The Division 2 gameplay reveal shows off Washington, civil war, and a very Last of Us apocalypse

The Division 2 has just had its gameplay reveal at the Xbox E3 2018 press conference, amid a rain of explosions and a torrent of fake co-op gamer chat. Because Ubisoft can't help itself. But boy, do things look very different this time around. 

First up, The Division 2 is set in Washington, and the snow has entirely gone. Starting in an overgrown park, and leading through into a decidedly ‘nature reclaimed’ airfield - The Division 2 looks to be going big on wide, open environments and a lot of architectural diversity - the demo reveals a distinctly apocalyptic, Last of Us style vibe to its world. Gameplay-wise, expect tactical, three-player, co-op cover shooting with a variety of strategic options, from crossbows to chemical cloud launchers. It all looks very tight.

In terms of how all of this fits in with the first game's frosty, New York scenario, The Division 2 seems to be set further along in the timeline, at a point when the 'remnants of a corrupt state’ are rising to plunge the already chaotic US into full-blown civil war. No word on the timeline in the real world though, as we're still waiting on a release date. Keep an eye on the Ubisoft E3 2018 press conference for more details. 

David Houghton
Long-time GR+ writer Dave has been gaming with immense dedication ever since he failed dismally at some '80s arcade racer on a childhood day at the seaside (due to being too small to reach the controls without help). These days he's an enigmatic blend of beard-stroking narrative discussion and hard-hitting Psycho Crushers.