Ubisoft has finally announced that the new mode that’s been slated to be added as a future The Division 2 update will first be having a run through a public test. While the developer isn’t ready to share details for Season 9, which will be the first Season for Year 4, it does have plans to reveal information on Season 9 very soon.
When is The Division 2 public test for the new mode?
In a post on The Division 2’s official account, Ubisoft has revealed what it calls “an important update” on the public test for the new mode that starts on April 1 at 2 AM PST (5 AM EST). Pre-loading the PTS will start the day before on March 31 at 7 AM PST (10 AM EST). It is unclear how long the PTS will run, but as they are looking for substantial feedback, it will likely stay active until the developer has sufficient data.
Today, we have an important update from The Division 2 Development Team to share with you! pic.twitter.com/R6kJKQyCjd
— Tom Clancy's The Division (@TheDivisionGame) March 30, 2022
Ubisoft also wants to clarify that the revamps to specializations that was planned for Season 9 will instead be released later in Year 4.
New content for The Division 2 had been planned for the game in 2021 after fans persuaded Ubisoft not to abandon the popular multiplayer shooter after Title Update 12. A new game mode that would be “entirely new to the franchise” was a part of that roadmap later that year. However, in late October 2021, Ubisoft Massive and Ubisoft Bucharest decided to delay the new game mode until 2022 to ensure quality content.
Some users on the official PS5 Reddit believe that this new mode is The Division Heartland, the upcoming F2P game for the franchise, but most understand that the title is a standalone game separate from The Division 2.
With any luck, the upcoming The Division 2 update will breathe new life into the game, which has been floundering for the last year with re-runs of past seasons. The new mode should stand to reinvigorate a game that had its peak as a live-service title in 2019 and 2020.
In other news, NetEase has been rumored to acquire Quantic Dream after its three-game deal with Sony completed, and The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is finally arriving on PS5 and PS4.
