The Division is barrelling down on its March release date and Ubisoft is confident the RPG shooter will become one of the biggest new IP launches in history.
That’s according to Managing Director John Parkes, who made the bullish claims during the publisher’s recent Investor Day presentation. Citing Watch Dogs, Assassin’s Creed and Bungie’s shared-world shooter Destiny – which stands as the largest of the bunch – Parkes went on to describe the many gameplay elements that The Division has been built around, and for this reason, the new IP can appeal to a bigger demographic.
“Because of its many attributes–RPG, shooter, massive online multiplayer, realistic setting in a beautifully recreated New York, great open world playable in solo or in co-op–The Division can become one of the biggest launches ever for a new IP.”
In closing, the Ubisoft executive pointed to the large viewership that The Divison trailers have gained over the past two-to-three years – 225 million in total and a comfortable 30 percent ahead of Watch Dogs, which has since sold upwards of 9 million copies.
Ubisoft will launch The Division for PS4, Xbox One and PC on March 8. An open beta is currently underway across all three platforms, and will continue throughout the weekend before testing wraps up on Sunday, February 21.