Ubisoft’s Division Spin-Off Faces Backlash on Steam Over Microtransactions and Poor UI

Ubisoft’s free-to-play looter shooter, Tom Clancy’s The Division Resurgence, initially launched on Android and iOS on March 31 and made its Steam debut on August 5. However, the transition from mobile to PC has not been well-received, with many reviews criticizing the game for “heavy menu clutter, loot boxes, and monetization shortcuts that definitely scream pay-to-win,” as noted by one Steam user.

Originally revealed as a mobile-only title in a trailer on July 7, 2022, Ubisoft opted to create a PC version after the game’s successful mobile launch earlier this year. Unfortunately, expectations for a polished and updated PC experience were dashed, as it appears Ubisoft has only made minimal changes for this port. This is particularly evident given that the recommended specs for the game include GPUs from 2019.

As a result, the PC version has garnered a “Mixed” rating on Steam, with only 45 percent of user reviews being positive at the time of writing. Players are voicing their frustrations over the excessive microtransactions and a user interface that feels like a direct copy of the mobile version.

It’s puzzling that Ubisoft invested resources into porting a microtransaction-heavy version of The Division to PC, especially when the original game was available for under $3 earlier this year. The rationale behind spending more on in-game purchases than the cost of the entire first game remains unclear, but perhaps there are dedicated fans of The Division looking for something to hold them over until the announcement of The Division 3.