The Division Xbox One Beta Starts Jan. 28

By Rory Young 26 January 2016

• pc
• ps4
• xbox one
• ubisoft
• the division

Ubisoft is announcing the start of The Division‘s beta, which will arrive first on January 28 to Xbox One pre-order holders and a day later for PS4.

The start of The Division‘s beta has been the topic of much discussion in recent months. As The Division has been delayed, first into 2015 and then later into 2016, so too has its beta been pushed back further and further. Now with The Division seemingly set on a March 8 launch, the hunt for just when the beta would begin has been a heated endeavor. Tonight Ubisoft ended said hunt, announcing over Facebook that The Division‘s beta — coming first to Xbox One — starts January 28.

Yes, The Division will finally be in the hands of pre-order holders within a month’s time! A closed alpha that tested structural and technical aspects of the online shooter took place recently, but the savage masses await an opportunity to dissect the game without an NDA limiting their ability to discuss it online.

Pre-order holders should already have submitted their codes through Ubisoft’s website, but beta information has yet to officially be sent out. Just wait patiently! And yes, participants in the alpha will also be able to join in on the beta fun. PC and PlayStation 4 beta players need not worry; the beta will extend to their platforms a day later, on January 29th.

 

Today’s announcement goes a long way to cement the idea that, yes, The Division has not been delayed again. It is real and ready — tentatively — for its March 8 launch date. If anything, the beta starting over one month prior to the launch of the game shows Ubisoft’s confidence in their game. In ideal scenarios, the earlier a publisher holds a beta, the more time available for fans to build the hype (or tear it down).

Honestly, what everyone should be focusing on is that The Division is finally going to be laid out for everyone to experience and share their opinions on. There are few games that have been hyped so much as The Division, going all the way back to that initial reveal. Much like Watch Dogs, The Division may simply not be able to live up to its own hype no matter the quality of the game itself.

The Division‘s Xbox One beta will begin on January 28, with a PC and PlayStation 4 beta to follow on the 29th. The full beta will last until January 31st.

Tom Clancy’s The Division will launch on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC starting March 8.

Source: Facebook