Ubisoft has officially announced that Tom Clancy's The Division 2 will be receiving a highly anticipated Survivors mode. This new addition appears to be an expanded and refined version of the popular Survival mode from the first The Division game, bringing back the tense extraction gameplay that fans have been requesting for years.

The original Tom Clancy's The Division introduced its Survival mode in November 2016, approximately eight months after the game's initial launch. This challenging experience required players to navigate through freezing blizzards, carefully manage their vital signs and resources, collect crucial antivirals, and ultimately secure extraction via helicopter. Survival masterfully blended PvE elements with high-stakes urgency, creating a distinctly tense atmosphere that differed significantly from the main game. Alongside the Dark Zone - which shared similar concepts but with less punishing conditions - The Division is widely recognized as a foundational title in the extraction shooter genre. Despite never receiving a direct follow-up, this is about to change with the upcoming Survivors mode.

During the ongoing Gamescom 2025 event, Ubisoft unveiled numerous updates for the The Division franchise, including the confirmation of Survivors mode for The Division 2. Officially described as an updated iteration of the first game's Survival experience, this new mode is currently scheduled for release in 2026. The development is being led by series veteran Magnus Jansén, whose impressive credentials include serving as creative director for Far Cry 3, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and the original Division game.

Ubisoft has remained relatively tight-lipped about specific details regarding the new The Division 2 mode. However, the company did release four pieces of concept art for Survivors, featuring a new logo that will accompany the mode's release. The imagery suggests that surviving extreme cold temperatures and helicopter extractions will both make a return, maintaining the core elements that made the original mode so compelling.

As of August 2025, Survivors remains in early development, which explains why the release window is currently limited to "2026" without more precise timing. Ubisoft's strategy involves engaging the community throughout the development process, with executive producer Julian Gerighty committing to transparent communication and regular opportunities for The Division 2 players to provide feedback to developer Massive Entertainment. This community involvement may potentially shape the design of the upcoming extraction mode. Additional details about Survivors are expected to be revealed in the coming months.

Given that Q4 2025 is approaching and considering the targeted launch window, Survivors appears more likely to arrive in the second half of 2026 rather than the first. This timing would place its release after The Division 2 celebrates its seventh anniversary in March. While seven years represents a substantial wait for a mode that was highly popular in the previous game, one potential explanation for the delay may relate to The Division Heartland. Originally announced in 2021 as a free-to-play survival shooter, The Division Heartland was canceled in early 2024, creating an opportunity for The Division 2 to introduce its own extraction mode without competing against another similar Ubisoft title.