Agents, incoming State of the Game transmission:

During the last State of the Game, Community Developer Petter Mårtensson did a solo stream to run through the changes coming to the PTS with Phase 2 and review the status of the console PTS.

Petter ran solo again this week and chatted with Creative Director Terry Spier and Lead Game Designer Keith Evans from Red Storm Entertainment about PTS 2 feedback and changes between testing phases.

If you missed the stream, you check out the VoD and if you are on currently on the move, you can also catch up using the Podcast Recap!


Global Event Assault is live, and we are happy to hear that everyone is enjoying themselves! As a general reminder, masks are tied to Commendations and players are already showing them off around New York City. If you have questions about the Assault Commendations and their respective requirements, we have a Forum Thread with clarifications. The list will be updated if more questions arise.

PTS Phase 2 is live on PC, and you can read up on the patch notes here. We’re aiming for next week for the Console PTS, but we will have more information for everyone shortly. Please note that consoles will jump into the PTS on Phase 2 alongside PC, and there is still plenty of time for console testing as PTS 2 will run for a while. We apologize for the timeline, but that is how the calendar fell this time around. On another note, Global Event 3 & 4 will be tested on the PTS and more specific details will follow.

We’re happy with the state of PTS testing so far. Here are some highlighted tweaks from PTS 1 to PTS 2 alongside some general changes:

• Underground and Resistance are live.
  
• More West Side Piers Alerts are available.
  
• Big Alejandro’s damage has been lowered and stacks are only increased when shooting near a target.
  
• Nomad damage resiliency is lowered to 60%.
  
• The minimum/maximum % damage bonuses on gloves for Assault Rifles, LMGs, Shotguns and Submachine Guns have been increased.
  
• Players can earn D-Tech from deconstruction.

To clear up some confusion in the maintenance changelog, “Special Event” is related to the regular “loot” events that usually run on the weekends.


Again, console PTS is definitely on its way with more news following as soon as possible. We appreciate all the testing that has been done on the PTS thus far, and we encourage everyone to continue testing! Dive into the new PTS content and be sure to leave your suggestions/feedback. Don't forget to report any bugs on the PTS Forums.

As always, be sure to join us over on the Official Forums or on the community Reddit if you’re looking for a place to discuss all things related to The Division.

Until next time!

The Division Dev Team

Agents, incoming State of the Game transmission:

During the last State of the Game, Community Developer Petter Mårtensson did a solo stream to run through the changes coming to the PTS with Phase 2 and review the status of the console PTS.

Petter ran solo again this week and chatted with Creative Director Terry Spier and Lead Game Designer Keith Evans from Red Storm Entertainment about PTS 2 feedback and changes between testing phases.

If you missed the stream, you check out the VoD and if you are on currently on the move, you can also catch up using the Podcast Recap!


Global Event Assault is live, and we are happy to hear that everyone is enjoying themselves! As a general reminder, masks are tied to Commendations and players are already showing them off around New York City. If you have questions about the Assault Commendations and their respective requirements, we have a Forum Thread with clarifications. The list will be updated if more questions arise.

PTS Phase 2 is live on PC, and you can read up on the patch notes here. We’re aiming for next week for the Console PTS, but we will have more information for everyone shortly. Please note that consoles will jump into the PTS on Phase 2 alongside PC, and there is still plenty of time for console testing as PTS 2 will run for a while. We apologize for the timeline, but that is how the calendar fell this time around. On another note, Global Event 3 & 4 will be tested on the PTS and more specific details will follow.

We’re happy with the state of PTS testing so far. Here are some highlighted tweaks from PTS 1 to PTS 2 alongside some general changes:

• Underground and Resistance are live.
  
• More West Side Piers Alerts are available.
  
• Big Alejandro’s damage has been lowered and stacks are only increased when shooting near a target.
  
• Nomad damage resiliency is lowered to 60%.
  
• The minimum/maximum % damage bonuses on gloves for Assault Rifles, LMGs, Shotguns and Submachine Guns have been increased.
  
• Players can earn D-Tech from deconstruction.

To clear up some confusion in the maintenance changelog, “Special Event” is related to the regular “loot” events that usually run on the weekends.


Again, console PTS is definitely on its way with more news following as soon as possible. We appreciate all the testing that has been done on the PTS thus far, and we encourage everyone to continue testing! Dive into the new PTS content and be sure to leave your suggestions/feedback. Don't forget to report any bugs on the PTS Forums.

As always, be sure to join us over on the Official Forums or on the community Reddit if you’re looking for a place to discuss all things related to The Division.

Until next time!

The Division Dev Team

Greetings, Agents!

Wow … and we already thought August was a big month. The content just keeps coming at the moment. Update 1.8 is on the horizon. Some of you PC gamers out there are already getting to grips with the new content on the Public Test Servers, and the console players among you will be joining in on the fun soon!

There is much coming with 1.8: a completely new area, new game modes, new gear sets – basically a whole lotta new! Perhaps some of it can serve as inspiration for your own created content in the future.

As for the here and now, September has seen you guys really up your game. You know the drill by now: all featured Agents will receive 1000 Phoenix Credits to splash out on in-game equipment.

Check out some of this month’s best contributions below:



#AgentActivated just keeps on going. Here we have a very frosty look conceived by Spanish cosplayer @Manuelcorpas77.

 

Manu has shared a few great cosplay images in the last couple of months. This latest one is probably the best of the bunch, simply because it shows off the attention to detail put into the outfit from head to toe. You can tell this agent has been through some tough times. ¡Buen trabajo Manu!



Again, there were a few fantastic images to choose from by this Agent. But @Maverick_CW outdoes herself with this screenshot.



There is so little and yet so much to see at the same time here. The Division’s signature orange saturates this image to make for some much welcomed warmth in an otherwise frozen wasteland. Something about the way the light swallows up everything in sight just got to us; we had to for this one.

But there is more! Take a look at Maverick’s collection of screenshots here.



All the way from Argentina, here is a wonderful piece of crossover art by Ale Romero Marchesi – The Division combined with local comic book icon El Eternauta.

 

Both universes’ post-apocalyptic vibes go hand-in-hand with one another, and Ale has realised his idea with great style. Massive shout out to our South American community!



This month saw the return of the Community Favourites poll, and September’s winner is a familiar face.



@EidolonFox is back with some stellar Cosplay work - yet another strong entry in the #AgentActivated movement. With the filter on this image, it could pass for a polaroid recovered from an abandoned apartment after the outbreak.

That (almost) wraps up September’s Agent Highlights. But as a bonus this month, we will leave you with one final image that might just spark a few new ideas.



Agents, allow us to introduce you to Nowa. This wonderful picture comes courtesy of her owner, Anders Granlund of Ubisoft Sweden. We don’t want to go so far as to say that she is the flagship dog of The Division, but… well, she’s geared up for the occasion and certainly in with a shout.

That was a lot to take in! We are very excited about future community creations, because the standard has been so high for so long already. Send your creations to us by using the hashtag #AgentHighlights on Twitter or by e-mailing http://mailto:stateofthegame@massive.se.

Is there any more crossover art waiting to be made out there? Pet agents? Something completely new that we haven’t seen yet? Whatever it is, we look forward to seeing it!

ATTENTION: Agents, please follow @TheDivisionGame on Twitter so we can get in touch with you for the rewards.

Thank you from all of us!

Until next time,

The Division Community Team

Greetings, Agents!

Wow … and we already thought August was a big month. The content just keeps coming at the moment. Update 1.8 is on the horizon. Some of you PC gamers out there are already getting to grips with the new content on the Public Test Servers, and the console players among you will be joining in on the fun soon!

There is much coming with 1.8: a completely new area, new game modes, new gear sets – basically a whole lotta new! Perhaps some of it can serve as inspiration for your own created content in the future.

As for the here and now, September has seen you guys really up your game. You know the drill by now: all featured Agents will receive 1000 Phoenix Credits to splash out on in-game equipment.

Check out some of this month’s best contributions below:



#AgentActivated just keeps on going. Here we have a very frosty look conceived by Spanish cosplayer @Manuelcorpas77.

 

Manu has shared a few great cosplay images in the last couple of months. This latest one is probably the best of the bunch, simply because it shows off the attention to detail put into the outfit from head to toe. You can tell this agent has been through some tough times. ¡Buen trabajo Manu!



Again, there were a few fantastic images to choose from by this Agent. But @Maverick_CW outdoes herself with this screenshot.



There is so little and yet so much to see at the same time here. The Division’s signature orange saturates this image to make for some much welcomed warmth in an otherwise frozen wasteland. Something about the way the light swallows up everything in sight just got to us; we had to for this one.

But there is more! Take a look at Maverick’s collection of screenshots here.



All the way from Argentina, here is a wonderful piece of crossover art by Ale Romero Marchesi – The Division combined with local comic book icon El Eternauta.

 

Both universes’ post-apocalyptic vibes go hand-in-hand with one another, and Ale has realised his idea with great style. Massive shout out to our South American community!



This month saw the return of the Community Favourites poll, and September’s winner is a familiar face.



@EidolonFox is back with some stellar Cosplay work - yet another strong entry in the #AgentActivated movement. With the filter on this image, it could pass for a polaroid recovered from an abandoned apartment after the outbreak.

That (almost) wraps up September’s Agent Highlights. But as a bonus this month, we will leave you with one final image that might just spark a few new ideas.



Agents, allow us to introduce you to Nowa. This wonderful picture comes courtesy of her owner, Anders Granlund of Ubisoft Sweden. We don’t want to go so far as to say that she is the flagship dog of The Division, but… well, she’s geared up for the occasion and certainly in with a shout.

That was a lot to take in! We are very excited about future community creations, because the standard has been so high for so long already. Send your creations to us by using the hashtag #AgentHighlights on Twitter or by e-mailing http://mailto:stateofthegame@massive.se.

Is there any more crossover art waiting to be made out there? Pet agents? Something completely new that we haven’t seen yet? Whatever it is, we look forward to seeing it!

ATTENTION: Agents, please follow @TheDivisionGame on Twitter so we can get in touch with you for the rewards.

Thank you from all of us!

Until next time,

The Division Community Team

Agents, incoming State of the Game transmission:

During the last State of the Game, Community Developer Hamish Bode met with Senior Design Lead Paul Turland and Designer James Norris from Ubisoft Leamington to discuss the upcoming changes to Underground in Update 1.8. Followed by Terry & Keith from Red Storm Entertainment joining in to discuss the changes coming in PTS 1.8.

This week, Community Developer Petter Mårtensson did a solo stream to quickly run through the current status of the console PTS and changes to be introduced in PTS 2, revealed some changes to the Dark Zone loot tables and lastly hinted at some upcoming in-game events during October.

If you missed the stream, you check out the VoD and if you are on currently on the move, you can also catch up using the Podcast Recap!


Today’s maintenance was postponed and is tentatively scheduled for Monday, October 2nd.

The PC PTS has been live since Friday, September 22nd and we greatly value all the excellent feedback and bug reports we have gotten from the community so far. For those new to the PTS process, keep in mind that the PTS is a testing environment and is not meant to be a demo of upcoming features. There will be bugs and half-finished features present, so make sure to check the Known Issues list on the PTS forums before posting and try and keep your feedback constructive and as detailed as possible.

We are aiming to deploy PTS 2 on PC next week and for consoles the following week. Invites for the console PTS has not yet been sent out, but as soon as we have more information this will be communicated. We understand the frustration of our agents on console that would like to participate in the testing and we are aiming to get it out to you as soon as possible.

PTS 2 Changes

• The Underground and Resistance game modes will open for testing.
  
• Big Alejandro will be tuned.
  
• Various changes to the new Classified Gear.
  
• Fine tuning of the new movement system.
  
• A “cash cache” with D-tech will be added to the PTS to facilitate testing of the new Optimization Station.
  
  
• PTS 2 Known issues
  
  • Enemies following you into Resistance.
    
  • Some West Side Piers alerts will still be turned off.

In addition, we are aware of an issue present on the PTS that prevents healing when the player is aiming down sights (ADS). This is not an intended change and we are already working on a fix for the bug to be deployed as soon as it’s ready.


The second Global Event, “Assault” will start next week on Tuesday, October 3rd with a focus on getting as close to your opponent as possible. Assault will include:

• New masks, new Classified Gear – Strikers, Sentry and Reclaimer.
  
• Masks are no longer connected to Leaderboards rewards and are now instead rewarded by completing global event Commendations.
  
• Leaderboards will reward Classified Caches.

The Dark Zone loot table will soon be updated to include all exotics instead of just a few select ones, this change will be coming soon to the live game.

Finally, we have a couple of Special Events coming up in October that we hope you will enjoy – including a Halloween event! Stay tuned to future State of the Game streams for more information.

As always, be sure to join us over on the Official Forums or on the community Reddit if you’re looking for a place to discuss all things related to The Division.

Until next time!

The Division Dev Team

Agents, incoming State of the Game transmission:

During the last State of the Game, Community Developer Hamish Bode met with Senior Design Lead Paul Turland and Designer James Norris from Ubisoft Leamington to discuss the upcoming changes to Underground in Update 1.8. Followed by Terry & Keith from Red Storm Entertainment joining in to discuss the changes coming in PTS 1.8.

This week, Community Developer Petter Mårtensson did a solo stream to quickly run through the current status of the console PTS and changes to be introduced in PTS 2, revealed some changes to the Dark Zone loot tables and lastly hinted at some upcoming in-game events during October.

If you missed the stream, you check out the VoD and if you are on currently on the move, you can also catch up using the Podcast Recap!


Today’s maintenance was postponed and is tentatively scheduled for Monday, October 2nd.

The PC PTS has been live since Friday, September 22nd and we greatly value all the excellent feedback and bug reports we have gotten from the community so far. For those new to the PTS process, keep in mind that the PTS is a testing environment and is not meant to be a demo of upcoming features. There will be bugs and half-finished features present, so make sure to check the Known Issues list on the PTS forums before posting and try and keep your feedback constructive and as detailed as possible.

We are aiming to deploy PTS 2 on PC next week and for consoles the following week. Invites for the console PTS has not yet been sent out, but as soon as we have more information this will be communicated. We understand the frustration of our agents on console that would like to participate in the testing and we are aiming to get it out to you as soon as possible.

PTS 2 Changes

• The Underground and Resistance game modes will open for testing.
  
• Big Alejandro will be tuned.
  
• Various changes to the new Classified Gear.
  
• Fine tuning of the new movement system.
  
• A “cash cache” with D-tech will be added to the PTS to facilitate testing of the new Optimization Station.
  
  
• PTS 2 Known issues
  
  • Enemies following you into Resistance.
    
  • Some West Side Piers alerts will still be turned off.

In addition, we are aware of an issue present on the PTS that prevents healing when the player is aiming down sights (ADS). This is not an intended change and we are already working on a fix for the bug to be deployed as soon as it’s ready.


The second Global Event, “Assault” will start next week on Tuesday, October 3rd with a focus on getting as close to your opponent as possible. Assault will include:

• New masks, new Classified Gear – Strikers, Sentry and Reclaimer.
  
• Masks are no longer connected to Leaderboards rewards and are now instead rewarded by completing global event Commendations.
  
• Leaderboards will reward Classified Caches.

The Dark Zone loot table will soon be updated to include all exotics instead of just a few select ones, this change will be coming soon to the live game.

Finally, we have a couple of Special Events coming up in October that we hope you will enjoy – including a Halloween event! Stay tuned to future State of the Game streams for more information.

As always, be sure to join us over on the Official Forums or on the community Reddit if you’re looking for a place to discuss all things related to The Division.

Until next time!

The Division Dev Team

Agents!

Update 1.8 is approaching fast, and we’ve shared plenty of new features and game modes coming to The Division. If you missed any of the news, we have all the intel for you right here in this wrap-up.


West Side Piers is a new PvE map expansion, located on the western coast of Manhattan. It is here that Agents will experience new narrative elements introduced in 1.8, beginning with enemy factions working together for the first time. As Agents explore WSP North and South, a new dynamic spawn system will push various combinations of enemies to Agents directly. Side Missions will offer specific objectives for Agents to complete in the zone while Assignments deliver timed challenges within limited windows. For all restocking/recalibrating/vendor purchasing needs, Camp Clinton serves as the new social hub for all things West Side Piers.



For more intel on West Side Piers, click the image above!


Team Deathmatch makes its way into The Division in the form of a 4v4 competitive mode without an enemy faction presence. Players will have access to three arenas during these first-to-20-kills match-ups, with emphasis on more gunning/less running. To keep Agents on the same tier, Last Stand normalization as well as skill-based matchmaking will be featured in Skirmish. Last Stand ranking will now combine with Skirmish ranking as one consolidated PvP rank at an increased cap of 99.



For more intel on Skirmish, click the image above!


We are implementing new end-game PvE content in Update 1.8 with Resistance. A wave spawner similar to the one in West Side Piers will be used during the activity. Allied units of enemy factions will spawn dynamically and attack in waves as Agents venture further into Resistance. Critical Objectives are urgent challenges that will affect the success of every Resistance run. Agents will need to prioritize these CO’s as failure to complete these challenges will result in an entire team wipe. Wildcards will keep Agents active as modifiers change the way waves are played.



For more intel on Resistance, click the image above!


Update 1.8 is refining Dark Zone mechanics while still preserving its infamous high risk/high reward environment. Going Rogue will be a voluntary action and will prevent accidental Rogue. If a member of a squad goes Rogue, all players in the squad have the choice to accept or decline.

Manhunts will now have an objective for all players in the DZ to see. This change aims to create more action during Manhunts and make rewards more fulfilling. Both Rogues and non-Rogues on each side on the Manhunt will have the opportunity to receive rewards.


Starting in 1.8, players will have additional tools at their disposal to craft the perfect build. Utilizing D-Tech from the DZ as well as from West Side Piers enemies, players can maximize the statistics on every piece of gear available. While the new World Tier 5 range encompasses 256—286 item level, a fully optimized set of Classified gear will push players over the 286 mark.

In addition, a consolidated Gear Score number will be assigned to every piece of gear in The Division. This number combines every stat roll to provide a numerical indication of gear power. We hope that this visual aid guides our newest and most hardcore players alike in their build-tuning.


Players can expect a PTS for 1.8, and more information for the invite criteria for consoles will be shared soon. As before, the PC PTS will be available to all players. We recommend opting-in to emails from Ubisoft under Account Settings to ensure that you’re eligible to receive email invitations. We encourage all players to test as many of the new features described above as possible to help make 1.8 a solid addition to The Division!

/The Division Dev Team

Agents!

Update 1.8 is approaching fast, and we’ve shared plenty of new features and game modes coming to The Division. If you missed any of the news, we have all the intel for you right here in this wrap-up.


West Side Piers is a new PvE map expansion, located on the western coast of Manhattan. It is here that Agents will experience new narrative elements introduced in 1.8, beginning with enemy factions working together for the first time. As Agents explore WSP North and South, a new dynamic spawn system will push various combinations of enemies to Agents directly. Side Missions will offer specific objectives for Agents to complete in the zone while Assignments deliver timed challenges within limited windows. For all restocking/recalibrating/vendor purchasing needs, Camp Clinton serves as the new social hub for all things West Side Piers.



For more intel on West Side Piers, click the image above!


Team Deathmatch makes its way into The Division in the form of a 4v4 competitive mode without an enemy faction presence. Players will have access to three arenas during these first-to-20-kills match-ups, with emphasis on more gunning/less running. To keep Agents on the same tier, Last Stand normalization as well as skill-based matchmaking will be featured in Skirmish. Last Stand ranking will now combine with Skirmish ranking as one consolidated PvP rank at an increased cap of 99.



For more intel on Skirmish, click the image above!


We are implementing new end-game PvE content in Update 1.8 with Resistance. A wave spawner similar to the one in West Side Piers will be used during the activity. Allied units of enemy factions will spawn dynamically and attack in waves as Agents venture further into Resistance. Critical Objectives are urgent challenges that will affect the success of every Resistance run. Agents will need to prioritize these CO’s as failure to complete these challenges will result in an entire team wipe. Wildcards will keep Agents active as modifiers change the way waves are played.



For more intel on Resistance, click the image above!


Update 1.8 is refining Dark Zone mechanics while still preserving its infamous high risk/high reward environment. Going Rogue will be a voluntary action and will prevent accidental Rogue. If a member of a squad goes Rogue, all players in the squad have the choice to accept or decline.

Manhunts will now have an objective for all players in the DZ to see. This change aims to create more action during Manhunts and make rewards more fulfilling. Both Rogues and non-Rogues on each side on the Manhunt will have the opportunity to receive rewards.


Starting in 1.8, players will have additional tools at their disposal to craft the perfect build. Utilizing D-Tech from the DZ as well as from West Side Piers enemies, players can maximize the statistics on every piece of gear available. While the new World Tier 5 range encompasses 256—286 item level, a fully optimized set of Classified gear will push players over the 286 mark.

In addition, a consolidated Gear Score number will be assigned to every piece of gear in The Division. This number combines every stat roll to provide a numerical indication of gear power. We hope that this visual aid guides our newest and most hardcore players alike in their build-tuning.


Players can expect a PTS for 1.8, and more information for the invite criteria for consoles will be shared soon. As before, the PC PTS will be available to all players. We recommend opting-in to emails from Ubisoft under Account Settings to ensure that you’re eligible to receive email invitations. We encourage all players to test as many of the new features described above as possible to help make 1.8 a solid addition to The Division!

/The Division Dev Team

Agents, incoming State of the Game transmission:

During the last State of the Game, Community Developer Hamish Bode met with Creative Director Terry Spier and Lead Designer Keith Evans from Red Storm Entertainment to preview the new Rogue 2.0 mechanics as well as the new PvE mode, Resistance, coming in Update 1.8.

This week, Senior Design Lead Paul Turland and Designer James Norris from Ubisoft Leamington joined Hamish to discuss the changes coming to Underground in Update 1.8. Terry and Keith from Red Storm Entertainment followed with changes coming with the 1.8 PTS.

If you missed the stream, you check out the VoD below. If you’re currently on the move, we have you covered with our Podcast Recap!


We are aware that the RPM glitch can be stacked once, and it will not be a bannable offense. Other issues are being investigated post-1.7.1, such as the Skill Power issue with loadouts. We’re monitoring the issue and gathering community reports, so please don’t hesitate to send any irregularities our way.

PC PTS begins tomorrow, September 22! Consoles might be slightly delayed, but we’re still aiming for September 26. We have a limited amount of keys and will be using a signup page, but more news on that will be coming soon.

When the PTS launches, expect the following during week 1:

• Emphasis will be placed on Skirmish, Rogue 2.0, new Exotics, and new Classifieds (Hunter’s Faith, Predator’s, D3-FNC, FireCrest, Nomad, and Banshee). Resistance will be offline.
  
• Alerts in West Side Piers will not be available, but players can still roam the area and engage with dynamically-spawning enemies. Players will have access to the new social hub, Camp Clinton.
  
• Tactician and AlphaBridge Classifieds will not have their 5-6p bonuses active.
  
• Underground and Survival will be offline. If players visit their locations, an infinite loading queue will ensue. Relogging will fix the issue.
  
• A list of known issues will be posted on the forums.

If you missed the changes coming to Underground in 1.8, again be sure to check out the VOD above.

Based on community feedback, Hunters will spawn in UG as random encounter in Hard and Challenging. The number of Hunters is group size + 1, and they will have a chance to drop Exotics.

New Directives are based on experimental technology and offer high risk/high reward gameplay. Electrotech, for example, increases skill-usage but disrupts elements of the UI. As another example, Shock Ammo can be used against enemies but a cap is placed on its usage, shocking players if used excessively.

We are introducing checkpoints into the Underground that will make runs less punishing, and rewards have been tweaked to add Exotics from all Underground bosses. In addition, players now have the opportunity to complete Weekly UG Assignments.

If you missed the notorious Rave Room, don’t forget that it will be back in Update 1.8!

Movement designed to alleviate abusive chicken-dancing went live earlier than expected in 1.7.1. While all of the changes are not available yet, the present alterations to player movement will be available on the 1.8 PTS. We encourage players to provide feedback as we continue to monitor/update movement mechanics. The same goes for new hip-fire changes as well as changes to the Adept talent stacking once with a crit-chance of 7.5%—test away on the PTS Agents!

1.8 PTS will also feature a balancing pass on all existing Exotics, including changes to weapon damage and recoil. Exotic weapon talents have not been changed. Players will find Gear Optimization on the PTS as well, and we have provided max D-Tech so the min-max’ing testing process can get underway.


Again, PTS for PC begins tomorrow! The invite criteria for consoles is coming soon, but remember that all players who had access to the 1.7 PTS will have access to the 1.8 PTS.

PTS forums will be available tomorrow, so please be sure to provide feedback!

As always, be sure to join us over on the Official Forums or on the community Reddit if you’re looking for a place to discuss all things related to The Division.

Until next time!

The Division Dev Team

Agents, incoming State of the Game transmission:

During the last State of the Game, Community Developer Hamish Bode met with Creative Director Terry Spier and Lead Designer Keith Evans from Red Storm Entertainment to preview the new Rogue 2.0 mechanics as well as the new PvE mode, Resistance, coming in Update 1.8.

This week, Senior Design Lead Paul Turland and Designer James Norris from Ubisoft Leamington joined Hamish to discuss the changes coming to Underground in Update 1.8. Terry and Keith from Red Storm Entertainment followed with changes coming with the 1.8 PTS.

If you missed the stream, you check out the VoD below. If you’re currently on the move, we have you covered with our Podcast Recap!


We are aware that the RPM glitch can be stacked once, and it will not be a bannable offense. Other issues are being investigated post-1.7.1, such as the Skill Power issue with loadouts. We’re monitoring the issue and gathering community reports, so please don’t hesitate to send any irregularities our way.

PC PTS begins tomorrow, September 22! Consoles might be slightly delayed, but we’re still aiming for September 26. We have a limited amount of keys and will be using a signup page, but more news on that will be coming soon.

When the PTS launches, expect the following during week 1:

• Emphasis will be placed on Skirmish, Rogue 2.0, new Exotics, and new Classifieds (Hunter’s Faith, Predator’s, D3-FNC, FireCrest, Nomad, and Banshee). Resistance will be offline.
  
• Alerts in West Side Piers will not be available, but players can still roam the area and engage with dynamically-spawning enemies. Players will have access to the new social hub, Camp Clinton.
  
• Tactician and AlphaBridge Classifieds will not have their 5-6p bonuses active.
  
• Underground and Survival will be offline. If players visit their locations, an infinite loading queue will ensue. Relogging will fix the issue.
  
• A list of known issues will be posted on the forums.

If you missed the changes coming to Underground in 1.8, again be sure to check out the VOD above.

Based on community feedback, Hunters will spawn in UG as random encounter in Hard and Challenging. The number of Hunters is group size + 1, and they will have a chance to drop Exotics.

New Directives are based on experimental technology and offer high risk/high reward gameplay. Electrotech, for example, increases skill-usage but disrupts elements of the UI. As another example, Shock Ammo can be used against enemies but a cap is placed on its usage, shocking players if used excessively.

We are introducing checkpoints into the Underground that will make runs less punishing, and rewards have been tweaked to add Exotics from all Underground bosses. In addition, players now have the opportunity to complete Weekly UG Assignments.

If you missed the notorious Rave Room, don’t forget that it will be back in Update 1.8!

Movement designed to alleviate abusive chicken-dancing went live earlier than expected in 1.7.1. While all of the changes are not available yet, the present alterations to player movement will be available on the 1.8 PTS. We encourage players to provide feedback as we continue to monitor/update movement mechanics. The same goes for new hip-fire changes as well as changes to the Adept talent stacking once with a crit-chance of 7.5%—test away on the PTS Agents!

1.8 PTS will also feature a balancing pass on all existing Exotics, including changes to weapon damage and recoil. Exotic weapon talents have not been changed. Players will find Gear Optimization on the PTS as well, and we have provided max D-Tech so the min-max’ing testing process can get underway.


Again, PTS for PC begins tomorrow! The invite criteria for consoles is coming soon, but remember that all players who had access to the 1.7 PTS will have access to the 1.8 PTS.

PTS forums will be available tomorrow, so please be sure to provide feedback!

As always, be sure to join us over on the Official Forums or on the community Reddit if you’re looking for a place to discuss all things related to The Division.

Until next time!

The Division Dev Team