Ubisoft Massive Believes The Division and The Division 2 Can Co-Exist

It may seem difficult to rationalize why multiplayer-centric titles such as The Division demand sequels. They’re always-online games that regularly receive updates to improve the experience or add content. Why, pray tell, would anyone be tempted to spend full price on a subsequent entry? An easy answer isn’t readily available, but Ubisoft Massive believes there’s no reason a sequel and its predecessor can’t co-exist. The development team considers The Division 2 an alternative option for players wishing to move on from the first game.

Ubisoft Massive Managing Director David Polfeldt thinks players of the original will naturally gravitate towards The Division 2. Polfeldt told Gamesindustry.biz, “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.”

Polfeldt continued, expressing his hope that the new release still allows Massive to support the original. He said, “Part of me thinks maybe The Division should remain live and The Division 2 is an alternative path for some people. I don’t know what will happen, I think we need to remain very open-minded about that.”

Another spokesperson for Ubisoft Massive said the team fully intends to support “The Division in the long-term.” How intensive this ongoing support will be remains unknown. Regardless, it’s an interesting statement that will hopefully prove true.

Recently, IO Interactive announced plans to update 2016’s Hitman, so that its content is up to par with Hitman 2’s coming launch. Might Ubisoft Massive experiment with something similar for The Division and its sequel? For now, it seems unlikely. Still, any support offered could be a boon for players that won’t be ready to abandon The Division.

The Division 2 launches on the PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One next spring on March 15, 2019.

[Source: Gameindustry.biz via Gamingbolt]