Tom Clancy's The Division 2 is shaping up to be a potential major hit for Ubisoft, building on previous series traction with a slew of improvements. Headed to the U.S. capital of Washington, D.C., the successor is promising major upgrades through reworked mechanics and deeper end-game activities.
While The Division 2 is set to launch early next year, the game's private beta test is your chance to play at home early. Ahead of the release, we wrapped up everything about The Division 2's beta test, gameplay, requirements, and expected start date.
- What to expect from The Division 2 beta
- How to play The Division 2 beta
- How to preorder for The Division 2 beta
- How to sign-up for The Division 2 beta
- How to redeem The Division 2 beta codes
- Can we expect The Division 2 open beta?
- The Division 2 beta start date
What to expect from The Division 2 beta
Although The Division 2 is currently on track for a March 15, 2019 release, Ubisoft plans to host a closed beta test prior to launch. As is common among countless video games, this is an opportunity for studios to test gameplay, performance, and server load. For gamers, this is a chance to play a small slice of The Division 2 before its street date.
Specifics on The Division 2 beta are yet to be unveiled, though following The Division's successful 2016 beta, we expect a similar setup. The original test provided a taste of opening missions and progression, as well as endgame activities like the player-versus-player "The Dark Zone." With The Division 2 expected to revive similar core mechanics, don't expect anything hugely different from the beta.
Like most Ubisoft beta tests, you can also expect some form of exclusive cosmetic reward for taking part.
How to play The Division 2 beta
At E3 2018, Ubisoft announced The Division 2's closed Private Beta, offering the chance to play via a sign-up page. An influx of beta registrations quickly crowned this Ubisoft's most popular beta to date, with the promise of news to come. Preorders have since gone live, bringing a new guaranteed route to the beta through select retailers.
How to preorder for The Division 2 beta
Placing a preorder for The Division 2 currently guarantees access to the Private Beta across Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC via Uplay.
If picking up a physical edition of The Division 2, beta access is granted when securing a copy at major third-party retailers. Amazon, GameStop, and Best Buy are among the many providing redeemable codes with preorders. Details on code redemption can be found here.
Digital preorders are also accepted at online PC and console storefronts, tying beta access to respective accounts. Xbox One digital preorders are found at the Microsoft Store, PlayStation 4 copies at the PlayStation Store, and PC via Uplay. Placing a digital order on all platforms ensures automatic beta access, meaning no keys to redeem.
How to sign-up for The Division 2 beta
While preordering ensures The Division 2 beta access, Ubisoft is also distributing invites to those registered via the beta sign-up page. Without monetary commitments ahead of release, this provides the chance for anyone to experience its offerings. For now, all you need to do is commit to a platform and wait for future instructions. Here's how to sign up:
- Visit Ubisoft's The Division 2 beta sign-up portal.
- Choose your preferred platform from Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows PC.
- Fill the checkbox to agree to the beta terms.
- Click Sign Up Now.
- Sign into your Ubisoft account when prompted. A message to confirm your email address will be displayed.
- Click Confirm to continue to sign-up process. A confirmation message will now be displayed. An email will also be sent to your provided email address.
Going forward, all future updates related to The Division 2 beta will be sent to your email address.
How to redeem your code for The Division 2 beta
If you preordered The Division 2 at a third-party storefront, beta access is granted via a single-use code. Code availability can vary between retailers, so don't panic if you don't receive it instantly. Once in hand, codes can be redeemed through a dedicated page. These are the steps to redeeming your beta key:
- Navigate to The Division 2's code redemption portal.
- Sign-in with your Ubisoft account.
- Select your gaming platform.
- Enter your redeemable code.
- Click Submit My Code.
Once submitted, an email will be sent to your address with further instructions.
Can we expect The Division 2 open beta?
Leading up to launch, marketing has focused on The Division 2's upcoming invite-only Private Beta. Ubisoft has not discussed a public open beta but its existence hasn't been ruled out. To obtain as many preorders as possible, we likely won't hear mention of further testing until the Private Beta concludes.
We expect a sizeable number of invites among those who register, but an open beta could lie ahead. Looking back at 2016's The Division, Ubisoft hosted an invite-only closed beta, followed by an open beta one month later.
The Division 2 beta start date
Ubisoft hasn't committed to a release date for The Division 2 beta, aside from the promise of playing before launch. With the full game slated for March, the test should commence at least a month before release.
The Division's original beta started in January 2016, ahead of the full launch two months later. With a comparable release schedule, we could see a similar debut during the early weeks of 2019. The first beta also saw 24-hour early access on Xbox One, which could transpire for The Division 2 also.
Your chance to shine
As The Division 2's release nears, we'll be sure to update this article with the latest details on its beta.
In the meantime, The Division 2 is available for preorder at select retailers, ahead of its planned March 15, 2019 release for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows PCs. Although we're yet to see availability across major U.S. storefronts, expect listings to surface in the coming months.
The Division 2: Everything we know so far
Updated September 3, 2018: Updated this guide with details on the Private Beta and preorders.
