Without a doubt, The Division has been one of Ubisoft's most successful franchises, and now it also has the numbers to prove it. The franchise has reportedly reached 50 million players, which is a huge milestone. The original title was released in 2016, and even at the time, it managed to break Ubisoft's record for first-day sales. However, successes like these don't necessarily guarantee smooth sailing in the future, especially considering that the franchise has experienced more than one change over the years.
In fact, the last mainline installment, called The Division 2, was released back in 2019, and even though The Division 3 was announced back in 2023, Ubisoft continues investing in the previous game. This is not necessarily a terrible thing, but it definitely puts the upcoming sequel in a rather unusual position. After all, the franchise has been around for quite a while now, and The Division 3 is the opportunity for the studio to show what players can expect to see in the future.
The Division 3 Has More to Prove Than Its Predecessors
It's safe to say that most people probably would not blame any studio for wanting to expand one of its most successful franchises, especially when there's already an existing audience that they can take advantage of. It's also true that even recognizable names in the industry can't always justify another game, which became clear when the company canceled The Division Heartland, a spin-off within the franchise. However, it's important to note that creating something that builds on a franchise's strengths may not be a bad idea, but releasing another game just because the brand is popular looks completely different.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Maybe this is exactly the reason why The Division 3 represents such a huge opportunity for Ubisoft, as it actually has the power to demonstrate that the company truly understands what made the franchise so popular in the first place. Generally, every time a game gets a sequel, players expect it to be a better version of the previous game. But it's not only about improvements; of course, it's also about getting new content and having enough advantages to even make the previous installment feel kind of outdated. Once a sequel is announced, it's only a matter of time before its predecessor stops receiving huge updates, but Ubisoft seems to be taking a different approach here.
The Division 3 is the opportunity for the studio to show what players can expect to see in the future.
The studio is still actively investing in The Division 2 despite having announced The Division 3 already. Moreover, it has already confirmed Year 9 and has outlined its plans for additional seasons. The developers even discussed introducing crossplay, which means that they will have to rebuild the game's online architecture as well, which is quite a big commitment. It is also a huge change for a game that was released in 2019, and it creates a challenge for The Division 3 because the upcoming sequel won't be replacing an abandoned game. This means that Ubisoft will have to give existing players a compelling enough reason to move on from the previous title.
Image via Ubisoft
Image via Ubisoft
Image via Ubisoft
It's also worth mentioning that The Division 3 is going to arrive during a period of some important changes at Ubisoft. For example, in September 2026, the company brought together international teams under the Massive Entertainment identity, which aims to cover several major franchises, including The Division, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. This new structure is yet to prove that it will be successful when it comes to consistently delivering successful games. This is where the release of The Division 3 could be particularly important because it's another opportunity for Ubisoft to demonstrate the benefits of this new cooperation. In other words, the stakes extend beyond the future of the franchise.
The Division 3 Could Determine the Franchise's Long-Term Future
The Division 3 was announced by Ubisoft in 2023, and Julian Gerighty emphasized how important it is to establish a stronger identity for the franchise and pointed out that there is plenty of room for the series to grow, especially when it comes to new stories, locations, and experiences. To be fair, The Division has been around for enough time for Ubisoft to want to think beyond the next release. However, it's also important to remember that not all of their projects have made it to release, so now it's more important than ever for the studio to decide which ideas are worth pursuing in the future and stick to them so they can also give fans more confidence in their long-term plans for the series.
The Division 3 can accomplish something more than becoming a commercially successful sequel, and Ubisoft needs to establish a creative direction that can support the franchise long-term. Of course, whether the new game will manage to accomplish this remains to be seen, but there's no denying that it's way more important than just another sequel. It will also be interesting to see whether Ubisoft can attract a new generation of players without losing its existing audience.
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83/100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- March 15, 2019
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Massive Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
