The Divisionfans have been curious about the possibility of a battle royale for years. Ubisoft even issued a survey in 2017 asking whetherThe Divisionplayers would want a battle royale in the franchise. Rumors have swirled in the years since, but no battle royale has come to fruition as Ubisoft instead released the now-defunctHyper Scape. That may be changing, though, as there’s a new rumor indicating that a standaloneThe Divisionbattle royale could be back on track.
As reported by Jeff Grubb on the Game Mess podcast, Ubisoft is potentially resurrecting aThe Divisionbattle royaleproject that was previously in development for some time. The game has been known as codename Reaper within Ubisoft and may have been in development since 2018. Reaper was ultimately shelved, however, in part due to underwhelming feedback from early player impressions. Now Reaper may be back, retooled to offer a more unique battle royale experience.
RELATED:Ubisoft Reveals Tom Clancy’s The Division Resurgence Mobile Game
The newThe Divisionbattle royale project isn’t being rebuilt from the ground up, which could mean it’s being fast-tracked for release. Instead of being remade, it’s described as being retooled with “roguelike features.“The Divisionhas historically been a class-based experience. “Roguelike features” could, speculatively, be as simple as stripping awayThe Division’s class-based trappingsand making it more focused on randomized loot drops not just for weapons and equipment but also abilities.
It’s also explicitly said thatThe Divisionbattle royale project is being resurrected becauseHyper Scapefailedand Ubisoft still wants a successful battle royale. This isn’t an abnormal strategy for a major game publisher, of course. Most publishers are exploring massive free-to-play online multiplayer experiences, given how lucrative they can be.
Ubisoft should also understand more than most that the live service market is currently oversaturated and breaking into the market isn’t guaranteed. For everyLeague of Legendsthere’s aParagonandGuardians of Middle-Earth. For everyPUBGandFortnitethere’s aHyper Scape. Ubisoft will hopefully be taking what it learned fromHyper Scapestruggles and putting it into ensuringThe Division’s battle royale is a great live service game.
The Divisionand battle royale fans should maintain a healthy amount of skepticism with the rumor, at this point. Ubisoft’s currently going through a bit of a transition.Avatar: Frontiers of Pandorais being delayed, andfour Ubisoft projects have reportedly been canceled. It’s unclear ifThe Divisionbattle royale was impacted, if it even exists. And even if the game is in development, it could be some time before it’s announced. Expect further updates in the months or years to come.
The Divisionbattle royale is rumored to be in development.
MORE:Why the Hyper Scape Shutdown Was Just a Matter of Time
