Division 3: The Division franchise has become one of Ubisoft’s most popular IPs in recent years. With innovative online multiplayer gameplay and immersive open worlds, fans are eager to see what’s next for the series. While nothing has been officially confirmed yet, there are plenty of rumors and speculation about a potential The Division 3 release date and what new features and improvements it could bring.
Overview of The Division Franchise So Far
The Division first launched in 2016 as a shared world online action RPG developed by Ubisoft Massive and published by Ubisoft. Set in a near future New York City ravaged by a pandemic, players took on the role of Special Agents tasked with restoring order and investigating the cause of the outbreak. Key features included a leveling system, loot drops, PvE and PvP Dark Zones, and a 4-player co-op.
The Division 2 arrived in 2019, moving the setting to a post-pandemic Washington D.C. This sequel expanded the map with new locations to explore and added more specializations, gear, modes, and endgame activities. The game continued to receive major content updates like Warlords of New York and new seasons.
Overall the franchise has garnered over 40 million players and proved the concept and potential of the shared persistent online open-world shooter RPG hybrid. Fans continue to log in regularly to perfect their builds and take on new challenges together.
Why The Division 3 Release Makes Sense
Releasing a third mainline entry in the series simply makes sense for Ubisoft for several reasons:
- Strong Brand Recognition – The Division has grown into one of Ubisoft’s most well-known franchises. A new installment would likely sell very well.
- Demand from Fans – The community is eager for more content and many have been anticipating The Division 3 for some time now.
- Live Service Model – As a Games as a Service title, Ubisoft can continue to monetize and support it long-term with seasonal content.
- Next Gen Potential – On new hardware like PS5 and Xbox Series X, The Division could look and play better than ever before.
- New Ideas – After two games now, Massive likely has plenty of new ideas, improvements, and content to include in a third installment.
The Division 3 Release Date Speculation
While Ubisoft hasn’t confirmed that The Division 3 is in active development, some compelling hints point towards a potential release timeframe:
- Job Listings – Ubisoft Massive has posted openings referring to an unannounced AAA title strongly hinting it’s a new Division.
- Development Cycle – Based on the 3-4 gap between the previous two Division games, a 2024-2025 release makes sense.
- Ubisoft Lineup – The publisher has opened up more slots in its lineup suggesting a new Division could fill one of those open spots soon.
- New Consoles – Releasing The Division 3 in 2024 would allow Ubisoft to maximize next-gen only features and quality for PS5/Xbox Series X.
- Current Direction – The Division 2 wrapping up content updates and the lack of a Year 5 pass hints that Massive is transitioning to focus on a sequel.
While delays are always possible, 2024 seems a very reasonable target for Ubisoft to release The Division 3 based on these factors.
What We Could See in The Division 3
The Division 3 will need some major new features, improvements, and content to excite fans. Here are some of the most likely additions:
New Setting
Moving to a brand new city would give the game a fresh aesthetic and layout. Potential options include Philadelphia, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, or even somewhere internationally like London. Each offers iconic landmarks and personalities to experience.
Overhauled Graphics Engine
As a next-gen only release, The Division 3 would likely utilize Massive’s new Snowdrop engine to add ray tracing, photogrammetry, higher framerates, improved physics, and more atmospheric weather effects. Greater visual variety between districts and biomes would be welcome too.
Expanded RPG Elements
Offering even more gear sets, exotic items, weapons, mods, skills, specializations, and cosmetics for deep build crafting and progression at the endgame could give players a better sense of ownership and personalization over their agent.
New PvE Modes
Raids and Summit offer challenging PvE content, but more options like larger 10-player raids, heroics with modifiers, endless mode, wave survival, and procedural dungeons could provide staggering replayability.
Factions and PvPvE
Letting players align with different AI factions could introduce new narrative threads and perspectives while a faction-based PvPvE system akin to EVE Online could enable incredible emergent gameplay.
Free to Play Option
Transitioning to a free-to-play model now common in the industry could significantly lower the barrier to entry and get far more players invested in the long-term progression. Optional premium passes and cosmetics could offset the revenue change.
Crossplay Support
Allowing agents on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox to all play together would unite the community and give the game a healthy active playerbase for years to come. Making progress transferable between platforms would be ideal.
Dedicated PvP Improvements
While never the main focus of the franchise, PvP in the Dark Zone or Conflict modes could still be expanded with new maps, rulesets, rewards, and better balance to provide tactical squad-based gameplay for those who enjoy testing their builds against others.
The Division 2 Year 5 Content Wrap Up
While we await official word on The Division 3, it’s worth recapping the Year 5 content that’s still to come to The Division 2 to wrap up this chapter:
Title Update 15
TU15 is shaping up to be a smaller update focused on improving overall quality of life based on community feedback. Changes to expertise, counters, and apparel events are likely. Expect this in late February 2023.
Season 10
The final season starting in March 2023 will offer a new theme, 100 levels to grind through, new exotics and gear to earn, and special events to provide some last memories before The Division 2 concludes its incredible 5-year run of support and content.
The Division Heartland
This upcoming free-to-play standalone title will take the franchise into new territory as a survival-focused PvEvP experience. While set in The Division universe, it’s not a direct sequel. Look for it to launch sometime in late 2023.
The Division Movie
After years in development hell, the film adaptation starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain now has a new director with Rawson Marshall Thurber attached. If production goes smoothly, a late 2023 or 2024 release date is possible.
The Division Mobile
NetEase and Ubisoft are collaborating on a mobile RPG version of The Division too. Details remain scarce, but a 2023 release in Asian markets seems reasonable. Whether it comes West is still unknown.
The Future is Bright for The Division Franchise
While we don’t yet know exactly when The Division 3 will be released or what new content it will include, the future remains bright for The Division franchise overall. The incredible success of the first two games paired with Ubisoft’s commitment to supporting the IP means we’ll likely get to visit new chapters and locales in this fascinating shared universe soon.
With such a rich setting, varied gameplay, and almost limitless potential, The Division franchise has the foundations to become one of gaming’s most beloved long-term live service IPs. The team at Massive has proven their talent at realizing an immersive, challenging, social online experience. Hopefully, they continue building on that reputation with The Division 3 and beyond.
In the meantime, there’s still plenty of action left in Washington D.C., and New York for agents who have yet to join the fight. So sharpen your combat skills and fine-tune your loadout until the call comes to deploy again. When The Division 3 finally arrives, you’ll be more than ready for the next mission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is The Division 3 confirmed?
A: No, Ubisoft has not officially confirmed The Division 3 yet. But job listings and franchise analysts suggest it’s in early development and could be released in 2024 or 2025.
Q: What new features will The Division 3 have?
A: Potential new features include a new city setting, major graphics enhancements, expanded RPG progression, new PvE modes, factions, and PvPvE gameplay, free-to-play options, crossplay support, and dedicated PvP improvements.
Q: Will The Division 3 be next-gen only?
A: Most likely yes. As a 2024+ release, The Division 3 will probably be exclusive to PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC to fully utilize new hardware capabilities.
Q: When does The Division 2’s final season end?
A: The Division 2’s Season 10 starting in March 2023 is expected to be the final season. Support will likely conclude before The Division 3 releases.
Q: What can I play while waiting for The Division 3?
A: Enjoy the remaining Season 9 content in The Division 2, check out the upcoming Heartland spinoff, and try other looter shooters like Destiny 2, Borderlands 3, Outriders, and more.
Conclusion
The Division 3 promises to build on the strong foundation of the last two games and deliver a best-in-class looter shooter packed with new features, content, and improvements. While details remain unconfirmed, all signs point to Massive cooking up something very special for the next chapter in the groundbreaking franchise. Players have plenty to look forward to on the horizon as The Division prepares to ultimately redefine the shared open-world shooter once again.
Mustafa Al Mahmud is the founder and owner of Games Emulator, a leading gaming site. With over 7 years of experience in the tech industry, Mustafa aims to provide honest, in-depth analysis and insights on the latest games.
A self-proclaimed “tech geek,” Mustafa first developed a passion for technology as a computer science student at the Hi-Tech Institute of Engineering & Technology. After graduation, he worked at several top tech firms leading product development teams and honing his skills as both an engineer and innovator. However, he always dreamed of having a platform to share his perspectives on the gaming world.