Ubisoft's released a menacing Dark Zone trailer to whet our appetites before The Division 2's open beta, which starts tomorrow. They're awful places, the trailer warns, completely lawless and forsaken. There's good loot, however, so you'll want to pay them a visit.
The Division ended up with a few neat features, but the Dark Zone's the one that continues to stick with me. Even though I always expected other players to turn on me and steal my loot, the betrayals frequently took me by surprise, and the frantic shootouts underneath the descending chopper continue to be a video game high point.
Washington DC has three Dark Zones, all of them able to host up to 12 players. The general idea is the same as the original Dark Zone, where you'll take big risks to get some of the game's best loot, teaming up with or betraying fellow players as you see fit. I like the sound of some of the improvements, though. Turrets, for instance, guard the entrance, hopefully stopping players from ganking new arrivals straight away. Some loot will also be 'clean', meaning you can equip it straight away and use it while you're in the Dark Zone.
Participating in the open beta's Dark Zone tutorial mission will net you a backpack accessory that you can use when the game launches on March 15. The beta will run from March 1 until March 4. In the meantime, here's everything we know about The Division 2.
