The Division 3 has been officially announced. That said, players should note that it’s going to be a while before the game finally releases since Star Wars Outlaws as well as The Division Heartland will be arriving beforehand. Regardless, even the brief acknowledgment of TheDivision 3 is enough for series fans to get excited.

While many fans have already begun discussing potential and speculations about what TheDivision 3 might improve upon from the earlier games, one particular aspect of the game needs to be handled with special care. Following in the footsteps of the earlier games means that The Division 3’s setting has some big shoes to fill since the locations featured in the franchise so far have been considered among the best elements of each game. Ultimately, wherever it ends up taking place, Division 3 has its work cut out to present another spectacular setting.

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The Division 3’s Setting Could be a Game-Changer

The original The Division game is set in the iconic New York City, including underground metro lines and towering skyscraper locations. Also, the game takes place between the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, meaning that plenty of infrastructure and businesses have holiday decorations on display and that the streets are always covered in snow. While the post-apocalyptic holiday vibes make for a strong atmosphere in this game, certain noteworthy landmarks also add to the unsettling realism of the locale.

The Division 2 took the series’ post-apocalyptic tropes to new heights by taking place in Washington DC, the United States capital. The environments and overall graphics for this entry in the franchise resulted in another incredibly detailed and realistic city for players to explore. Also, given its popularity, a portion of the original The Division’s New York map was eventually added to The Division 2 as a playable area, via the Warlords of New York expansion.

After exploring dense American cities in such great detail, perhaps it's time for TheDivision franchise to take place in an entirely new type of environment. Such a change in scenery would need to be carefully and properly executed, given TheDivision franchise's identity as a cover-based shooter at its core, but this is true no matter where The Division 3 takes place.

Other Ubisoft titles and even other Tom Clancy franchise games are evidence that Ubisoft can create some interesting landmarks and destinations within the conventional features of the countryside, so it might be worth experimenting with at some point. Given the quality of the first two The Division game’s settings, another derelict city is going to be hard to pull off, especially considering that the franchise has already adopted some of the most iconic American cities.

There’s still plenty more that TheDivision franchise can do to keep its inner-city landscapes fresh, like taking things in a far more futuristic route, but it could prove to be for the best to move into uncharted territory. Whether it's a step in the direction of a rural setting or a leap into the countryside, this kind of transition could be a great opportunity to solve a problem for TheDivision franchise before it ever exists.

The survival game mode from the original The Division was a fan-favorite that unfortunately didn't end up becoming available in The Division 2. In the old survival game mode, the harsh winter climate forced players to maintain a healthy body temperature by acquiring proper clothing and staying near fire sources, all while surviving gunfights. Given that The Division 3 is likely to stray away from both New York and Washington DC, the new setting could potentially bring back snow or other climate conditions that have an impact on gameplay. At the same time, The Division 3 could also be a great time to revive the survival game mode itself.

The Division 3 is currently in development.

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