The Division 2, Ubisoft’s newest title, just launched and, if the UK charts are any indication, it’s off to a sluggish start. While the chart only covers physical sales, sales of The Division 2 were just 20 percent of 2016’s The Division. While sales were still strong enough to reach the top of the chart, it does pale in comparison to what the first game did.
Of course, it’s not as cut-and-dry as that. Knowing that only physical sales are accounted for, there’s a strong chance that players primarily bought The Division 2 digitally. As an online-centric game, it would be understandable to expect players would find a digital purchase more sensible. In addition, The Division launched on a Tuesday, as opposed to The Division 2’s Friday launch, which means the former had more time to accumulate sales.
It could also be part of a larger trend of diminishing physical sales across the board. We’ve seen the newest Call of Duty hit all-time lows in terms of physical sales, while digital sales were at an all-time high. We’ll have to wait to get more information on the digital front, but it’s entirely possible that digital sales could make up for the significant decrease in physical sales.
Despite a slow start, The Division 2 also dominated on the PlayStation 4, with 60 percent of sales coming from the platform. This isn’t necessarily surprising, either, as most third party releases have seen a majority of their sales on Sony’s console. We shall see what next week has in store for The Division 2, and whether it can keep its top spot.
The Division 2 is available now for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
[Soruce: Gamesindustry.biz]
The Division 2 info dump
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The Division 2 – EYNTK
Shall we?
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What's The Division 2?
Tom Clancy's The Division 2 is the direct follow-up to Ubisoft Massive's breakout 2016 hit, one which retains the same RPG elements and ruthless PvP gameplay (more on that later) that made The Division so special.
It takes place seven months after its predecessor.
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What's the Story?
In The Division 2, the stakes couldn't be higher. You'll once again slip into the shoes of a skilled sleeper agent who must rise up and defend Washington D.C.
Per Ubisoft:
Washington D.C. is on the brink of collapse. Lawlessness and instability threaten our society, and rumors of a coup in the Capitol are only amplifying the chaos. All active Division agents are desperately needed to save the city before it's too late. You are a member of the Division, an elite group of civilian agents charged with being the last line of defense. With D.C. at risk, it's time to gear up and use your unique skills to take on this new threat.
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How Does It Play?
If you're familiar with The Division franchise, you'll know Ubisoft's shooter is built around a third-person perspective, with a particular emphasis on PvP combat and RPG mechanics. Co-op game modes are available, and we'll get to them a little later.
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White House Down
Said to be your new base of operations, the White House will feature prominently in The Division 2, as agents attempt to salvage what's left of post-pandemic Washington D.C.
Ubisoft is quick to point out that The Division 2 boasts a 1:1 recreation of the world-famous city, stating:
Unlike anything before it, The Division 2's Washington D.C. is a 1:1 representation of the real city, making the game world more authentic than ever. The game's map offers up-close-and-personal views of landmarks, natural landscapes, neighborhoods, and enemy hideouts.
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A 40-Hour Story Campaign
Though The Division 2 places a sharp focus on endgame content, the core campaign is said to stretch for around 40 hours. And yes, you can play it solo, or with friends.
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The Dark Zone(s)
You read that right; The Division 2 features multiple Dark Zones. Split between East, South and West, you'll find Dark Zone East by the Capitol Train Station. Meanwhile, Dark Zone South and West will be located around the Waterfront area and in the suburb of Georgetown, respectively.
There are also two separate brackets for matchmaking:
On the one side, players are matched in level buckets (1-10, 11-20, and 21-30) and normalized to the same power level. On the other side, all players who have reached World Tier are matched together and normalized to the same World Tier. For players above the normalized power level, bonus statistics are applied to reward you for your time.
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A Lone Wolf?
They say sharing is caring; but in The Division 2, playing as a lone wolf can be a "lucrative" endeavour.
You can absolutely have a solo player experience in the Dark Zone, and it can be lucrative for you. The whole intention of the Dark Zone, being about greed, is that there is a little bit of potential for a faster path through the RNG, farming part of the RPG.
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The Division Won't Be Left Behind
In the eyes of David Polfeldt, Managing Director at Ubisoft Massive, The Division 2 and its predecessor can happily coexist, as the studio plans to keep supporting The Division long into the future.
It's been three years between The Division and Division 2. I think there’s a lot of interest in trying a similar type of mechanic but in a new way. I’m pretty sure people are curious about the new one.
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Hands-On Preview
Curious to know our own thoughts on The Division 2? While we wait for the review to go live, you can dive into Chandler's hands-on preview.
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The Lowdown on Clans
Among the new features being introduced to The Division 2 is a clan system, which will support up to 50 accounts, each of whom will be allowed four characters.
If you're on the lookout for a clan to join, you can search based on the following criteria:
- Activities – The primary focus of the clan, PvE, PvP or both.
- Most Active Times – The time of day the clan is the most active.
- Atmosphere – The general atmosphere of the clan; would you prefer a relaxed easy-going clan, a clan focused on certain aspects of the game or a highly competitive PvP clan?
- Mic Requirement – If the clan requires a microphone to be able to join.
- Language – The primary spoken language of the clan.
- Region – The geographical location of the clan members.
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A Year's Worth of Free Content
While the Year 1 pass will set you back $39.99, Ubisoft is planning an additional suite of content for the next 12 months. And it's free.
There will be three episodes in total, with the first expected to go live summer 2019.
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Install Size
Regardless of whether you buy physical or digital, PS4 owners will be forced to clear out around 90GB of space for The Division 2.
Via Ubisoft:
If you purchased a physical copy of the game, begin installing from the disc. Provided you are online, your console will simultaneously download Title Update 1 while you install it. Expect a 48-52 GB download for Title Update 1, depending on your region and preferred language. If you purchased a digital copy of the game, expect a 88-92 GB download that comprises both the game and Title Update 1. Whether installed from a disc or downloaded digitally, the final HDD install size will be between 88-92 GB.
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A Word on Pre-Loading
As of March 14. 2019, The Division 2 is available to pre-load for all, though a number of players who purchased the Gold and Ultimate Editions will have already downloaded the sequel.
The game will then go live at 12 AM local time, so be sure to consult Ubisoft's FAQ to stay in the loop.
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Political Undertones
In February 2019, Ubisoft leaned into the US government shutdown with a joke email. The company has since walked back its claims, stating that The Division 2 is not overtly political, but we're not convinced.
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The Dark Zone Edition
It may cost a pretty penny ($189/£129), but The Division 2's Dark Zone Edition is the premium version of Ubisoft's shooter.
It comes packing a mix of physical and digital content, including:
Physical content: The Tom Clancy's - The Division 2 Game, An Ubicollectibles 30cm-high figurine of Heather Ward the Tom Clancy's The Division 2 Specialised Agent, A Washington, D.C. map with a ton of information and secret locations left behind by another Division agent, A Book of Lithographs: A selection of detachable lithographs, including twenty of the greatest pieces of art from the game, The Selected Game Soundtrack: a selection of the best songs from the game put together on a disc.
Digital content: The Battleworn Secret Service Pack: don't get caught, be sneaky and collect information to defeat DC's enemies with your secret service outfit, an exotic M4A1 weapon skin and a rare emote, The Capitol Defender Pack: Protect the citizens of D.C. using special equipment including the Hazmat 2.0 outfit and the "Lullaby" legendary SPAS-12 weapon which comes with its endgame blueprint.
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Trophy List
The good folk at PlayStation Trophies have published a list of the digital accolades available in The Division 2. There are 43 in total, including that all-important Platinum.
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Our Final Verdict
Stay tuned for our official verdict of The Division 2 ahead of its launch on March 15, 2019.
