‘The Division’ DLC Confirmed First To Xbox One Per GameStop, But What Kind?
The Xbox One has Tom Clancy’s The Division in its corner for the current console war with the PlayStation 4. That apparently means timed-exclusive access to the game’s downloadable content, in addition to marketing and early beta access, according to a new GameStop promotional banner.
The promo banner posted on GameStop’s website (h/t: CharlieIntel) confirms that Xbox One owners of The Division will get new content for the open-world multiplayer shooter first. Unfortunately, clicking on the banner takes you to the store page for The Division Xbox One bundle, which does not list any details about the DLC or Season Pass.
Timed DLC exclusivity was originally announced when The Division was first revealed at Microsoft’s E3 2014 press conference. Ubisoft and Microsoft have barely mentioned it since then, however, and the GameStop banner is the first real indication the Xbox One will still receive new content first in quite a while.
This current generation of console wars between the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One has been marked with timed-exclusivity battles that have largely been won on Sony’s side. The PS4 has Activision in its corner with timed-exclusive DLC for Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 and future titles in the series, plus exclusive content for Destiny.
Of course, Microsoft held the timed-exclusivity rights to the Call of Duty franchise for several years prior to Black Ops 3. Now, PlayStation 4 owners can look forward to receiving the first Awakening DLC map pack in February while Xbox One owners will have to wait until March.
Sony has also worked out deals with Disney and Warner Bros. for timed-exclusive and straight-up exclusive content for Disney Infinity 3.0 and LEGO Marvel’s Avengers among others.
Ubisoft appears to have moved into Xbox’s corner after spending a long time on the side of PlayStation. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Watch Dogs both featured additional missions for PlayStation consoles. However, Microsoft and Ubisoft appear to have struck a deal prior to the release of Assassin’s Creed Unity. This led to marketing efforts such as the Xbox One bundled with both Unity and Black Flag.
Timed-exclusive DLC is not always a favorite with members of the gaming community. The one year exclusivity arrangement on Destiny DLC has been a point of pain for both PlayStation and Xbox owners. For example, it’s led to the exclusive Strikes not being available as part of the Nightfall Strike playlists for PlayStation owners.
How Ubisoft and Microsoft handle timed-exclusive content for The Division will be of great interest. A two-week exclusivity was largely meaningless for Electronic Arts’ Battlefield franchise, while Destiny‘s year-long exclusivity has proven to be damaging to the overall product. A month-long exclusivity for the Xbox One may be the least likely to tick off the fan base. Everyone will have to wait for all the details to be revealed in an official announcement to be sure, though.
The Division is set for a March 8 release on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Microsoft’s console will receive the closed beta first on January 28, followed by the other two platforms a day later. Beta entry can be gained by signing up on the game’s website for a chance at being selected or guaranteeing entry by pre-ordering the game from major retailers.
A live-action short film called The Division: Agent Origins was recently made available to view on Amazon Prime. Produced by Ubisoft in collaboration with YouTube content creators Corridor Digital, RocketJump, and devinsupertramp, the 30-minute film follows four Division agents as they explore the backstory of Manhattan in the grips of an epidemic. An Amazon Prime membership is required to watch.
What do you think of timed-exclusive DLC for The Division? Sound off in the comments below.
[Image via Ubisoft]
