‘Tom Clancy’s The Division’ Beta Release Date and New Eye-Tracking Technology

By Mark Rollins
Tom Clancy's The Division
Tom Clancy's The Division Ubisoft

Tom Clancy's The Division is one of the most anticipated games of this year, as delay's for Ubisoft's game have only increased the demand for it.  The game takes place in New York City after a plague has struck, prompting the United States government to activate a special branch in order to restore order to the city.  Not only is there a lot of excitement over the release date, but there has been news of the beta for players that want to try it out.  This game can also be played with new Eye-Tracking technology (sold separately) that will work upon launch. 

According to Rock Paper Shotgun, Tom Clancy's The Division is returning to beta this weekend, and it will be open to everyone.  It is even possible to start pre-loading the game with Uplay or Steam, in order to find out when the beta unlocks in your region. 

The beta play starts on Friday, February 19 from 9 AM GMT, 10 AM CET, 1 AM PST, and 4 AM EST.  This beta will close on Sunday, February 21st.  To access it, The Division's beta will appear under the "Games" tab of the Uplay client automatically, or by clicking on the "Open Beta" banner on the game's Steam page.  This beta will also have a single-player mission set in a Subway Morgue to rescue Paul Rhodes, an engineer who can help establish the tech wing of your headquarters. 

Speaking of things that might help in The Division, CNET reports that eye-tracking will be available for the game upon launch.  This includes compatible sensors like Tobii's EyeX or SteelSeries Sentry Eye Tracker, and this type of technology could make a difference to players. 

Eye Tracker highlights the exact area on screen where he or she is looking. This is done in the form of a small colored circle that is about the size of a quarter, and it shows precisely where the user's eyes are. There is no headgear required for this, just a special sensor. 

How will this affect playing in The Division?  The HUD (Heads-Up Display) elements such as the mini-map will turn opaque and fade into the background when players are not looking directly at them.  Also, as players look toward the edge of the screen, the camera will shift in that direction. 

There is also the advantage of looking at an enemy automatically tags him with a marker, which allows teammates to spot that enemy a lot more easily.  It also allows players to select pieces of cover by scanning the environment with their eyes, and this new technology along with others like Virtual Reality are going to change how games are played. 

Tom Clancy's The Division will launch on March 8, 2016 for the PS4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows.  The eye-tracking technology from Tobii or SteelSeries is available separately. 

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