In The Division, the Dark Zone is supposed to be the most dangerous place in the game. But does this PvP area deliver on its promise?
According to Ubisoft, the Dark Zone is the most dangerous place in the game. A place where fear, betrayal, and tension rise to the extreme. However, agents do not fight to the death here; instead, they greet each other politely and go on their way.
There is Harmony in the Dark Zone
Currently, many agents are pursuing the goal of finding high-level gear in the Dark Zone. They kill hostile NPCs, have their loot picked up by the helicopter, and continue searching for delicious items.
In theory, it is possible for agents to take each other out to grab the other’s loot. One could potentially snag multiple items with just one kill. In practice, however, this route of treachery is very unpopular, as killing another agent essentially signs your own death warrant.
If you take down another agent, you will be marked as rogue, the entire Dark Zone will be after you, and you will lose the loot you just fought for. Most of the time, as a rogue agent, you stand no chance, which is why agents prefer to kill NPCs quietly and leave the other players alone. They greet each other. They rarely interact otherwise. Is this the purpose of a PvP area?
It’s not worth becoming rogue
The punishment for becoming rogue is too high for betrayal and tension to occur to the extent that Ubisoft promises. The rewards that one might receive as a rogue are simply not worth the risk.
There is an unspoken agreement among the agents that everyone farms only their own loot and leaves others alone. If someone feels the urge to shoot at other agents, some will do so only after their loot has been safely picked up and they are about to go offline anyway. Then they cheerfully shoot around, die within a short time, and turn off their gaming system. Otherwise, the Dark Zone is an oasis of harmony.
Agents allow themselves to be shot to get loot without penalty
A phenomenon reported by some agents is as follows: some clever agents deliberately walk into the line of fire of other players to get hit, prompting that player to become rogue – and thus can be killed without penalty. This way, they can obtain the loot without consequence. But is it really the purpose of a PvP area to allow oneself to be shot to “have permission” to kill other players?
Massive has already hinted at making the Dark Zone more PvP-friendly
Presumably, Ubi Massive will tweak a few settings in the Dark Zone in the future to make it more lucrative to become rogue. Because for those players who want to play PvP extensively, The Division currently offers little content. After all, there are no other PvP modes like Team Deathmatch or Capture the Flag.
In a live stream accompanying today’s patch, Massive already discussed the weaknesses of the Dark Zone. There is a lack of a PvP element that truly motivates players. They are already planning to reduce the penalties for dying as a rogue agent.
It remains to be seen how the developers will address this harmony in the Dark Zone. After all, players should also be able to shoot at each other in PvP from time to time.
What are your experiences in the Dark Zone? Do you leave the other agents alone, or do you shoot at everything that moves?
In the Dark Zone, there is a method for quickly obtaining Phoenix Credits.
