The Division 3 Gets a Major Development Update as Ubisoft Expands Production

If you’re wondering what’s up with The Division 3, you’re not alone. Years have passed, and Ubisoft has finally shown us a better look at the state of affairs for the project, and it turns out the next entry in the series is officially in production. 

While there's still a long road ahead, you now have a better idea of what Massive Entertainment is building and when you might realistically get your hands on it. If you’ve been waiting for another proper looter shooter, this is the biggest update the series has seen in a while.

Although The Division 3 was officially announced in September 2023, the reveal wasn’t what most players were expecting. 

Ubisoft didn't show a trailer, gameplay, screenshots, or even a logo. Instead, the company announced that Julian Gerighty had been appointed executive producer of the Division franchise and that one of his first responsibilities would be building a team for The Division 3 at Massive Entertainment. 

At the time, Massive Entertainment was still wrapping up work on Star Wars Outlaws, where Gerighty served as creative director. Ubisoft confirmed he would properly return to The Division after that project shipped. Since Star Wars Outlaws didn't launch until August 2024, it now seems likely that full production on The Division 3 didn't truly begin until after that release

Earlier this year, however, Gerighty finally offered one of the biggest updates yet. He confirmed that The Division 3 is actively in development and described the project as "shaping up to be a monster." While he didn't reveal any gameplay or new features, his comments suggested the team is aiming for something much bigger than a routine sequel.

While he stopped short of revealing specific details, he said the team inside Massive Entertainment was working extremely hard on something that could have an impact similar to the original The Division. That comparison immediately caught the attention of longtime fans because the first game's reveal remains one of Ubisoft's biggest showcases from the previous console generation.

Even today, many players still remember the original game's recreation of New York City, its atmosphere, and the Dark Zone that helped define the experience. While the first game certainly had its flaws, it also built a passionate community that continues to support the franchise years later. 

Hearing Massive compare The Division 3 to that original release suggests the studio has much bigger ambitions than simply delivering another sequel. If those ambitions become reality, Ubisoft could be aiming to recapture what made the first game stand out in the first place.

Not long after those comments, though, the project experienced an unexpected shake-up. 

Just one week after describing The Division 3 as a major project, Julian Gerighty announced that he was leaving Ubisoft altogether. Losing the lead behind a game is never ideal, especially when that person helped shape every major entry in the franchise. 

Gerighty has since joined EA's Battlefield Studios, although his exact role hasn't been publicly detailed. Some believe EA may be looking to expand Battlefield beyond traditional shooters, potentially exploring something closer to The Division's style of gameplay. While that remains speculation, EA has already confirmed plans to grow the Battlefield universe with multiple projects. 

Massive Entertainment confirmed that Matus Carlson will continue serving as creative director on The Division 3. Carlson previously directed The Division 2 and worked alongside Gerighty on both The Division and Star Wars Outlaws. 

Ubisoft has also introduced another leadership change by appointing Christoph Hartmann as general manager of Creative House 2, one of five new divisions created as part of the company's restructuring. That group now oversees franchises including The Division, Ghost Recon, Splinter Cell, and Might & Magic.

Hartmann's role focuses on the long-term strategy behind those franchises, while Carlson continues leading day-to-day development at Massive. Hartmann also brings significant industry experience after co-founding 2K Games and helping oversee franchises such as Borderlands, BioShock, and XCOM. 

He most recently worked at Amazon Games, supervising several development teams and online projects. Whether that experience ultimately benefits The Division remains to be seen, but Ubisoft is clearly putting experienced leadership around the franchise.

Development also seems to be moving forward. 

Massive Entertainment has recently posted several new job openings tied directly to The Division 3, including senior positions covering online systems, enemy AI, animation, character presentation, and the Snowdrop engine. Job listings never reveal the complete picture, so it's impossible to know exactly how much of the game is already playable. 

The timing is especially interesting because Massive also went through layoffs earlier this year. Even so, the new recruitment drive indicates Ubisoft remains committed to investing in the project despite wider restructuring across the company. Several of those listings also reveal important information about the game itself. 

For many fans, that direction makes sense because those systems have always been central to the franchise's identity. At the same time, players will expect a much stronger launch than previous entries delivered. After such a long wait, expectations are high for both the campaign and the endgame, rather than spending years waiting for features to return through updates.

The listings also confirm that The Division 3 will continue using Massive's Snowdrop engine instead of moving to Unreal Engine. That decision isn't particularly surprising since Snowdrop already powered both previous Division games, along with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and Star Wars Outlaws. 

Improved AI has been one of the most requested upgrades from longtime players. Enemies in previous games were competent enough, but after a lot of play, many battles became predictable. The more you invest in AI, the less repetitive firefights become and the more tactical players will be.

One major mystery still remains, however, and that's where The Division 3 actually takes place. 

Community discussions frequently mention cities like Chicago, Boston, and Seattle, but Ubisoft hasn't confirmed any setting yet. Many players would also like to see the franchise return to a colder environment similar to the original game's snow-covered New York. Whether Massive revisits New York or introduces an entirely new city remains one of the biggest unanswered questions.

Platforms have also not been officially announced, although PC, PlayStation 5, and XBOX Series X|S are the obvious expectations. Ubisoft hasn't shared a release date or even a launch window either. Based on everything currently known, a release sometime between 2028 and 2029 appears to be the most realistic estimate. 

While the wait continues, Massive is also bringing something new to The Division 2. The studio is developing Survivors, an updated version of the original game's beloved Survival mode. The mode once again places players in a brutal winter environment where they'll scavenge for supplies, survive harsh conditions, and eventually extract before time runs out. 

Massive says the new version will include improvements alongside several new additions while preserving the core experience that made the original mode so popular. The update promises to modernize one of the most beloved modes in the franchise, while still retaining the survival-heavy gameplay that players have been clamoring to see return for years now.

The original survival mode remains one of the most highly praised features in the franchise, and many players still consider it one of Massive's best ideas. It delivered an extraction-style experience long before that genre exploded in popularity, making its return welcome news for longtime fans. 

As work continues on The Division 3, Ubisoft now has an opportunity to combine the atmosphere of the first game with the stronger systems and endgame found in The Division 2. If the studio can also deliver a meaningful Dark Zone experience alongside those improvements, the next chapter could finally give fans the sequel they've been waiting for.