‘The Division’ Cracks Down On Cheaters As Ubisoft Outlines Harsher Punishments

Like may online games, it is no secret that Tom Clancy’s: The Division has a problem with cheating. From exploiting unintended game bugs to the outright use of cheat engines, more and more players have reported witnessing incidents involving cheaters in Massive Entertainment’s MMO shooter. Rather than simply ignoring the growing problem, the developer has outlined their new plan to combat the issue in hopes of lessening the amount of cheating found in The Division.

In a recent post on the game’s official website, Massive revealed that they will be taking a more active role in dealing with cheaters in the future. First and foremost, the developer announced that they will be handing out more severe punishments to those found guilty of violating the rules for using The Division‘s online servers.

“From the very beginning of development, our emphasis has always been on the player experience and how good we want it to be. We have great plans for the future of The Division, and for these to succeed we must make sure to provide a smooth high-quality experience. Unfortunately, the gameplay experience was recently impaired by in-game bugs and players violating the rules of the game. In order to bring back a better and healthier environment, we have taken new steps to address the situation.”

While taking a look at the cheating problems that can be presently found in Tom Clancy’s: The Division, the developer broke down the game’s cheats into two different categories. Since the launch of the game, Massive Entertainment has seen an increasing use of third party cheat engines used in The Division. These programs are particularly prevalent in the title’s controversial Dark Zone map, which allows players to attack and kill each other unprovoked.

To combat this method of cheating, new cheat detection checks have been added to The Division. From now on, the game will be able to automatically see when players are using some of the more popular cheat engines. Due to the high volume of cheating that is taking over The Division‘s Dark Zone, gamers can also expect to receive more strict penalties for being caught cheating.

Rather than the original 3-day suspension, Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft have increased the initial ban for cheating to 14 days. Cheaters who are found guilty a second time will then immediately receive a permanent ban from Tom Clancy’s: The Division.

In addition to the use of third party programs that allow cheats, Massive is also taking a stance against those who repeatedly exploit unintentional bugs found in The Division. Unlike those found guilty of utilizing cheat engines, the developer will be looking at each bug exploit on an individual basis and will determine a punishment based on the exploit used and the history of the offender. While sanctions might not be as harsh as those given for using cheat engines, exploiters can still find themselves permanently banned from the game. Ubisoft has provided a support topic explaining how to report cheaters.

“In the future we want to give you clearer and more concrete visibility. Should new bugs be discovered, we will quickly take a firm stance and confirm if these are considered as exploits. All known exploits will be clearly listed in a public forum thread and across our various communication platforms. We want all players to be informed.”

As the development team works to rid Tom Clancy’s: The Division of cheaters, Ubisoft is also seeking fan input on how to expand the game in the future. As Inquisitr reported late last month, a recent community survey asked players what they’d like to see in the title’s upcoming DLC. The survey provided some interesting hints by asking fans their thoughts on visiting additional cities or time periods.

Have you personally witnessed cheating in The Division?

[Image via Ubisoft]