How Tom Clancy's The Division lacks classes

Ubisoft Massive producer Fredrik Rundqvist explains how Tom Clancy's The Division does not confine itself to the traditional class-based roles of an MMO.

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Yesterday's demo of Tom Clancy's The Division painted yet another apocalyptic picture of the future, with a virus destroying much of America. Described as a "persistent open world RPG," the game appeared more shooter than RPG. Ubisoft Massive producer Fredrik Rundqvist explained that progression and loot are core to the game, but that the game does not confine itself to the traditional class-based roles of an MMO.

"We have no set classes in the game," he said, "but what defines your character is the background you choose. What profession were you before this catastrophic event? We offer backgrounds such as intelligence, engineer, law enforcement, and others to help define your character, but you evolve it in any direction you want."

He said that players will have skill trees and they can define their play style as they go based on the skills they choose, although he said it is too early to divulge what exactly those skills will be. He said players will be able to create multiple skill builds, so they can essentially switch "class" on the fly if the situation calls for it. "The key is to have a lot of variations in skill trees, and we plan on having that," Rundqvist said.

The game may be more an RPG in the way Mass Effect 3 was marketed as one: more cover-based squad shooter than a real RPG. But, that is not necessarily a bad thing.

Rundqvist didn't reveal whether the game would be free-to-play or be subscription-based, saying only "We still have decided on the business model yet. We are discussing a few options."

The game is announced for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but that could change. "Since the game was revealed, we have had a lot of requests for PC, so we aren't ruling it out."

Contributing Editor
From The Chatty
  • reply
    June 12, 2013 12:00 PM

    John Keefer posted a new article, How Tom Clancy's The Division lacks classes.

    Ubisoft Massive producer Fredrik Rundqvist explains how Tom Clancy's The Division does not confine itself to the traditional class-based roles of an MMO.

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      June 12, 2013 12:03 PM

      DONT YOU FUCKING DARE MAKE IT SUBSCRIPTION BASED
      Rundqvist didn't reveal whether the game would be free-to-play or be subscription-based, saying only "We still have decided on the business model yet. We are discussing a few options."

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        June 12, 2013 12:10 PM

        Yup, if it's sub-based I will sadly not play it.

        I'm more excited about this than Destiny, but a sub for The Division will sway me.

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        June 12, 2013 12:15 PM

        [deleted]

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          June 12, 2013 12:48 PM

          stop that

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          June 12, 2013 2:35 PM

          Oooooooooh shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit..yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssss.

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          June 12, 2013 7:54 PM

          People really like that type of thing? I mean I guess so but I've never really understood it. I'd rather play the game than dress up some dolls.

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        June 12, 2013 2:39 PM

        either way i no longer care if it's not a retail game, but sub based is likely to make a better game.

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        June 12, 2013 3:18 PM

        [deleted]

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        June 12, 2013 3:20 PM

        and then they make it F2P and everyone rages from the opposite direction

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          June 13, 2013 4:32 AM

          IMO the best model is the Guild Wars model where you just pay once upfront. I hope they go with that instead, I'm pretty much finished with subscription-based games after playing WoW for 5 years.

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        June 12, 2013 3:28 PM

        [deleted]

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        June 12, 2013 6:25 PM

        Being a subscription based model would steer me away from this game. :sad face:

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      June 12, 2013 2:31 PM

      The game is announced for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but that could change. "Since the game was revealed, we have had a lot of requests for PC, so we aren't ruling it out."

      COOOMMEE ONN!! This game is surprisingly the one that's grabbed me the most out of e3, and I've never played a Tom Clancy game before. This looks fucking amazing. I think consoles are great and I think some games are better on them, but I'll be damned if I play a FPS with a controller

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        June 12, 2013 2:35 PM

        I was actually surprised when i read this WASN'T for PC.

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        June 12, 2013 2:40 PM

        No Rainbow Six, Ghost Recon, or Splinter Cell?

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        June 12, 2013 2:41 PM

        what grabbed me most from E3 is that youve never played a Clancy based game before

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        June 12, 2013 4:55 PM

        Good thing it appears to be third person then!

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        June 13, 2013 1:50 AM

        You are either a fucking moron or have fat sausage fingers if you can't use a controller, and judging by the fact that you think this game is an FPS I assume it is the first one.

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          June 13, 2013 2:32 AM

          Wow. You've been kind of a dick around here for a while now, but I just noticed you.
          This isn't a personal attack, either; just a statement of fact.

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      June 12, 2013 7:15 PM

      This is a little scary, it's like they kinda knew what they had, but weren't sure, now they see the mass interest in it, maybe even thinking they have one of THE best looking/concepts to come out of E3, and they might change it. For more monies, I sure hope they don't, they'll be getting lots of monies anyways, but if they go towards milking more monies from us, a lot of people wont touch it.

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        June 12, 2013 7:28 PM

        They still have to decide on pricing, I guess.

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          June 12, 2013 7:43 PM

          I would really hate to see it as a subscription though, if anything, make DLC for more cities/areas, but keep the old areas enticing enough to come back to.

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            June 12, 2013 7:57 PM

            All I know about this game is what I saw in that video that's been going around. I sooooo desperately want a game like this with the ability to explore a 1:1 replica of NYC. It's still probably too much to ask, even for this upcoming generation, but something close would be awesome.

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              June 12, 2013 8:07 PM

              I was unsure about getting a next gen console till I saw this, due to being uninterested in the xbone, when ubisoft unveiled this and Sony knocked it out of the park, I can say I'm pretty excited now.

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        June 12, 2013 8:11 PM

        if its truly MMO like with hundreds or thousands of people in one world who pays for the servers?

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          June 12, 2013 8:19 PM

          This. If its as good as it looks it's going to cost a lot to run. And if they can make the money they damn well will take it.

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      June 12, 2013 10:02 PM

      PC PLZ

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      June 13, 2013 2:30 AM

      that glass bullet hole thing is very cool

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      June 13, 2013 4:03 AM

      Permadeath servers please.

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      June 13, 2013 4:06 AM

      This game looks fantastic, it's got to be the best Clancy game in many years. PC please!!!!!!!

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