Ubisoft’s The Division 2 has had a very successful Halloween event and showered player feedback reaction was nothing less than insane! The official Twitter account of The Division simply gave a big shout-out to the Environment team and posted a few pictures showing the festive decorations. The tweet read, “Three cheers for the Environment team (but spooky)” and the community is really enjoying it.
But what is this hype all about? The Division 2’s world, which was always a desolate, post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. has been completely changed for Halloween. Pumpkins, cobwebs, ghosts, and many other Halloween objects can be found that still fit very well with the game’s overall vibe. What has been created is a great change in visuals that the once recognizable streets now appear as if they are new ones. A user, SilverVineyard, has put it the best. He said, “the townscape had been almost the same for 7 years, but it is so lively and fun to explore now…”. And there probably isn’t anyone left to argue with. There is a whole different reason to just run around and check things out.
Developers are getting their just praises from everyone. A user called HoldUpHomo expressed it in the comment that he made, “Hell yeah all the respects! 🙌🏼 💯 honestly they don’t get enough credit,” which is a reflection of the mood of a lot of gamers. The artists and environmental teams often do marvellous work that totally affects our gaming experience but they don’t always get the spotlight. Well, this time they have not! Gamers are making sure the artists do feel their love. The user dzdnconfused_ simply said, “It’s awesome guys 🥲,” and sometimes that is all you need to hear.
New decorations are not the only changes in the game. New costumes are being introduced in the event like the Houndsman outfit, which players are very much delighted with the fact that it can really be earned through playing the game and not just purchased. User madBANGORLAD pointed this out, calling it a “great move.” They were also amazed at the new skill add-ons for the seeker mine and hive showing that the update had style and some substance behind it as well. Then there is the music. User SV6Mad made a special mention of the soundtrack and tweeted “That music is fantastic as well!!!” leading one to speculate if it is going to be added as a permanent choice in the future. Another user basilhunter24 even wished the eerie tracks would still be playing after Halloween.
Certainly, no game update is flawless and the Halloween event of The Division 2 has encountered a few scary bugs. Some players complained of server instability and a bothersome “UNIFORM01” error which has been showing up since the launch of the event. User dhaeron asked if someone else is facing it too and another player, judalillight671 validated the issue, saying that they could play other online games without any problems. So, yes, the servers are most likely feeling a bit of the Halloween pressure. Besides this, there were some complaints about cosmetic mix-ups like not being able to wear certain masks with certain helmets that were not an issue before the new apparel was dropped, which always seems to happen when new cosmetic things come in.
During the Halloween event, players have already started to envision and discuss future updates due to the success of this event. People have begun to make comments about hoping to see what the team would come up with for the Christmas season. User OllieC88 said they are “looking forward to seeing what you have in store for Christmas time…,” while another one, KarlGates92, had a very specific wish: “Christmas needs to have Santa and krampus battling it out somewhere as a secret.” How cool would that be? User Iron_Bannister called it “Best event yet” and is “Hoping Christmas gets something just as fun.” So, Ubisoft Massive, the ball is in your court!
There is no question that this kind of seasonal event is a major victory. It rejuvenates the game world, offers players new activities and great loot to hunt after, and simply makes the overall experience feel more alive and connected to the real world. The environmental artists, character artists, prop artists, and literally everyone in the team got a huge thank you from user Maverick__CW who mentioned a lot of roles and called them all “GENIUSES!” And to tell you the truth, it will be really hard to say otherwise after seeing the response.
They took a risk when they decorated the serious game for a holiday and it turned out to be a great success. Players are enjoying, the game has a different vibe, and the community is more active. This really counts as an update a success in everyone’s opinion. Now if you will allow me a moment I will. I still need to go find all those pumpkins!
