Ubisoft Cancels Tom Clancy’s The Division Heartland
Ubisoft recently made a tough decision to cancel the highly anticipated free-to-play extraction shooter, Tom Clancy’s The Division Heartland. The announcement came during the company’s earnings report, where they revealed their plans to focus on other “bigger opportunities”.
According to IGN, Ubisoft stated, “After careful consideration, we have made the tough call to halt development on Tom Clancy’s The Division Heartland, effective immediately.” This move will see resources from developer Red Storm Entertainment redirected to projects like XDefiant and Rainbow Six.
Initially announced in 2021, The Division Heartland was set to be the third installment in the popular series. Unlike its predecessors, which were set in major cities, this game would have taken players to the fictional small town of Silver Creek. Despite the anticipation, the game faced numerous internal delays that ultimately led to its cancellation.
While the cancellation may have caught some fans off guard, The Division Heartland had received a rating from the Taiwanese rating board in November 2023, indicating that it was well into development. Expectations were high for the release of the game this year.
Ubisoft’s decision to cancel The Division Heartland follows similar actions in the past year, which included the cancellation of four other games, such as Immortals Fenyx Rising 2 and Project Q. The company also closed down mobile developer Ubisoft London and implemented multiple rounds of layoffs in 2023, affecting approximately 1,700 employees over the last 18 months. Despite these challenges, CEO Yves Guillemot expressed optimism about Ubisoft’s future, stating that they are “back on track” and are focused on achieving a “profitable growth trajectory.”