Ubisoft is changing the ongoing service model for The Division 2 substantially heading into the launch of Warlords of New York. It’s not just the big, paid expansion – the game’s also getting a seasonal structure that will include paid battle passes, as well as limited-time endgame content and other in-game activities.
Each season will run for three months, during which players will be able to increase their season level through related challenges and normal gameplay. That will unlock free rewards, but you can also buy a season pass for access to additional cosmetics – just like every battle pass has worked since the system entered all the other multiplayer games of note.
But notably, the battle pass system will not replace the game’s existing loot boxes, called apparel caches. World producer Lionel Le Dain tells us that “our stance on apparel caches is always the same. It’s always cosmetic, it’s never gameplay related. This comes down to our creative direction, we’ll never sell gameplay things, only cosmetic. Plus you can also gain them by playing the game. This is our mantra and what we stand for.”
Le Dain adds that “what we do with the battle pass is just give you more cosmetics.”
Apparel caches can be earned and unlocked with in-game items, but you can also directly purchase keys to unlock them with premium currency.
The seasonal content will include endgame events that challenge you with tracking a main target over the course of the full three months to earn unique rewards. The first of these Seasonal Manhunts will launch one week after the Warlords of New York release date. Global Events also return in the seasonal content, challenging players to complete challenges while a specific modifier is in play.