There is bad news for fans of the apocalyptic third-person shooter Tom Clancy’s The Division. Ubisoft has reportedly canceled the free-to-play extraction shooter The Division Heartland to focus on “bigger opportunities.”
Ubisoft announced the cancellation of Tom Clancy’s The Division Heartland
Ubisoft announced its decision to cancel the upcoming game during its earnings report on Monday, as IGN reported. “After careful consideration,” said the publisher, “we have made the tough call to halt development on Tom Clancy’s The Division Heartland, effective immediately.” Instead, the company is refocusing personnel from developer Red Storm Entertainment to work on XDefiant and Rainbow Six.
Announced in 2021, Tom Clancy’s The Division Heartland would have been the third installment in the series. Unlike the first two games, which took place in major cities, it would have taken players to the fictional small town of Silver Creek. However, the game faced multiple internal delays leading up to its cancellation.
Still, Ubisoft’s decision to cancel The Division Heartland may come as something of a surprise. It received a rating from the Taiwanese rating board in November 2023, implying it was far into development, and many expected it to launch this year.
The Division Heartland isn’t the only project Ubisoft shut down recently. It canceled four games last year, including Immortals Fenyx Rising 2 and the online battle arena codenamed Project Q. It also shut down mobile developer Ubisoft London and underwent multiple rounds of layoffs in 2023. The company’s recent earnings report says it laid off around 1,700 people over the last 18 months. However, CEO Yves Guillemot said Ubisoft was “back on track” and looking forward to a “profitable growth trajectory.”