The Division Dev: PvP is Meaningful When You Have Something to Lose

With all the open world, online games coming out in the next generation, Massive Entertainment game director Ryan Bernard talked to OXM UK about how player vs. player combat in Tom Clancy’s The Division will serve as its main “differentiator”. “The players want big, open worlds, they want online. You know, everyone’s like, hitting these buttons with the different games that are coming out now – I’m sure you’re talking to those guys as well. And so, you’ve got to have a hook for your game, and how we’re handling PvP is ours.”

One of those ways is by making the fear of losing one’s gear in combat very real. “We want player versus player to be meaningful. And the way player versus player gets meaningful is you need to have something to lose – it’s not just a scorecard in a multiplayer map.” Bernard also mentioned the oodles of gear, weapons and skills you’ll be able to obtain, craft and exchange.

“This is a world that’s coming apart so even though you’re a member of the Division, it’s a scary place. I think another part of doing PvP well is not knowing where the threat is coming from, not knowing who is the threat necessarily. We really want to play with that, to enhance the experience.”

Of course, there will be ways to preserve one’s gear after dying, which Massive will reveal later. For now, The Division is slated to release for PS4 and Xbox One in late 2014.