Update: It turns out that a delay to the new content discussed below was publicly delayed, only it seems many people (myself included) missed it entirely. After all, why wouldn't the website carry this kind of message or it be pinned in the forums? In any case, it has been delayed and at this point there's absolutely no clue until when. Ubisoft still really needs to work on communication. In other news, coincidentally today it has been announced that Season 2 will be re-running beginning mid-February.
I love The Division 2. It's been one of my favorite games of the last couple of years, much as I really got into the first one. I play a lot of games, so for anything I touch to see over 300 hours is a good indicator that it's one I've properly enjoyed.
I'm also painfully aware that games always have a shelf life. They're going to end one day. Outside of MMOs such as World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14, games with incredibly long support like Dying Light and Destiny 2 are the exception, not the norm.
So I've always been prepared for that day to arrive when The Division 2 would end active support. But we're not supposed to be there quite yet, and yet, stealthily, it seems like we are. New content was promised based on how supportive the player base had been. And yet it's still MIA and stirring up community concern. So where is it, Ubisoft?
What should be going on with The Division 2
When The Division 2: Warlords of New York expansion dropped, with it came another year of active support with new content in the form of seasons, manhunts, global events, apparel events, all kinds of things for the player base to grind out. We've seen a second raid added, the 100-floor Summit building with its own set of challenges and rewards, the constant rotation of Kenly College. There's plenty of content to play, and for a new player even now I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the game.
Lots of folks still play the existing content regularly. But that's not what's grinding my gears.
In 2021, Ubisoft, or rather the developer team at Massive, promised new content for The Division 2, including a brand new, never before seen game mode. Awesome. That content got delayed into 2022, which while disappointing, was totally understandable given the world is still dealing with a pandemic and new ways of working.
But when the delay was announced we were told that a reveal would be happening in January, ahead of a PTS for PC players to try out the new mode and a launch in February. Additionally, there would be monthly community updates, but the last of those was in November.
"Last but not least, the reveal of the new Season and its associated content, including the new game mode, will happen in January 2022. We can't wait to tell you more about the whole content of this update! To make sure we are building the best experience, we will also organize a dedicated PTS period on PC to collect your feedback and help us put the finishing touches before the release."
You can probably see where this is heading...
January is in the rearview mirror and not a single word. Nothing to show off the new content, but perhaps more so, not a word to the community to say that it has been further delayed. Delays happen, it's absolutely fine. A polished, well-executed game always trumps one rushed out to meet deadlines (never forget Cyberpunk 2077). But equally, if you make promises and then just seemingly ignore them, that's not a good look.
While one arm of Ubisoft is off pushing NFTs into its player's faces, elsewhere they're being ignored altogether. Which isn't a good look. After all, the next installment, the free-to-play Heartland, has already been quietly delayed potentially into 2023 without much communication beyond sneaking into an earnings report.
We don't mind delays, no matter how excited we are for a game. But we do mind when it looks like we're being ignored.
Mad February is upon us
So, I, and anyone else who plays The Division 2, should probably face up to there being no new, as-promised, February content drop. I'd love to be taken by surprise, but let's be real. Massive has its hands full with the Avatar game and presumably, Red Storm is still focused on Heartland.
But we're not exactly going hungry in February, are we?
This month we've already got Dying Light 2 to play, Elden Ring is approaching fast as is Destiny 2: The Witch Queen. Lost Ark finally launches in the west, CrossfireX is hitting the Xbox and if you also have a PlayStation, a little title called Horizon Forbidden West is dropping, too.
I'm sad to see that one of my favorite franchises appears to be fading out, and I do hope that someone at Ubisoft is still working hard on The Division universe to give us more to play. Just, please, at least tell us what's going on.
In the meantime, I'll be spending at least the next couple of weeks diving into Dying Light 2. What's on your February hit list?
