The online shooter The Division 2 aims to impress not only with its gameplay. Washington D.C. is supposed to be gigantic and diverse. At Gamescom, our author Tarek was able to get an impression of it himself.
Already in The Division 1, the setting was one of the most important components of the game. Massive placed great emphasis on the credible representation of Manhattan, New York. For part 2, they have set their sights even higher.
At Gamescom 2018, I visited Ubisoft and Massive. There I got an insight into the creation of the game world and which factors are particularly important for the developers.
Setting as a main character of The Division 2?
Where does The Division 2 take place? The storyline of The Division 2 will take place in the capital of the USA, Washington D.C. Seven months after the events of The Division 1, the peak summer has hit D.C.
The situation in the city has spiraled out of control since the outbreak of the green poison, with various factions fighting for dominance.
Washington D.C. was not the only consideration. New Orleans was also an option for Massive, but they decided against it.
The Division 2 as a main character? Massive wants to make Washington D.C. a main character of the game through a much larger, more vibrant, and diverse world.
To achieve this, they put in a lot of effort into research and realistically replicating the US capital. Can this work?
On-site research aims to ensure maximum realism
How does the population react in the event of an outbreak? To find out how Washington D.C. would react to a catastrophe like the green poison, Massive was able to utilize the resources of publisher Ubisoft. On-site, extensive research and recordings took place for 10 days.
Local residents, police officers, firefighters, survival experts, and disaster management were asked what situations could be expected if such a catastrophe were to occur.
How would the government and individual institutions act to protect the civilian population and maintain order?
How geography influences level design: A concrete example of the orientation towards geographical data was provided to us with the subway. This is partially flooded in The Division 2 because D.C. was built on a swamp and is subjected to heavy rainfall every year.
As society collapsed, no one maintained the subway tunnels and stations anymore. Consequently, some areas filled up with water.
The 6 different areas of Washington D.C.
A crucial factor for the US capital as a setting is the diversity of different neighborhoods. Massive has divided Washington into six areas that differ in various aspects such as architecture, infrastructure, and utility:
- The suburbs of Georgetown: The houses of the upper class are supposed to particularly demonstrate how civilians had to leave their belongings behind when the disaster started.
- Business districts: These were particularly hard hit by looters.
- The Mall: Here lie important historical sites like the Lincoln Memorial, the Air and Space Museum, and the Washington Monument.
- Government district: Among many other well-known locations, the White House is located here.
- Residential areas: These are most similar to Manhattan. Civilians tried to hunker down in their apartments and survive.
- The surrounding forests: The overgrown areas of D.C. were a particular challenge, as they wanted to transfer the familiar gameplay from The Division 1 into the novel areas.
Washington D.C. is not strictly divided, so you will frequently stumble from one area to another. This is meant to make the game world feel organic and diverse.
First info on well-known landmarks
Massive provided initial insights into the more famous locations of D.C. and what condition they are in The Division 2.
The White House: The former seat of government has been completely recreated, and all (known) rooms will be included. Even those that are not accessible to the public.
There had previously been a leak referring to the White House as the operations base of The Division 2. However, upon inquiry, they would not confirm this.
The Lincoln Memorial: The memorial honoring Abraham Lincoln served as a checkpoint and reception center for civilians after the virus broke out. Directly behind it is the Arlington Memorial Bridge, one of the main access points to the city.
Roosevelt Island: The island was primarily a park in the past. Now it is isolated and overgrown. The island has become a quarantine zone.
The National Air and Space Museum: In reality, it is one of the most visited museums in the world. In The Division 2, the Air and Space Museum becomes one of the largest refugee camps. The exhibits served the government for a time as a source of equipment that suddenly finds new purpose.
All these buildings and landmarks will be recreated in original scale and accessible to players.
Game world as a main character? It could work
This is how I perceived the presentation: After The Division 1, I was already optimistic. Manhattan had been brilliantly designed and created with a lot of attention to detail.
Having now gotten a direct insight, I am now completely sure: The Division 2 will have a fantastic game world.
Massive’s attention to detail is incredible. They even dealt with the decay of trash to credibly depict the waste lying in the streets.
The developers are working meticulously on every conceivable detail. I am really looking forward to exploring Washington D.C.
By the way, the sound in The Division 2 is also said to be top-notch:
