The Division – What’s Not Coming At Launch

We are just under two weeks away from The Division’s closed beta. Several story missions and the game’s PvP zone will be playable during the weekend-long beta. And I can’t wait to give it a shot. But, there is some news about what’s not coming to The Division at launch.

Player trading is a feature many of us want to see in these type of games. But I can see why developers are hesitant to include them. The production reason makes sense. The Division is a massive undertaking for the developers and features get cut all the time. But developers may also be worried about potential bugs and glitches that QA missed. Imagine a bug/glitch that allows players to duplicate high-level gear and share with their friends. Great for the friends. Not so great for the people going up against them in the Dark Zone mode.

Player trading isn’t that big of a loss. Yes, it would have been cool to have – but it’s not going to sway my decision to play the game or not.

Brooklyn will NOT be available at launch

Ok, this one is going to rub some people the wrong way. And the omission of Brooklyn does seem weird given the reveal trailer.

Creative Director Magnus Jansen explained why the focus is on Midtown Manhattan. “It is because of the 1 to 1 re-creation and the way the pandemic has [happened]. Basically, everything has been hit and there are no more resources because everyone tried to get out. There is no more gasoline in the cars, there is no traffic, you’re on foot.”

Magnus reiterated these comments in a video with Open World Games. When asked if the beta map is the scope of the map in the full game, Magnus said it “is pretty much the extent of the open-world of our game.” The rest of the interview dives into customization and the Dark Zone PvP mode.

So, what happens to Brooklyn? C’mon, it’s Ubisoft – of course there will be DLC. There hasn’t been any definitive announcement, but I would be shocked if The Division didn’t have major DLC post-launch.

Now, before we all grab our digital pitchforks and take aim at Ubisoft’s social media accounts – The Division’s map is still large. There are plenty of alleyways and building interiors to walk through. We won’t be just jogging down streets.

I’m going to wait until I play the beta before I get all worked up about the size of the map. Still, it is a concern and one we should all be looking at next weekend when playing the beta.

I’m just pumped to get my hands on a third-person Tom Clancy game. It’s not Ghost Recon, but it might do the trick until Ghost Recon: Wildlands comes out.