The Division 2 is free to play this weekend and you should definitely try it

The Division 2
(Image credit: Ubisoft)

What you need to know

  • Ubisoft's looter shooter The Division 2 is having another free play weekend. 
  • Anyone can jump in on Xbox, PlayStation or PC from May 18 to May 21. 
  • Progress will carry over if you decide to buy the game after (you should!)

The Division 2 is one of my favorite games in recent years and even as we head towards Year 5, there are people out there who haven't tried it yet. If you're one of those people, this weekend is for you. 

From May 18 to May 21 anyone can jump in and play the game for free on PC and console. On PC you'll be able to grab the "Free Weekend" version from either Ubisoft Connect or the Epic Games Store. On Xbox (or PlayStation, no judgment here) just search for The Division 2 and grab the free demo. Only it's not a demo, but you get the idea. You do need to have Xbox Live (or PS+) to access online features, though, which in this case is the entire game. 

If, after the free play days are up, you choose to buy the game, any of your progress will be saved for you to pick up where you left off. The added bonus is that right now, and for a little while after the free days are up, the game is absurdly cheap. It's currently on sale for around five bucks for the base game and not a lot more to toss in the expansion and unlock all the content. 

The Division 2 exotic world drop

The Division 2 is one of the best looter shooters you can get right now.  (Image credit: Windows Central)

If you're playing on the Xbox Series X or Series S you also get a delicious 60 FPS which absolutely transforms how the game plays compared to the older consoles. 

I've sunk well over 500 hours into The Division 2, something that would probably be three times that or more if I didn't play so many different games. If you like looter shooters, it's absolutely one of the best you can get. There's an insane amount of content to play, even in just the base game. Plenty of gear to chase, challenges to overcome, and just generally all-around have a good time. The base content can all be handled solo, but you can jump into matchmaking at any time. 

Year 5 is going to be a big one for The Division 2 as well, starting from June. We've got a new game mode on the horizon, a continued evolving storyline and even another DLC expansion to look forward to. And since you can try it out for free, there's really no reason not to finally give it a go! 

Richard Devine
Managing Editor - Tech, Reviews

Richard Devine is a Managing Editor at Windows Central with over a decade of experience. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently, you'll find him steering the site's coverage of all manner of PC hardware and reviews. Find him on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@richdevine