It appears that a single-player title could be on the cards for Ubisoft following a fan pitching a plot for a story-driven spinoff of The Division 2.
The "looter shooter" released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC earlier this year, and admittedly didn't set the world on fire. However, it's still doing pretty well and has a huge player base that's still growing.
Gamers have always wondered if the game could ever evolve into something more than a looter shooter and, given the latest developments, there could be a slim chance.
While Ubisoft hasn't officially responded to calls from fans on this topic, creative director Julian Gerighty has given hopefuls a bit more than bare optimism. Gerighty has asked fans whether they would be open to a spinoff, focusing on the story of a Division agent trying to get home to his/her family after being sent to New York City.
TT Games level director Tim Spencer tweeted his suggestion at Gerighty, who could have simply ignored it. Instead, he's asked for opinions, lending credence to the belief that something more could come out of this.
Gamers were hardly against this - the response was nearly a collective, unanimous "yes." Single-player narratives are currently in demand among players, but there's no denying that Division fans likely want something different. Still, there's room to build several stories from the current game, and it sounds like there's a real possibility that could happen.
Tim's pitch is a clever one, and The Division would surely attract new players if Ubisoft were to sanction such a move. But it still seems like a long shot, although Ubisoft could undoubtedly figure out a way to monetize it.
"None of the stories have explored what a Division agent sacrifices, and what they go through mentally," he says. "When you think about it: it’s a pretty dark/epic thing - there’s huge opportunity to tell some incredible stories there."
On the flipside, there are fans who enjoy the game much more when playing with friends, and would probably not go for a single-player story.