Skip to main content

Ubisoft claims consoles did not hamstring The Division on PC

the division pc cheaters will face permanent bans thedivision3
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Although it’s still more common to see cross-platform releases look better on PC than on consoles, a quick look at PC-only titles like the upcoming Star Citizen shows that without that console anchor, developers can do some amazing things. However when it comes to The Division, Ubisoft is adamant that making it compatible with consoles did not crimp the PC version one iota.

The reason it felt the need to respond at all is because an unnamed developer on the game purportedly said in an interview that they had to “keep things in check with the consoles,” when it came to making the game. The implication was that this was done so that the game did not look drastically better on PC and make console gamers feel like they were missing out.

This is all bunkum according to Ubisoft. “It is simply not true” that the visuals of The Division were held back by current-gen consoles, a spokesperson said (via PCGamer).

“From the beginning, the PC version of The Division was developed from the ground up and we’re confident players will enjoy the game and the features this version has to offer. And the feedback from PC players who participated in the recent closed beta supports this.”

Taking these assertions at face value, it would seem that the PC version was built from the ground up to be roughly in line with the specifications of the new-gen consoles, to ensure that everyone was happy. That is certainly preferable to a PC version being deliberately hamstrung during development.

It’s also par for the course with developments these days. If a game is being made for all platforms, it will probably look worse than if it was just made for the PC.

As it happens, Ubisoft is facing a more pressing and immediate problem with The Division right now, caused by cheating that is occurring in The Division’s beta. Here’s hoping Ubisoft can fix that before it launches in one month’s time.

Editors' Recommendations

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is the Evergreen Coordinator for Computing, overseeing a team of writers addressing all the latest how to…
Tom Clancy’s The Division 3 is in development under new executive producer
The Division 2

Ubisoft has announced that Tom Clancy's The Division 3 is in the works now that a new executive producer is poised to take over the franchise.
On Ubisoft's blog, the company revealed that Julian Gerighty, who is currently the Creative Director of Star Wars: Outlaws, will transition to being the Executive Producer for The Division Brand once Outlaws comes out. Previously, two The Division games were confirmed to be in the works -- a mobile game titled The Division Resurgence and survival shooter The Division Heartland -- but this announcement confirms that players should also eventually expect a full sequel to 2019's The Division 2.

As Gerighty isn't even in charge of The Division franchise yet and still needs to build a team for the sequel, it's clear that The Division 3 is far from release, and not a lot of concrete details about it can be shared. Still, Ubisoft confirmed that its development will be led by Massive Entertainment, and Gerighty shared a bit of his vision of quality for the franchise. 
"I think that we delivered [quality] with Tom Clancy’s The Division’s cutting-edge visuals, incredible gameplay, and promise to the player that they can't get this experience anywhere else, and then again with Tom Clancy’s The Division 2," he explained. "It’s about refinement, it's about pushing the quality bar consistently forward ... There are a huge number of talented developers currently working on the brand, and I think that having more consistency can only make everybody's work sing."
Ubisoft did not announce platforms or a release window for Tom Clancy's The Division 3. 

Read more
Ubisoft and more offer ways to play purchased Google Stadia games elsewhere
The protagonist of Assassin's Creed: Valhalla shouting in battle and wielding two axes.

Google recently announced that it plans to shutter its cloud gaming service Stadia in early 2023, leaving players who used it as one of their primary platforms in an awkward situation. Google already promised to refund people for their Google Stadia hardware and software purchases, but people are still losing access to games they enjoyed and save files they possibly dumped hours into. Thankfully, some developers are working on ways to help Stadia players.
The most notable studio to help Stadia players is Ubisoft, which was Google's earliest partner for the technology via an Assassin's Creed Odyssey demo. "While Stadia will shut down on January 18, 2023, we're happy to share that we're working to bring the games you own on Stadia to PC through Ubisoft Connect," Ubisoft tweeted. "We'll have more to share regarding specific details, as well as the impact for Ubisoft+ subscribers, at a later date." Thankfully, the Stadia versions of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Far Cry 6, Immortals Fenyx Rising, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, and Watch Dogs: Legion support cross-progression, so players won't lose their save files. 
https://twitter.com/UbisoftSupport/status/1575922767593078793
Ubisoft isn't the only developer to help. Developer Muse Games is giving Embr Steam codes to those who played its comedic co-op firefighting game on Stadia if they email the developer with screenshots of Embr in their Stadia library. Meanwhile, IO Interactive confirmed that it is "looking into ways for you to continue your Hitman experience on other platforms," as the World of Assassination trilogy was available on Google Stadia. 
There's still the matter of the five Google Stadia exclusives: Gylt, Hello Engineer, Outcasters, Pac-Man Mega Tunnel Battle, and PixelJunk Raiders. So far, only one of those games seems like it will be saved. PixelJunk Raiders developer Q-Games said in a blog post that "we hope to find a way to continue to share the vibrant worlds of Planet Tantal in the future, and we’re open to discussing opportunities to find the right publishing partner to make it happen.. Tequila Works, tinyBuild, Splash Damage, and Bandai Namco Entertainment did not respond to requests for comment from Digital Trends.
While the shutdown of Google Stadia is disappointing for players like myself who enjoy cloud gaming, at least players will be get refunds, and in some cases get the game for a new platform.

Read more
The Division Resurgence brings Ubisoft’s political shooter to mobile devices
Characters walk towards the Statue of Liberty in The Division Resurgence key art.

Ubisoft's Division franchise is coming to mobile devices with Tom Clancy's The Division Resurgence. The third-person shooter will be free-to-play and players can sign up to test the title starting today.

https://uat.www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/TDR_EN_ESRB-M-1.mp4

Read more