Tom Clancy’s The Division Attention Turns to Negative Tones as Feature Changes Are Announced

When Ubisoft first revealed “The Division”, the game was surrounded by a lot of hype as it looked like it was going to be spectacular in every way.

[SolidDuck]

Look if they downgraded the graphics that sucks. Gameplay is always key for me tho. I still have high hopes for the gameplay. We will see when it gets closer to release.

[pompombrum]

It's an MMO, gameplay and the ability to have plenty of stuff going on at one time without bad frame rate drops will always take priority over pretty graphics. That said though, the video of the X1 alpha still had some impressive graphics from what I seen.

[Palitera]

And it is Ubisoft. Anyone who believes that, for instance, Ghost Recon Wildlands will have the graphics currently shown is very very naive.

[WellyUK]

It's not an MMO though all you have to do to see that is watch youtube videos, It's a glorified Co-op game. This game just looks and sounds worse and worse the more I here of it as it's not the game they initially showed off.

[abstractel]

I read that article, the title is _incredibly_ misleading. There are no new feature changes announced -- at least none mentioned in the article. They just only showcased some weather and some interior segments which looked great running on XB1 so it's safe to assume the PS4 will be at least on par. This is clickbait and creates a forum for people to hate on a game they know nothing of about its current status. It should be taken down or renamed.

The release date has been announced as well, it's March 8th. So, until we see or hear otherwise, chill out.

[thorstein]

@bear

Totally agree. The article is actually really well done. I thoroughly enjoyed it and, for once, felt that the second click (for the rest of the article) was justified.

I think the title is a bit clickbaity but the article is really well done.

[pivotplease]

I'd like some more graphically impressive games. Only a few have blown me away this gen so far (mostly exclusives). Thank god U4 is almost here.

[UKmilitia]

so is it not due out in march next year anymore?

[freshslicepizza]

who knows but one thing is clear, they need to STOP showing games too early. fallout 4 is a perfect example of how to unveil a game.

too much hype is built up over early previews and games can and will change over time. this may somewhat be tolerated for kickstarter games since they need to get early designs out thereto be funded but they should not be doing this with big games like this. look at how long ago they showed zelda for example and we still have no idea when or even what platforms it's coming to.

it's ridiculous how this industry at times has no control and they spend more time and money on marketing than getting the work done.

[showtimefolks]

I don't know about others but for a game that's coming out early next year there is still so many unanswered questions. Whenever i see the game i become less and less interested

UBI has to change because they use to be one of the fan favorite publishers but now they are becoming the new EA

[plut0nash]

Played the demo, it wasn't bad. I felt the fights were too anonymous though.

[Gantrfaxx]

The problem is their practice, they hype you up with the trailers and then they downgrade the graphics. It isn't the first time and sure not the last time. I don't think that game will suck because of downgraded graphics but the graphics in gameplay trailers got me hyped up for this game. Take that away and you don't get what you wanted.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

"when it gets closer to release."

Yea whenever that is.

[TheColbertinator]

Ubisoft is throwing three games at me and so far only GH Wildlands is picking at me

[Roccetarius]

Don't worry, Wildlands will more than likely not look like what it does currently.

[TheColbertinator]

Agreed. All concept and promise,empty and riddled with DLC

[Paytaa]

Too bad it's only Ghost Recon in name just to sell.

[Ceaser9857361]

Their latest where they showed the different seasons looks good... I hope the end product is great...

[UnRated]

"And now, some reports are coming out claiming that the game has indeed been downgraded from what we saw in the initial preview a couple of years ago"

Where are the reports and why aren't they linked in the article since this point seems to be a huge bases for the article itself.

[General Shrooms]

It's true that they lack sources, but it's easy to see that the game looked better in earlier videos than it does now. "The proof is in the pudding", as they say.

[_-EDMIX-_]

Sounds a bit too subjective bud. Sorry but they hit their target render pretty damn good. You need to also understand that they could only seek a target render as early as they where with that game based on it being worked on before current gen systems released.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

and before.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

So....I don't see a major difference and they still convey what they are seeking to convey.

more recently

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

Sooooo they are in the ball park, I could care less how much better the 2013 version looks, it doesn't look better enough to have me NOT buy the game. I mean...are you buying games to play or look at? Also don't you think the PC version clearly will look better then what was shown in 2013 if you consider with better hardware they can push way, way better graphics?

I just don't care enough about slight target render downgrades to some how not buy a game. Its just too small to care bud, anyone not buying it based on this ,wasn't even clearly buying it to play other then to look at =)

Mind you....PC exist.

[Lamboomington]

We CANNOT blame Ubisoft for the graphical downgrade. It simply was not their fault.

The reveal 2 years ago (2013) was BEFORE console specs were even announced ! Come on people, ofcourse it's not going to look as good as some monster PC build.
When console specs were released, it was less than what devs expected. Not trying to bash the consoles, they're great machines with fantastic games, but this is just a fact.

Just think. There were three grahpically impressive multiplat games at E3 2013. WatchDogs, The Division, The Witcher 3.
ALL THREE had their graphics significantly downgraded ! All of them. It was really just unfortunate timing.

In 2014 and 2015, was Ubisoft honest with their footage ? YES ! They showed it running on PS4, and it was downgraded, but what do people expect ? Do they want it to run at 10 fps ?

Not to mention, downgrade doesn't apply to consoles the same way it does to PC. It's not like devs are going to try and make their game look worse on a fixed spec.Here, it's really a matter of honest marketing, and after console specs were announced Ubisoft did that ! On PC, where they can include options for better settings, that's where 'downgrade' even comes into play. Even so, it's unreasonable to expect every dev to make a PC version that is vastly different in terms of graphics tech.

TLDR; We cannot, in good reason, blame Ubisoft for grahpically downgrading those two games in particular. Purposely locking off working PC graphics options ? Yes. Other than that, no.

[Vegamyster]

This is not the first time Ubisoft has done this, they did it with Far Cry 3 which came out 7/6 years after the 360/PS3 came out so the whole "they didn't have the final consoles specs" argument doesn't work.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

You know how you prevent these downgrade discussions? Don't show footage of a game years before its done showing amazing graphics and slowly downgrade it closer to launch, wait until the engine is finished then show off gameplay.

[KwietStorm_BLM]

I can blame Ubisoft for whatever I want. They have been consistently putting out underwhelming products for a few years now. It's not like there is no precedent for this.

[Lamboomington]

So much hypocrisy.

Why don't you all blame CDPR then ? For visually downgrading the Witcher 3 ? It was heavily downgraded, that's a fact.

but ofcourse "It was an epic game" am I right ?

Well, that only proves that blaming Ubisoft for the graphics downgrade is simply not logical, and is based on other things, like the mediocrity of WatchDogs, and bugginess of AC Unity.

"They did it with Far Cry 3" doesn't somehow validate any of this. As I mentioned several times, after console specs were announced, did they show honest console footage ? YES. That's just a fact. Deal with it. If your only response to that is "Don't show a game so early", then I urge you to find a new one. Again, why don't you bash CDPR for doing the same ?

Sorry, it's just logical thinking. All three of the graphically impressive multiplat games shown at 2013 were downgraded, including CDPR's game. That in itself should prove beyond reasonable doubt that it's not Ubi's fault.
What I said about console specs is not speculation, it's an obvious cause of what happened. They simply did not know target hardware.

but hey, who needs logic amirite ?

[HaveSumNuts]

Do you really need sources to tell you a game has been graphically downgraded? I got 2 eyes thats all I need.

[UnRated]

all the gameplay we have seen since then has been shown on the Xbox One. I am pretty sure that it will look great on PC

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

If it's true then Ubisoft has only themselves to blame. All gaming companies have to do is show actual game footage so as the game progresses, each new preview will look more promising which helps cements people's faith in the title. This with the juxtaposition of cringe-worthy "voice-chat" always cast a giant shadow of doubt for me while gauging interest in a title.

[DarkOcelet]

You know what piss me off, is that those visuals are so possible on PC's nowadays then why not make it an option? Why change it for consoles? PC visuals shouldn't be equal to consoles then they are much, much stronger.

[Lamboomington]

This is the only valid part of the whole downgrade fiasco with Watch Dogs, Division and Witcher 3.

For the PC,why did Ubi lock off working grahpics options ? Why didn't CDPR include higher options ?

For me, it comes down to this :-

Was it because of feasibility ? ie developing a massive project on three platforms and getting it out at the same time. Doing a special PC version with different graphics tech is difficult. If this is the case, I think it's ok.

Or was it because of parity ? I don't need to say much here. If this has anything to do with it, then it's unacceptable.

[cd1]

I think its money, the longer it takes to develop the game the more it costs in man-hours. This then eats into profits.

Putting expensive time and effort into the platform they lose the most revenue on due to SW piracy doesn't seem a particularly shrewd business move if their main objective is profit margins.

I'm no expert, just an opinion.

[whitesoxfalife1976]

man i feels shitty just as you,but you pointed it out to me that it might get down graded and here we are...SMFH i dont even know what to say cuz i was really looking forward to this game for my box.

1. Why on earth are they trying to rush it for?
2. Why downgrade the graphics for?
3. Why delay that is already to come out in 2016?
4. Why give us confusion?
5. What the hell we do to deserve this?

[Nosferatu_dude]

Hmmm... What about Witcher 3? Or Dark Souls 2?

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

No exceptions at least in my eyes, it always bothers me regardless of who does it.

[WellyUK]

Ye but witcher 3 looks incredible anyway so it hardly matters.

[OC_MurphysLaw]

Still trying to figure out why a blog post speculating on 100% on rumor is being approved. This is a two page article rambling on about 2nd hand rumors with out a shred of hands on time with a recent build. This is getting angry for no reason other than to get angry at this point.

[GreetingsfromCanada]

Ubisoft literally said they were making cutbacks at E3. They admitted it and showed actual footage for once. Can someone please explain why this brain dead article fueled by bs exists?

[zerocarnage]

Its absoloute all bull crap this designed to put the studio down along with ubisoft. It seems as though assassins creed syndicate is being hailed as a vast improvement from the unity problem, so theyve made up there it seems..

I couldnt care less what crytics say, ill judge for myself on release as this im having regardless and anyone who doesnt follow suit well its your loss n on a very good looking and new type of game.

No where in this article or any other does it ever mention though about ubi n the team actually scrapping a whole multiplayer they wernt happy with and reworked a complete new experience from the ground up. This game should look sweet and development has taken a while and im glad it has so they can get it spot on, ubi know this and they are keeping alot secret. You can have reports all you like those reports arnt coming from ubi or the devs its all just speculation and assumption. Soon as the division is released and all this stops the bull crappers and spin artists will move onto another game in development.

[X-23]

Sigh, dammit...this was one of the games I saw that made me pre-order a PS4 on launch. Well this and Destiny. Destiny was a horrendous lie, but I still had hope that Division would fill that hole. If it's a graphical issue I could care less, but if it's something effecting the gameplay or some kind of scummy market tactics or something I'm going to be really disgusted.

After all any hype generated for the game any of us has only existed because of what they decided to show us, and I feel like this game really needs some sort of open beta before launch, if it's really as unique as it's been claiming to be.

[Artemidorus]

Ubisoft are killing games left rightand centre.

This will just be like Watch Dogs and Rainbow Six, full of promise and ends up in disappointment.

[DC777]

Knew there was zero chance of this ever looking as good as originally shown. A lot of this "generation" is turning out to be quite the farce.

[The93Sting]

Seems like Ubisoft loves to pull WATCH_DOGS overhyped BS on us one more time. Well its not the last one as im still skeptical about GR wildlands already..

[mogwaii]

And where is the proof of any of this? The last video of xbone footage was proof that is looks pretty awesome. This article is just heresay/opinion, ie crap.

[Clown_Syndr0me]

Any one else played it? Queued for 3 hours and thought it was crap.

[DillyDilly]

If this gets shown at another E3 I might skip this game altogether & wait for price drops

[81BX]

This article is crap. Its all speculation about downgrading of features and internal problems wit no sorces.. i didnt bother with the 2nd page because what kind of meat head who calls them self a journalist can't put all the information on one page? Why do i have to go to another page or another slide?

[Letsplayhalo]

Clickbait, no sources, pretty speculative. Not a reliable source of information.

[VP37]

So the articles big focus is a graphical downgrade, ok fine. Well, if anyone thought the end product was going to look like what they showed at E3-2013, then they were just being silly.

The two short clips they revealed recently, clearly said "Alpha footage captured on Xbox One", and IMO it looked damn good.

If the final product looks even close to what those clips looked like, and the game-play is as epic as we all believe it could be, The Division may turn out to be one Hell of a game.

Also, who the Hell is the author of this article anyway? He says, "We still don't know when the game is being released." Umm...lol...it's March 8th 2016 dude, it was announced like in June 2015.

[coreyweb]

If they need more time freakin delay it further. Delay it till they can fully execute their vision/what they pitched to us. Seriously....

[Psychotica]

They should have made it a single player rpg game and not this mmo crap ware

[noxeven]

I really dont care if you graphics change. I just care about gameplay. Looking forward to it either way.

[DillyDilly]

If they are having this much trouble. Delay it & turn it into a Single Player experience

[N4GJD]

OMG! People need to quit making photo-realistic graphics a selling point! Who cares!

[ion666]

Game needs proximity chat. That's all. Let them make the damn game.

[theFAYEsorceress]

always having to worry about being attacked by other players is something that's turning me off from this game. i just want to be able to play co-op stuff with my friends/family without having to worry about griefing. i really hope they have a pve only mode upon final release.

[s2Celerity]

This is huge click-bait, graphics are never a big deal nor a sell point. If the game plays good then it is worth the purchase.

[CertifiedGamer]

I knew the game was going to get downgraded only after all the games for the past couple of years have been downgraded people expected ubisoft to magically stop that with this game lmao.

[Trekster_Gamer]

Sick and tired long ago of the tech demos. Just finish the game!!