The Division was a polarizing game when it released back in 2015, and it remains a polarizing game today. Some players enjoy the core experience and multiplayer content enough to excuse a distinct lack of endgame content, while others aren’t as forgiving. Fortunately, The Division 2 is shaping up to satisfy its loyal fan base while addressing the issues holding The Division back from more widespread acclaim.
The Division 2’s managing director, David Polfeldt, recently spoke with GamesIndustry.biz about how the forthcoming sequel will improve upon the original. Comparing the difference between The Division and The Division 2 to a first and second marriage, Polfeldt promises his team has learned a lesson in preparing for the long-term.
It’s clear from the extent Polfeldt dives into the marital simile that he takes player concerns seriously and is dedicated to fixing what is likely The Division’s most common complaint: the paltry endgame. Although DLC packs and frequent patches worked to gradually improve the post-campaign experience, early impressions of the game proved difficult for the developers to overcome. This time, however, Polfeldt hopes to deliver an experience that will be enjoyed for years to come.
“The first time you marry, you’re probably happy enough just to fall in love and see what happens. If you’re in your second marriage, you probably know a little bit more about what’s going to follow after the infatuation.”
While it’s undoubtedly a good thing that the developers are focusing on longevity, they would be wise not to ignore the passionate disdain gamers have for pay-to-win business models. The Division 2 received serious pushback this week when pre-orders opened and revealed that special editions of the game will give players more storage space as a bonus for spending the extra dough.
“What are people going to enjoy after two years of playing the game? From there, you can work backwards towards the ‘falling in love’ part, which is actually what the campaign is - it’s just a long love story. In our case, I think it’s going to be longer than the first one.”
Those eager to judge for themselves whether they should keep an eye on The Division 2 can check out the most recent trailer released at Gamescom 2018, where the new Washington D.C. setting is seen in glorious detail.
The Division 2 is geared for release March 15, 2019 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz
