no release date provided at the initial announcement of the game, a release date was showcased alongside two new trailers (viewable above and below) during E3 2018.
As we speculated prior to the announcement, Ubisoft’s The Division 2 will be available from 15 March 2019, the same month that the original was released back in 2016.
Don’t worry about the first game either; Ubisoft has stressed on its Twitch channel that support for The Division will continue once the newer title has launched, and that gamers can still look forward to frequent updates for some time.
Which platforms will The Division 2 support?
As confirmed by Ubisoft at E3 2018, The Division 2 will be available to play on the PS4, Xbox One and PC, along with support for the 4K-enabled PS4 Pro and Xbox One X.
Interestingly, Ubisoft has decided to ditch Steam for the PC release and will instead make The Division 2 available via both the Epic Games Store and the Ubisoft Store, with pre-orders live on both stores. You can also pre-order The Division 2 from the likes of Amazon, GAME and Best Buy.
The Division 2 private beta
Those who want a preview of The Division 2 are in luck, as Ubisoft has confirmed details of an upcoming private beta. The beta will take place from 7 – 11 Feburary 2019, and will be available to those that have pre-ordered the game on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
The company also confirmed that a limited number of players who have yet to pre-order will be able to join in on the online multiplayer fun. Those interested in taking a look at what The Division 2 has to offer during the beta should sign up on the Division 2 website as soon as possible.
Division 2 gameplay news
As part of the initial reveal, Ubisoft revealed scarce details about the upcoming title. First up, the game is being developed by Massive Entertainment – the team behind the first game in the series. It’s being supported by Ubisoft Annecy, Redstorm, Reflections, Ubisoft Bucharest and Ubisoft Shanghai.
The company also revealed that The Division 2 will be built using an updated version of the Snowdrop Engine from The Division that’ll allow the devs to “fulfil [their] ambitions for this title”.
It wasn’t until E3 2018 that more details about the game were announced. The Division 2 is set seven months after the events of the first game and will take place in Washington DC – you even get to see the Capitol during the gameplay trailer below. Due to the location and time difference, you won’t be able to carry over your character or gear from the first game, but you will be able to unlock content for the upcoming title.
An update headed The Division this month will introduce ‘Crests’, specific achievements that’ll allow fans of the series to unlock The Division 2 rewards before the game is released.
Beyond that, Ubisoft has confirmed that unlike with the original game, the first year of content will be free for all players, not just those that invest in a season pass. It’s a trend we’ve seen from the likes of Battlefield and Sea of Thieves, and is great news for gamers. But when questioned by The Verge about how Ubisoft plans to fund the free content, a PR rep said that the company will release more information about monetization and microtransactions at a later date. Let’s just hope it’s not pay-to-win or skewed to paying customers like with Battlefront 2!
The Division 2 will also see the introduction of subclasses for your character. These are referred to as ‘Specialisations’ in the game, and allow you to level up and unlock new skills once you’ve hit max level and finished the main campaign. Each is centred around a weapon type (Sniper, Grenade Launcher and Crossbow so far) and will provide unique benefits in the battlefield, especially when teamed up with other online players.
The Division 2 PC specs
Minimum (1080p@30fps)
- OS: Windows 7 / 8 / 10
- CPU: AMD FX-6350 / Intel Core I5-2500K
- RAM: 8GB
- GPU: AMD Radeon R9 270 / Nvidia Geforce GTX 670
- VRAM: 2GB
- DIRECT X: DirectX 11 / 12
Recommended (1080p@60fps)
- OS: Windows 7 / 8 / 10
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1500X / Intel Core I7-4790
- RAM: 8GB
- GPU: AMD RX 480 / Nvidia Geforce GTX 970
- VRAM: 4GB
- DIRECT X: DirectX 11 / 12>
Author: Lewis Painter, Senior Staff Writer
Lewis Painter is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor. Our resident Apple expert, Lewis covers everything from iPhone to AirPods, plus a range of smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming hardware. You'll also find him on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.