This Game Is The Division Meets Fortnite

Ubisoft were planning to produce a Battle Royale for the Division, but they abandoned the idea last year. They're now returning to the project because they desperately need a good BR. Here's everything we know so far about this ambitious new game.

The Division Battle Royale
A "tactical" Battle Royale, ambitious or stupid? | © Ubisoft / Epic Games

You remember the Division? The Tom Clancy MMO that saw us explore a post-apocalyptic New York? It was pretty phenomenal upon release, but the playerbase soon realized how poor end-game content was. So... it died, sadly. But there was an amazing core there; the setting was original and compelling, the combat design was enjoyable, and the progression system was well-thought-out.

Rather than just move on to a new IP, Ubisoft want to revisit the world of The Division, but this time, they're going to try a Battle Royale. They revealed these plans a few years ago, and then last year, we heard rumors the project had been cancelled. But according to recent leaks, they've re-started production. Here's everything we know.

Ubisoft Restart Development On The Division BR

Industry-insider Jeff Grubb recently shared the news on his podcast that work has resumed on the once-cancelled Division battle royale game. Here's exactly what he told the audience about project "Reaper":

Code-named "Reaper", The Division's standalone battle royale was shelved last year due to poor player feedback but now Ubisoft has restarted the work on it because they shut down Hyper Scape and really want a successful battle royale.

That does make perfect sense for Ubisoft. A good battle royale can bring in ridiculous money, and can literally prop and fund whole publishers. And as we know, this is an area Ubisoft have failed in. We're certainly more hopeful in this making money than we are in the XDefiant project, for instance.

Speaking of Ubisoft projects with potential, check out their latest work:

When Will The Division's Battle Royale Be Released?

Unfortunately, we don't yet have an exact release date for the Division's battle royale game. Before it was cancelled, we were hearing about a 2023 release date, but since production was put on hold, we would assume it's going to take at least another two years. We should therefore expect a 2025 release date.
Are you tired of battle royales? Or do you think this game can help save Ubisoft from their current crisis?
Jon Ramuz

Jon has a BA and an MA in English Literature, and as Content Lead for EarlyGame has written over 1,500 articles. He focuses on shooters, but also writes about entertainment and gaming in general....