At The Division, Massive provided some answers about the upcoming Year-One content.
For a few days now, the Year-One content has been known. Ubisoft has let the cat out of the bag and announced two timely free updates and three paid DLCs that will all be released within the first year. This raised several questions about what can be expected from the announcements. In an email interview with Gamespot, the Creative Director Magnus Jansen provided some hints about the upcoming content. What are Incursions exactly? What is the Underground all about? And what about Brooklyn? We summarize his answers.
How extensive are the free updates?
According to Jansen, the first free updates in spring will bring “several exciting new features, activities, and content for everyone.” The Division is a large game with a lot to do. However, the developers are trying to pack as much as possible into every update (including the free ones) to ensure that both PvE and Dark Zone players are provided with content.
Jansen further emphasizes that they are constantly listening to the community and will quickly add the most requested features, such as Loot Trading. When asked whether weapons will also be introduced as DLCs, the Creative Director replied that new tools will be introduced hand in hand with new challenges. So yes, new weapons and gear will also come. However, they should adapt to the seriousness of the situation.
Any “crazy” cosmetic items are ruled out. Furthermore, Jansen states that there will be no way to purchase weapons, armor, or consumables that strengthen the agents through microtransactions.
What are Incursions?
An Incursion is a PvE endgame activity for a group of four players who have reached the maximum level. Incursions require preparation and coordination, as they are “extremely challenging”.
The first Incursion will be released with the first free update in April. More Incursions are in development, but it is still too early to talk about them without revealing too much.
As we already covered in this article, Incursions are not activities for a large number of players, thus not raids. If one were to draw a comparison to Destiny, the Strikes would come closest.
What is the “Underground” of the first paid DLC?
The Underground of New York will be a vast, labyrinthine world. In The Division, some factions have penetrated into the city’s underground and threaten to break the quarantine and cause even more chaos by destroying vital energy, water, and gas supply lines running beneath the streets.
Now it is up to the agents to venture into the darkness, locate enemy factions, and stop them from causing further damage. When asked whether the Underground would be introduced with this expansion, Jansen replied that there will already be some canal and subway sections available at launch – both inside and outside the Dark Zone.
What is the status of Brooklyn and the other two DLCs?
Regarding Brooklyn, Jansen mentioned that there are things people will have to wait for until launch.
At the moment, some assume that Brooklyn could be the starting region of the game. Jansen’s answer seems to confirm this.
No new information about the other DLCs was revealed by Jansen. He only spoke about what is already known. But he assured that each DLC would offer a completely new experience. They would not just add “a little more of the old.” The in-game experiences are supposed to be continuously expanded.
The launch is now imminent. How are you preparing for it?
