Ubisoft announces that the upcoming beta for Tom Clancy's The Division can be downloaded up to 48 hours before its launch on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Fans of The Division have been patiently waiting for the game since its E3 2015 trailer revealed that the game was almost finished. Soon those fans will have an opportunity to actually play The Division, as its beta is set to kick off next week. To ensure that players can get into the action as quickly as possible, Ubisoft is even allowing people to pre-load the game's beta up to 48 hours before launch.

Considering the fact that The Division's beta size is over 26GB, at least as it pertains to the PC version, pre-loading seems like a great idea. 26GB is nothing to scoff at, and for many people, it will take hours on end to download. For some, it could take an entire day of doing nothing but downloading The Division's beta, and since its only a few days long, it would mean barely being able to experience it.

It's not common for companies to allow people to pre-load betas, and the result is that many betas suffer a rocky start due to serious server overload. By allowing gamers to pre-load The Division's beta, it should in turn allow for a more stable online experience for all that participate.

So, Ubisoft seems to be making a good decision by allowing users to pre-load The Division's beta. Now, those interested in participating in the beta should know that there are two ways to get in. The first and only guaranteed method is to pre-order the game. The second method is to sign up on The Division's website, and hope to be selected.

If one is concerned about spending the most time with The Division's beta as possible before it closes on January 31st, then the Xbox One version of the beta is the way to go. The Division beta will be on Xbox One first, beginning January 28th, which gives Xbox owners a full extra day to play. PC and PS4 owners will be able to join in on the fun the following day, January 29th.

Regardless of platform choice, those that have been following The Division since its announcement should be excited to finally have the chance to play the game. It's been a long road of setbacks and delays (even the game's beta was delayed at one point), but it looks like The Division is finally nearing completion.

The Division will be available on March 8th for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. The beta will run from January 28th to January 31st on Xbox One, and from January 29th to January 31st on PC and PS4.

Source: VG 24/7