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The first free episode of The Division 2 has been released for Year 1 Pass holders, as part of title update 5, and takes agents into four new areas: Manning National Zoo, Camp White Oak, Central Aquarium and NSA Site B13.
D.C. Outskirts: Expeditions starts at Tidal Basin, the site of the last boss of The Division 2. The expeditions in question are, as described by Ubisoft in the patch notes, ‘free events that bring players to unexplored locations around D.C. to discover new narrative and gameplay opportunities’. Completed missions net you collectibles, new high-level gear, and new lore if you’re keen like that. The two main missions take place in the aforementioned Manning National Zoo and Camp White Oak.
Manning National Zoo is now the Outcasts’ chosen watering hole, and Emeline Shaw has hidden herself here after her defeat on Roosevelt Island. The Black Tusks have set up shop deep in the forests, and must be taken out in a similar fashion to the Outcasts. New gear is on offer, like a new assault rifle and light machine gun, and new exotics in the form of a Diamondback Exotic Rifle and BTSU Exotic Gloves. Should be a nice day out, all in all.
Developer Massive Entertainment has also reviewed the meta and enacted a significant chunk of gameplay balances. Skills and skill mod power levels are different: cooldown reduction is now ‘skill haste’, which at 100 per cent reduces skill cooldown by half.
The episode will be playable for those who aren’t Year 1 Pass holders on July 30, but ‘til then you can hear what Colm Ahern had to say about Tom Clancy's The Division 2 in his review. It probably won’t take you a week to read so I’d suggest making other plans as well.
