Ubisoft Navigates Leadership Shift as The Division Franchise Expands
Ubisoft’s The Division franchise is entering a pivotal transitional phase, balancing a high-profile leadership change with a renewed commitment to its live-service ecosystem and the development of a future sequel. The series, which has attracted over 40 million players to date, continues to evolve its gameplay and business strategy to maintain its core audience.
In a significant move for the studio, Julian Gerighty, the executive producer who helped steer the franchise since its inception and directed Star Wars Outlaws, departed Massive Entertainment at the start of 2026. Gerighty has joined Electronic Arts (EA) to work with the developers of Battlefield 6 at DICE. This departure marks the end of a decade-long tenure with the series.
Addressing potential concerns regarding the future of the franchise, Massive Entertainment reassured the community that the departure does not alter the trajectory of their current projects. The studio stated that the teams responsible for building the world remain in place, maintaining an “ambitious, unchanged commitment” to the future of the series. This includes ongoing support for The Division 2, The Division 2: Survivors, and The Division Resurgence.
Crucially, Ubisoft confirmed that The Division 3 remains in active development. The move highlights the company’s intent to sustain the franchise’s momentum despite the loss of one of its lead directors.
Even as the studio looks toward the third installment, it is simultaneously intensifying the experience for current players. A substantial update has introduced a variety of free new features to The Division 2. This includes the launch of the “Rise Up” season, which is designed to make the endgame experience more brutal and challenging for veteran players.
To support the season’s launch, Ubisoft has implemented Twitch Drops to engage the community. This strategy of consistent content delivery is part of a broader effort to treat the core audience as advocates for the game, avoiding the assumption that long-term fans will stay without active effort from the developer.
On the business front, Ubisoft has maintained a firm stance on its monetization model. Despite industry trends toward free-to-play transitions, the company has refused to make The Division 2 free-to-play. This decision underscores a commitment to the existing value proposition of the title while the studio allocates resources toward the next generation of the series.
The ongoing updates and the continued push toward The Division 3 signal Ubisoft’s determination to overcome “tech debt” and leadership turnovers to ensure the franchise continues to grow in a competitive live-service market.
