The Division 2: 5 Things We Want To See

Ubisoft’s The Division arrived on a wave of hype before dying off as quickly as the citizens of New York. Not long after launch, its playerbase dwindled and, although it’s to be expected of almost any game, the sharp downward turn for the MMORPG shooter couldn’t have been foreseen by anyone who had watched its excellent teasers.

The Division’s relative “failure” — it still sold millions and maintained a dedicated following — has been analysed to death. Whether it’s down to players somehow not getting what kind of experience it was pre-release or Ubisoft just not doing enough to keep the experience fresh, The Division was a game built to last the distance that ultimately just couldn’t.

However, not all hope is lost as Ubisoft recently confirmed that The Division 2 is in the works and expected to be released early next year. Ubisoft have prior with making their second games far better than their original efforts (Watch Dogs 2, Assassin’s Creed II). It might take a lot to bring fans back around, but we have some suggestions for The Division 2 to make sure that happens.

 

1. Fewer bullet sponges

It was always going to be difficult to reconcile guys in baseball caps taking enough bullets to sink an aircraft carrier and for them to still keep coming at you. Destiny has logic for this as the enemies aren’t human, but considering that we can die if we fall down the stairs, loading a couple of clips into normal dudes just didn’t make much sense.

It’s going to be hard for Ubisoft to figure this one out, but if there’s anything they can learn from Destiny 2, sometimes playing it safe and sticking to more or less the same formula isn’t going to endear your game to players for that long.

 

2. More survival elements

One of the best parts of The Division was a paid expansion that finally made use of the game’s setting. Survival allowed players to race against time to find a cure for a disease in the midst of hideous weather, which made them search out heat sources and better clothing. While it was certainly limited and on the short side, it was a glimpse of the game many thought we would be getting from its cinematic trailers.

It would be a stretch to suggest that The Division 2 should adopt all of the elements of Survival on day one, but it should certainly include more challenges than just going from cover to cover and shooting thugs over and over. They’ve crafted a massive section of New York City, so why not allow the player to ransack abandoned apartments for food and warmth?

 

3. Different forms of PVP

The Dark Zone was one of The Division’s brightest lights (as a sidenote, Escape From Tarkov is heavily inspired by it) and a way to explore PVP with high stakes and an even higher chance of being dicked over. However, it was incredibly open to griefing and ultimately just reserved for only the very best players. They’ve added more PVP offerings in the almost two years since launch, but The Division 2 needs to have different options from day dot.

Rather than limiting its PVP elements to a single area with one simple goal, Ubisoft should broaden their horizons and include new modes. A simple deathmatch option wouldn’t go amiss, but there’s so much more room for The Division 2 to explore. Capture the flag but with a cure in a vial is another simple idea, though my hopes rest on them introducing a fighting pit where the spoils (new gear) go to the victor. Nothing says post-apocalyptic quite like a bloodsport.

 

4. A fuller world

The Division recreated the city that never sleeps and then sent it to sleep. The Division’s recreation of New York City was certainly stunning but just as lifeless. Admittedly, The Dollar Flu gave Ubisoft a pretty good excuse to empty out its streets, but civilians still walked around and did nothing.

For The Division 2, how about street vendors and scripted events that revolve around more than just stopping muggings? Likewise, the interiors found in the previous game were starkly empty; there has to be a higher level of interactivity than before or it will again seem like they’ve created a playground without any of the toys.

 

5. Better gear

Nothing makes you question what you are doing with your life quite like grinding to unlock a beanie in a video game. While The Division wanted to remain somewhat grounded with its gear, it certainly failed to make any characters look remotely badass unless you work in the marketing department for Urban Outfitters.

I’m not saying that they should adopt a Mad Max aesthetic, but they should adopt a Mad Max aesthetic. If The Division 2 is set a long while after the original game, the survivors should be embracing their primal side and wear all manner of weird and wonderful outfits. If a player is given the option between grinding for a mask made of skulls or a beanie, it’s pretty clear what’s going to keep them interested.

 

6. No paid DLC for new modes

Season passes seem like they’re on the way out in AAA games and have been replaced with cosmetic microtransactions instead. The virtues of that shift is an argument for another day, but if Ubisoft want gamers to embrace their GaaS nonsense, they need to make sure that no players are left behind paywalls.

It was a little strange when The Division sequestered its best new ideas as paid DLC, such as the aforementioned Survival. This splits the playerbase and can hamper the longevity of certain multiplayer games — even though it’s a massive franchise, the Battlefield community is fractured thanks to Premium passes. If Ubisoft want The Division 2 to last the distance, maybe they should sell mauve beanies instead of an expensive season pass.

We won’t know anything for sure about The Division 2 until E3 2018, so until then why not read about what we might see from Sony and the PS4?