The Division 2's Unlikely Revival by a Five-Person Team
Despite being over six years old, Tom Clancy's The Division 2 is still receiving significant new content, including the recently announced The Division 2: Survivors at Gamescom. This continued support might come as a surprise to some, given that the game's future once looked uncertain.
Palle Hoffstein, Art Producer at Massive Entertainment, recently shared a fascinating behind-the-scenes story on social media. He revealed how a small, dedicated team of just five developers took on the challenge of "resurrecting" The Division 2 when content releases had all but ceased. Their ambition wasn't simply to extend the game's life by a year or two, but to build something far more substantial and long-lasting.
"When a few of us made a small team to resurrect TD2 I had zero interest in adding a year or two, just to sunset the game again. The goal, what we believed we could do, was to build something bigger and lasting. This is fun to see but there's still so much more we want to do."
— Palle Hoffstein (@Palle_Hoffstein) August 23, 2025
Hoffstein elaborated on the difficulties they faced. "We had just five people to relaunch Division 2. Five! What were we thinking? Ah, it was fun," he quipped. He described the process as even more challenging than launching a new game, particularly with a minimal roadmap for how to achieve their goals. "It was interesting. It’s hard for me to say no to interesting," he added.
The biggest hurdle, according to Hoffstein, was staffing. "I assumed the biggest problem would be staffing, and yes [it was]," he stated. Studios typically plan their staffing needs years in advance, allocating personnel across various projects. This small team, however, created an unexpected demand for positions that weren't accounted for, effectively meaning, as Hoffstein put it, "we weren’t supposed to exist."
He even recalled a point during the Resident Evil crossover event where he might have been the "last person" on The Division 2 team. "I was probably the last person on the D2 team doing the Resident Evil content launch. We were done. And then a few weeks later I was asked to do another D2 apparel event. Despite no artists, I said, 'Alright.' I figured I’d wing it, lol," Hoffstein shared, illustrating the resourcefulness required.
Tom Clancy’s The Division, the first installment, launched in 2016, placing players in a desolate New York City fighting various factions. Its sequel, The Division 2, followed in 2019, continuing Ubisoft’s live-service model, though it encountered challenges with consistent content delivery post-release. The game is currently available on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), Xbox, and PlayStation platforms, and it’s seeing renewed interest with an 80% discount on Steam until September 1st.
This incredible tale highlights the passion and dedication within development teams. It shows that even when a game's future seems bleak, a small, determined group can make a significant difference, not just extending its lifespan, but reshaping its destiny. For players, this means continued adventures and new experiences in the world of The Division 2, thanks to the vision of those five developers.
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