In the modern age of gaming where many video games are viewed as live service experiences versus one-and-done launches, many tend to ask: why launch a numbered sequel instead of just continuing on with DLC and updates to the live version of the game? It’s a valid question, and it’s one that the developers of the upcoming The Division 2 sought to answer when they announced the game to the public.
To give some context, The Division has had a tough road over its lifespan, launching with a less-than-stellar vanilla experience in 2016. But the game has experienced a resurgence with the release of its 1.8 update, and is being called better than ever by players.
So then, why release a full sequel with The Division 2 instead of continuing to build on top of The Division as some might expect from a game like World of Warcraft?
The Division 2’s creative director, Julian Gerighty, said a sequel felt appropriate with what the developers want to accomplish:
Game director Mathias Karlson went on to say that working on a full sequel allows the team to do more with the technology that would be very hard to make happen with a live game like The Division:
It wasn’t an easy decision, but there are so many stories and so many experiences that we want to explore within the world of The Division that we really felt a sequel was the best way to investigate these things.
The gaming community is already making a comparison between The Division 2 and Destiny 2 (with Destiny 1 and The Division, the two franchises were compared endlessly), expressing skepticism of the benefits of a full sequel considering the serious struggle Destiny 2 has had since launch. Destiny’s developer, Bungie, had to balance delivering something that feels appropriately new, while still giving a familiar feel. Now Ubisoft will have to do the same.
Also, technology advances with time. Snowdrop today is a better and more capable engine than when we released The Division. It was still fantastic, but we can do more now so we of course want to take the opportunity as well, which would be so much more difficult to do with the game that’s live. There are many reasons.
That’s not to say that sequels are destined to walk the same path, and Ubisoft even seemed to try to directly quell those fears in its announcement of the game, saying “We’re also taking everything we learned over the past two years and applying it towards the sequel to make sure we get it right.”
Ubisoft promises to reveal more about The Division 2 at E3 in June 2018. A release date has yet to be announced.
Source: WCCFtech
