As part of last week’s The Division roadmap from Ubisoft, we found out that The Division Mobile is a game that’s being worked on. I’m pretty apprehensive about this game because of what it represents for the series. So far we’ll have had more content for The Division 2, a hardcore console and PC game, and a free-to-play entry in the form of The Division Heartland. The next game to come out of the franchise will be The Division Mobile, and that’s not a direction I thought I’d ever see. It worries me a lot because there’s really only one direction this game be heading in. A new twist on the battle royale formula framed within The Division.
What I’m talking about is The Divsion’s unique PvPvE mode the Dark Zones. These are areas that are filled with enemies, and players can enter them to try to earn high-level gear. The thing is, inside these zones you can also attack other players, and you’ll take their rewards if you kill them. This leads to some incredible examples of dynamic gameplay, and to be honest I reckon it was a precursor to battle royale. It pits players against one another for survival, and the winners claim all the loot. The only difference is the PvE element which most players tend to ignore unless they’re part of a team.
I think that The Divison Mobile will be a streamlined version of this mode and only this mode. It’ll be framed as players taking on the role of specialised Division agents trying to clear out the Dark Zones because of the contagion there that still represents a threat. Once inside, players will need to gather loot, kill everyone else in the area, and then claim their victory. It sounds simple enough, but I think it belittles the Dark Zones way too much.
Dark Zones are a pinnacle activity. You’ll find the hardest enemies in them, and you’ll also have to push back against other players. Nothing is a guarantee when you’re inside. By making an entire game about this mode, in particular, it makes it seem too easy.
