Ubisoft Issues Apology For Division 2 Beta E-Mail

Marketing a game can be difficult, especially now that so many games are competing for consumer’s wallets. Of course, companies are bound to stumble sometimes and release marketing material that doesn’t quite hit the mark, or, as is the case with Ubisoft‘s latest e-mail for The Division 2‘s private beta, upsets a large portion of the game’s fan base.

The e-mail in question was in regards to the upcoming private beta for the third-person shooter, and contained a headline that said, “Come see what a real government shutdown looks like.” Naturally, this didn’t sit well with some fans, and Ubisoft issued an apology shortly after the e-mail went out, claiming that it was sent in error and that the publisher recognized the impact that a shutdown can have on federal workers.

For those unfamiliar, the United States found itself embroiled in political turmoil of late that resulted in one of the longest government shutdowns in the country’s history. During the shutdown, hundreds of thousands of government workers were either laid off or forced to work without pay. The shutdown has temporarily been resolved, but there’s a high likelihood that the situation will repeat itself in a matter of weeks. As such, it seems obvious that some fans would find Ubisoft’s email offensive, and it makes sense that the company would want to issue an apology.

‘The Division 2 is not trying to make a political statement’ – 2018

2019 be like: pic.twitter.com/4xKoRRfryw

— Skill Up on vacation (@SkillUpYT) February 1, 2019

Of course, not everyone found the e-mail offensive. Other fans took to Twitter to voice their approval of the headline, believing it to be a lighthearted jest. How players perceive the joke is ultimately up to them. Despite the different reactions to the e-mail, many fans are still excited to get their hands on The Division 2, especially after the recent story trailer outlined what players will be able to expect from a narrative standpoint.

The e-mail likely won’t have an impact on the game’s sales, and it will probably only be a few days before the whole thing blows over. However, the beta itself will likely give fans an idea of how good the game will be at launch. Ubisoft has already confirmed that the game will have a longer campaign than the prior entry, and, hopefully, it’ll feel as satisfying to play.

The Division 2 is set to release on March 15th, 2019, for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.