It's time for me to talk about one of my favorite topics again; The Division 2. Attention is high again with the launch of the latest DLC, Battle for Brooklyn, and the game is entering Year 7 in its strongest position yet.
Some may be surprised it's still around, and I get that. Despite its popularity, it's still a bit of a sleeper to some outside its community.
But if you're looking for something to play right now, I have seven great reasons The Division 2 should be the one you load up.
1. The Division 2 is on Xbox Game Pass
I'm starting with this because for potential new players, I think it's the most important. While It's not an expensive game to buy outright to get started with, The Division 2 is now on Xbox Game Pass.
It's also on Game Pass for both console and PC, though, admittedly, it's not a Play Anywhere experience. You do have to choose one and stick with it. That's the sole reason I haven't made the switch to PC.
But if you're a Game Pass subscriber, it's the number one game I'd recommend right now outside of titles that Microsoft has published itself. What have you got to lose by trying it?
2. Hundreds and hundreds of hours of gameplay
While I'm an Xbox player, I have also dabbled with PC and Google Stadia (RIP) over the years. In total, I'm over 1,000 hours in, and I haven't even reached SHD level 2,000 where my agent's stats will be fully maxed out. I'm close, mind.
I play a lot of games, it's one of the perks of working here, but for any game to reach a four figure hours played count I have to be really into it.
The thing with The Division 2 is that it's not just a mindless grind doing the same thing. There is so much content it's ridiculous.
The base game has a campaign, the two expansions have a campaign, the endgame seasonal model constantly has fresh challenges and gear to acquire. There's the 100-floor skyscraper, The Summit, which has its own reward for clearing at least once.
Countdown is a 15-minute, 8-player PvE mode great for farming loot. There are two raids, and there's now even Descent, a roguelike mode that is endlessly replayable.
There is never a shortage of something to do in The Division 2.
3. The story is actually pretty good
In looter games, the story is often a second thought for many players. But The Division 2's story is excellent.
Admittedly, if you miss some of the seasons, as I have in my time (there's only so many hours in the day), it can be a little confusing. But there's always an easy way to catch up, the NGN YouTube channel being the one I recommend most.
It follows on from the original game, moving the post-pandemic apocalypse over to Washington D.C., initially, before returning to New York City in the two expansions.
There are twists and turns, plenty of bad guys, and as the game has entered Year 7, the story continues to evolve. And it shows no signs of slowing down, leading us onward towards The Division 3.
4. A satisfying grind
The grind in The Division 2 is what keeps me coming back the most. It's just so satisfying.
Every season brings new gear brands and sets, new exotic items, and new ways to play. With global events and seasonal modifiers, there's always a chance to shake up your builds, and it really is endless.
Putting together a build is both simple and complex. Getting started is easy, but tinkering with your gear, optimizing it, finding the best rolls, the best talents. You'll always be wanting to chase something a little better.
Because there are so many different ways to get your hands on gear or grind the necessary parts to upgrade what you have, it never feels boring. Set targeted loot on Countdown or farm specific areas where specific gear drops.
You have options. You have the power to target exactly what you're chasing.
5. You can play it solo
While The Division 2 is a lot of fun played in a group, you can also play it entirely solo. The campaigns can all be cleared solo on any difficulty (though if you're new or lower levelled, don't make it too hard on yourself).
There's always someone out there to matchmake with, though. If you get into bother, you can always put out a call for help and another agent will come to your rescue.
There's always someone to join in matchmaking, though. I've never struggled to find a group through the matchmaking feature, and it makes tackling harder content a little easier.
Even raids can be played through matchmaking. Sure, to get the raid exclusive rewards you need a proper group of 8 players, but there are slightly less difficult versions that can be played through with random matchmaking.
Nobody is left out of any part of The Division 2 just because they're playing on their own.
6. You don't have to spend money
One of the things I appreciate the most about The Division 2 is there's no constant upsell. Yes, you will see messages in-game promoting the latest cosmetics, but I'm fine with that.
Spending extra money is, and always has been, entirely optional in The Division 2. The free tier of the season pass will always get you the latest gear and exotic items, the premium version just gets you more cosmetics and more loot caches.
But the point is that you don't have to spend to get the best new items that actually matter. The only content charged for are DLC expansions, which is totally fair.
Other than that, all the modes mentioned earlier were added for free.
7. A dev team that appreciates your time
The Division 2 was not supposed to still be around, getting new content in 2025. A year after Warlords of New York launched, that was supposed to end.
But the dev team saw the player counts, heard the support from its community, and reversed course. The team was reassembled, new content was built, and it's still going strong today. All because of the players.
But the team behind the game also appreciates that you're not going to spend your whole life playing. Seasonal content doesn't take forever to complete. For new players, special effort has been put into making the onboarding experience better than ever.
Hell, if you want to you can buy the new expansion, Battle for Brooklyn, use your included level 40 boost and go straight in there. You don't even have to play the base game and Warlords of New York campaign first, if you don't want to.
It's one of few games I can genuinely say really respects and appreciates the time that its players can spare to play it.
And there we have it. I could honestly talk about The Division 2 all day, it truly is one of my favorite franchises of all time.
If you're completely new, the servers are still on for the first game, too. You really can start from the very beginning if you wish.
Even in its seventh year, it's a game I would always recommend someone tries. If you have your own thoughts on The Division 2, drop them into the comments below!
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