Huge Update For The Division Update Out Now; See The Patch Notes Here

As part of its ongoing support for The Division, Ubisoft today launched the game's biggest free update ever, while the company also announced sales and promotions around the multiplayer shooter. Starting with the update, 1.8 AKA "Resistance" is out now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. It adds a new area to the map, West Side Pier, which includes new activities such as the Resistance and Skirmish modes.

Resistance is a PvE mode in which the enemy factions team up (they have never done that before) to collectively fight against players in what sounds like a Horde-style, wave-based mode. In teams of four, your objective is simply to stay alive as long as possible. When killed, enemies provide resources that you can use to firm up your defenses and more.

As for Skirmish, this is a straightforward-sounding PvP mode where two teams of four players fight for the most kills until time expires. The Resistance update also introduces a new social hub called Camp Clinton, which will function similar to the main safe house, the Terminal. There is also new gear to buy and exotic weapons to acquire, as well as lots and lots of balance changes; you can see the full patch notes here.

Additionally, The Division's three expansions--Underground, Survival, and Last Stand--are playable free now through December 10. If you haven't played The Division at all, the full game is available to play for free this weekend, running December 7-10. The current free trial for The Division, which lets you play for six hours, is going on hiatus until the free weekend ends. All progress carries forward from the free weekend if you decide to buy. Finally, The Division's standard and Gold editions are discounted right now through Ubisoft's online store.

The Division launched in March 2016, starting strong but then seeing its player base fall off as updates and new content slowed. Things picked back up again, and the number of daily active users rose by 150 percent. The game has more than 9.5 million users, though that figure is only accurate as of May 2016. The figure is no doubt higher now and it will grow further still after this upcoming free weekend.