The Division 2’s Dark Zone is smaller than its predecessor’s

Dividing is the key to success

Video games are getting bigger and more bloated all the time. Rarely do we see a game scale back its size, especially in the triple-A big budget space. But that’s exactly what’s happening in The Division 2.

In a multiplayer overview, Ubisoft revealed that it has actually made the Dark Zone (where PvP combat takes place alongside PvE) significantly smaller in The Division 2 relative to the original Division. The three Dark Zone areas are cumulatively about two-thirds the size of the first game’s Dark Zone.

Here’s a look at The Division 2‘s Dark Zone map, as Ubisoft showed off in a multiplayer trailer:

However, Ubisoft has also cut player counts in half — from 24 down to 12 (per zone). The idea is that smaller chunks of Dark Zone and smaller-but-concentrated lobbies will increase player density. Ultimately, this should result in more action. That’s perfectly acceptable given that the original Division‘s Dark Zone got pretty lonely at times.

Intelligence Annex: Welcome to the Dark Zones [Ubisoft]