The Division 2 native current-gen versions "unlikely" due to PS4/Xbox One audience
"We are not ready to leave them behind."
Ubisoft has said it is unlikely to launch native PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of Tom Clancy's The Division 2, as taking "full advantage" of the current console generation would also mean leaving players on PS4 and Xbox One behind.
The Division 2 originally launched back in March 2019, with versions for PS4, Xbox One and PC. Streaming versions for Google Stadia and Amazon Luna launched in 2020, and it is playable now on new consoles via backwards compatibility.
Last week, The Division 2's fifth year of content was laid out for fans of Ubisoft's ongoing post-pandemic co-op shooter. Speaking to MP1st, the game's creative director Yannick Banchereau also discussed whether a ground-up PS5 and Xbox Series X/S version could also release - but it seems unlikely.
"If we really wanted to take full advantage of those, since we only have one version of the game that is available on all platforms, taking full advantage of those would mean that the game would no longer be available on the old generations," Banchereau said.
"We still have a lot of players that play on all generations and we are not ready to leave them behind and ask them to upgrade," he continued. "Right now we are trying to make sure every time we add something, it still runs smoothly on the old gen as well."
For now, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of the game have a 60FPS option, though no other bells and whistles.
Ubisoft has remained tight-lipped on whether the long-lived The Division 2 will ever get a full sequel. In the meantime, it is prepping free-to-play spin-off The Division Heartland, which remains in testing for the forseeable future.