The Division Resurgence, a free-to-play mobile offshoot of Ubisoft's popular franchise, has launched on Steam, but its arrival has been met with confusion and a largely negative reception from players. The game, which first released on iOS and Android in March and later saw a PC early access launch via Ubisoft Connect in April, is now available on Steam as of last week. Despite an announcement in June, the Steam release has garnered little attention.
User reactions on Steam have contributed to a 'Mixed' rating, with nearly 1,600 reviews posted at the time of writing. Many players are questioning the decision to bring a title seemingly designed for mobile devices to PC. One user review noted, "Honestly… just get the regular game you need to pay for. This one is just way too wonky as a mobile port of the regular first Division game and the play style just overall sucks to deal with."
Criticism has also targeted the game's free-to-play mechanics, which are perceived to detract from the overall experience. "All the loot is locked behind daily completions, and you only get to do those maybe four-five times a day. Then the game scales the xp and rewards down hard," another review stated.
The player turnout on Steam has been modest, with the game peaking at just over 4,100 concurrent players at launch, according to SteamDB. This limited engagement comes as Ubisoft continues to support The Division 2, the mainline sequel that has been active since 2019 and even broke its own concurrent player record on Steam earlier this year. The original The Division also remains playable on PC.
Originally announced in 2022 with an expected 2024 release, The Division Resurgence's development timeline has shifted. Given that the game largely utilizes the map from the first The Division, players may find more value in revisiting that title. The subdued reception to Resurgence's PC launch is further contextualized by the ongoing silence surrounding The Division 3, which was announced in 2023. While Ubisoft assured fans that development remains on track following the departure of franchise lead Julian Gerighty, details on The Division 3 have been scarce. The company has stated its commitment to carrying forward The Division 2, The Division 2: Survivors, The Division Resurgence, and The Division 3.