Ubisoft's The Division 2 was revealed at Microsoft's E3 2018 event Sunday, with a lengthy gameplay showcase that established that the next entry in the franchise will be very familiar to fans of the first.
On Monday, Ubisoft revealed more details about The Division 2, and released a new cinematic trailer with the promise of more in-depth gameplay footage to come.
The interface, loot, multiplayer focus, team chatter and numbers popping from enemies are very reminiscent from the first game, with the biggest change coming from the change in setting. The first Division took place in a snowy re-creation of New York. The Division 2, on the other hand, takes place in a sunny Washington in the shadow of Capitol Hill. The distinction is clear as the demo moves from a lush zoo to the bright outdoors, without a single hint of ice and snow to be found.
"In the Division 2, Washington DC must prepare for the greatest threat it has ever encountered," Julian Gerighty, creative director at Massive Entertainment said during Ubisoft's E3 press conference Monday.
Send help. Send epic loot.
CNET screenshotTo meet that threat, players will be accumulating a ton of loot and for the first time in the Division series, participating in raids. Gerighty also outlined a new progression system focused around specializations that players can opt into after the main storyline. Specializations come with signature weapons and new talents and abilities.
Three separate DLCs were confirmed for The Division 2 in the form of episodes that bring in new story elements, new areas to explore and new activities -- and each of these episodes will be free.
The original Division had a rocky launch, but a series of expansions and extensive updates to the game won back fans, giving the game a resurgence long after its launch much like another Ubisoft title, Rainbow 6: Siege.
The Division 2 will be available March 15, 2019 on Xbox One, PS4 and PC, with beta registration already open.
Check out everything Microsoft announced in our Xbox E3 2018 roundup here.
E3 2018: Everything you need to know
E3 2018 coverage at CNET: All of our E3 2018 coverage in one place.
E3 2018 coverage at GameSpot: Wall-to-wall coverage of the show from our sister site, GameSpot.
E3 2018 coverage at Giant Bomb: Still more commentary and news from E3, from our colleagues at Giant Bomb.