Ubisoft has announced The Division beta, originally scheduled for this month, has been delayed until early 2016.
Ubisoft says that they are, “committed to delivering an open-world action-RPG experience that exceeds your expectations on March 8, 2016,” and are changing the beta plans to assure The Division delivers on its promises. The delaying of the beta doesn’t seem to have had any affect on The Division’s official release date, which remains March 8th, 2016.
An alpha test for The Division has been announced in place of the beta, and will be taking place from December 9th to the 12th. Xbox One players who pre-ordered The Division will have priority access to the that alpha, with other Xbox One users on the alpha waitlist getting access on “[an] as needed basis.” The Xbox One alpha will be the first look at The Division’s content outside of the player-vs-player Dark Zone.
Players who pre-ordered The Division on PlayStation 4 and PC will get access to the beta in early 2016; those who pre-ordered on Xbox One will be grandfathered into the beta. More information on the delay, early alpha, and beta in early 2016 are available on Ubiblog — it includes a NDA that you should read if you’re participating in the December alpha.
I always default to the famous Shigeru Miyamoto quote, “a delayed game is eventually good, a bad game is bad forever.” But in situations like this where betas are being promised and then delayed, it just don’t sit right with me. It treats unfinished products like they are finished, and takes advantage of consumers excitement for a game. The need to make an announcement to curve any bad PR a late beta may drudge up, because you used it to market and push early sells of your game is just the worst.
