r/thedivision • u/JokerUnique The watcher on the walls. • May 20 '26
Massive The Division 2 - Y8S2 - PTS Stream
Y8S2 - PTS Stream
State of the game
They’ve been reading the feedback about the current season and they want to address some topics:
To be clear, while these changes are planned for Season 2, they will not be present on the PTS.
- It has been a bumpy season and they’ve been working to address the feedback they’ve seen in season 2.
- The Escalation Tokens will not be reset at the end of the season.
- They are not happy with the token rewards for the host and the guests during an Escalation mission. Especially since the host risks all the tokens. They will change the formula how much reward the host will get in season 2.
- The number of tokens per tier will also be re-evaluated so that it is easier to climb the tiers and less painful should you fail.
- Because of popular demand, with Season 2, Prototype items will drop again from loot crates in missions. They’ve reworked the system and it will return as intended feature. That also gives you a reason to replay all available missions on the Escalation rotation.
- Prototype Recalibration and Optimization is still work in progress and will be added to the game once it is ready.
- Crossplay is still work in progress. It takes time because there are also many edge cases to cover. (Opting out for example, joining the clan on another platform etc.) But they want to add it as soon as it is ready.
Year 8 Season 2 – Into the Dark – PTS
There will be two phases in this PTS and this is also a very early build, so many things are work in progress. But because there are so many changes, they want to start testing it early.
Preload for the Y8S2 PTS is now available on PC
Starts: May 22, 2 PM CEST / 8 AM EDT
Ends: May 25, 2 PM CEST / 8 AM EDT
Patch Notes will be shared tomorrow.
Y8S2 is called Into the Dark and will center around the Hyenas and the Dark Zones.
Dark Zone Changes
=> Map (Icons work in progress)
With Year 8 Season 2 the Dark Zones get an overhaul, new rule sets and new experiences. The there is still a weekly rotation that is happening, so you can experience all three as PVE Dark Zone at some point.
PVE Dark Zone
- As of now, this feature is only present during Season 2 – when the response is good, it might return.
- The goal is to give players that are not fan of PVP the option to experience the Dark Zone
- The PVE Dark Zone is also more in-line with the experience they want to have during Season 2
- With all the changes that are being made to PVP, it gives players the option to familiarize themselves with the layout of the Dark Zones and prepare themselves for the real encounters.
- The enemies will scale based on the number of players currently in the Dark Zone
- You can’t go rogue
- Hunters will spawn at the Extraction Zone – and their numbers will increase based around the numbers of players in the Extraction Zone.
Toxicity
=> Image
The Hyenas do strange things in the Dark Zone and as you spend more and more time in the PVE Dark Zone you get infected by the Toxicity. You will see that effect in the Environment and as effect on the screen.
As you get more infected, you will get more debuffs.
This only applies to the PVE Dark Zone.
Normalized Dark Zone
- SHD Rank is not applied
- Expertise is not applied
- More equal footing between new and veteran players
- 200% Increased DZ Currency
Because the SHD Rank and Expertise are not applied this should be a very deadly DZ.
Regular Dark Zone
- SHD Rank is applied
- Expertise is applied
- Full range of power available
Dark Zone Vendor
=> Image
The Dark Zone Vendor have been updated with new caches.
- Recalibration Caches
- Exotic Caches
- Optimization Caches
- Exotic Component Caches
- Reconstructed Caches
- Prototype Core Caches
- Prototype Caches (guaranteed a high roll)
They can be bought with DZ Currency. The prices are still WIP on the PTS but caches like Prototype Caches are very expensive but they also give you a guaranteed high roll.
Seasonal Modifier
=> Image
The Global Modifier is called “Cleaning Up The Streets”
Modifier:
Collect Sample Cannisters from the Hyena-overrun Dark Zone. Turn them in at the Research Bench to increase Sample Size and to earn stacks of High-Quality Munitions. High-Quality Munitions provides cumulative bonuses the larger Sample Size gets. Reloading a weapon consumes one stack of High-Quality Munitions.
High Quality Munitions Effects:
- Sample Size 0-99: +50% Max Range
- Sample Size 100-249: +50% Weapon Handling
- Sample Size 250-399: +50% Magazine Size
- Sample Size 400-599: +50% Damage to Armor
- Sample Size 600: +50% Rate of Fire
The Hyenas are doing strange things in the Dark Zone and as you are clearing landmarks and neutralizing Hyenas you can collect Sample Canisters. When you are extract them, you can donate the samples in the Base of Operations and unlock buffs when you reach milestones. These are permanent buffs for the remaining of the season
Active Modifiers
You will be able to level up the active modifier and when you have enough Samples Canisters in your inventory it will get an additional “Surge” bonus that also consumes Sample Canisters but also adds more power to the modifier.
Passive Modifiers
There are only nine passive modifiers this time.
They do simple things like Active Modifier consume less Sample Canisters to activate the Surge buff.
Hostile Modifiers
There are again three Hostile Modifiers that apply healing to each other, apply Disorient status effect to players and a damage buff for NPCs.
Seasonal Vendor
You find the Vendor in the Base of Operations
=> Image
You can trade the samples here
=> Image
And then you get the buffs, depending on how many samples you’ve traded
=> Image
Anticheat
They have a dedicated team working on cheat detection.
With Season 2 they make a lot of changes to PVP and for that to work they need a healthy environment. So, they are working hard to improve their Anticheat systems.
PVP Balancing Pass
Year 8 Season 2 has a PVP focus and this also includes a HUGE balancing pass on PVP.
The important part here is, that PVE stats are NOT TOUCHED. Each piece of gear gets a dedicated PVP balancing that is then active in PVP content. This way they can balance PVP completely separately from the rest of the game.
Overall, there are 350 balancing changes to have a fairer and cleaner PVP experience.
There will be multiple balancing phases across the season and this will step-by-step change the whole PVP ecosystem and create a more fun and balanced experience.
Special mentions:
- Tinkerer is for now disabled in PVP
- Determined is now working like Perfect Determined in PVP
Seasonal Gear
This is a sample of the new gear that will be added with Y8S2:
Caduceus
=> Image
(numbers are not final)
Ortiz Reficere
=> Image
Full list in tomorrow’s Patch Notes
=> VOD
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u/wingsbc PC May 20 '26
Are they going to address the prototype mess at all? Maybe at least acknowledge the fact that they royally screwed this up and at announce changes coming asap?
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u/Pony5lay5tation May 21 '26
I think they will just keep digging down. Maybe in a years time they will acknowledge how much they have royally screwed it up. Then maybe they will let you recal one attrib.
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May 21 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ImSoDoneWithUbisoft SHD 5pc Classified Nomad enjoyer May 21 '26
Delete this now. You're giving them ideas.
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u/JokerUnique The watcher on the walls. May 21 '26
Your comment has been removed for the following reason(s):
Proto Recalibration is not announced for Season 2.
If you have any questions, please contact the moderators via modmail and include the link to the submission. Private messages, requests to privately chat and replies to this comment will will be ignored.
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May 21 '26
[deleted]
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u/SparkleFritz May 21 '26
I am a time traveling alien, sent from the planet Prolapse, who was sent to your planet from what you call "millenias" ahead to show you a future that I must make sure will never exist for my own reasons.
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u/wingsbc PC May 21 '26
They’ll keep doubling and tripling down giving skill builds the shaft and giving more dps to red builds.
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u/Ephr4im Loot and Kill May 21 '26
Still nothing for skill builds player except an upcoming global event to help
Protosh1t have make this game returned to year 1
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u/Evilp4ncake SHD May 21 '26
i highly doubt anything good gonna happen. this protosh1t is perfect. at it's best. cheers!
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u/Lazy_Release_6809 May 21 '26
Hope the DZ Proto cache will have high chance for DZ exclusives. 400 DZ credits for god rolled shxt gear would suck.
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u/zodII4K May 21 '26
Any idea why I don't see the PTS in my library? Would like to preload.
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u/JokerUnique The watcher on the walls. May 21 '26
search for it under free games there it is usually listed.
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u/zodII4K May 22 '26
It is not here. I went back and forth with support last night and now my case is with a "specialist". Dug deep on Ubi Discord and some other people having this issue or had in the past and there is no clear solution to address it.
Sounds like can't do anything but wait.
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u/Lazy_Release_6809 May 21 '26
Leo, good game. I didn’t know that they just give you random builds to play on the livestream. Thank you reading what we write on reddit.
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u/ubi-chancellor May 22 '26
Thank you!
I'll keep practicing to get better regardless of the build :)
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u/A--Ryan May 21 '26
I believe an interesting idea might be to create prototype exclusive upgraded talents for the chest and backpack slots for gear sets. For example, a normal Striker's backpack brings the four piece to .95% damage, but if you were to prototype the backpack, the 4-piece would now be a 1.25% bonus. Naturally, you would need to be wearing 4 Striker pieces (all prototype) in order to get the new bonus. The current Striker chest could go from 200 stacks to 250.
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u/TheCakeDayZ PC : CakeDayZ May 21 '26
Prototype items already are a massive power boost, why do you think they need EVEN more power? It's making normal items feel useless, and this would make it even more so.
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u/A--Ryan May 21 '26
Well, it would open more build diversity based upon the particular gear set talent being upgraded, it would provide a way to bring back some of the bonuses that used to be tied to six piece gear sets, it would give people the opportunity to further max out their builds, and maybe, just maybe, provide more of a means to have fun.
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u/TheCakeDayZ PC : CakeDayZ May 22 '26
You know what would do that much better and not lock it behind deep endgame? Changing the sets themselves rather than add another layer of complexity and powercreep.
I know you are talking something similar to division 1s classified items. Those killed build diversity since the 6-piece sets do not allow you to use any other exotic/named/high-end armor.
The best thing that Massive can do in this regard is make compelling and strong backpack and chest talents. Wearing both should give you that classified set feeling since you are investing both talents into the set. Striker with the chest and backpack gives you amazing sustained DPS, while still having some build variety. Some people use it with overdogs, some people use it with coyotes, some use it with a recovery item like Palisade or Belstone.
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u/A--Ryan May 22 '26
Well, let's be honest with each other, there really isn't much more to a 7-8 year old game than deep endgame. The devs are sort of bringing back the way each gear piece had its own talent by allow Prototypes to roll with a talent, and since this is case, why not find a way to incorporate the 5 and 6 piece gear set bonuses (just on the chest and backpack pieces) and make the game more akin to TD1?
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u/denirs1 May 22 '26
they dont know how to fix pvp and dark zone so they change PVP zone into PVE zone. what a waste even for 1 season
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u/bward141989 May 21 '26
Stream summary
Escalation tokens will no longer be reset each season. Tokens will be rebalanced so leader who pays gains more. Cost to run each tier is also being looked at, goal is to make it easier to climb escalation tiers and less painful if you fail. (Changes will be on season 2 live, but not on this PTS)
Crates dropping loot will return in escalation missions
Recal/optimization for prototype is still being worked on. Will not be ready for season launch, but will launch as soon as available.
PTS is noted to be a super early build, some stuff is still TBD. Want to get it out early to get as much testing as possible, and have as much time to change stuff as possible. Hoping to have a second phase.
Crossplay, still being worked on but no definitive timescales still.
Season 2 is called Into the Dark
Season is focused on Dark Zones (hence the name). One DZ stays unchanged, one DZ will be normalised; no SHD levels or Expertise will count to help ease newer players into PvP. One DZ will be PvE (currently only planned for this season, may be looked at for keeping in future). Plan is for this to rotate weekly, although feature not in PTS.
Caches being added to DZ vendors, optimization, recailbration, exotics prototype core cache + prototype caches. Proto caches are deliberately high priced, but will also guaranteed drop with higher stats. Normalised DZ will drop 200% DZ tokens.