'The Division' release date: game to get a beta test?

The Division website

When it was announced that the much-awaited Tom Clancy shooter "The Division" is again delayed and the launch has been pushed back for next year, fans eagerly waiting for the title were more than disappointed.  

This is the second time that the game's release was pushed to a later date. Originally, the title was scheduled for release in 2014 after a year in development, as the game was announced in the 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo. However, Ubisoft asked gamers to wait a little bit longer and pushed the launch date to 2015. 

Now, it seems that developer Ubisoft will try to appease the gaming community by opening beta tests for the title. 

The delay was announced via a financial earnings call early this week, and company CEO Yves Guillemot said that the title is now listed under games that would be released on the fourth quarter of financial year 2016. This means that "The Division" will come between January and March next year. 

However, in the same financial earnings report, Guillemot also said, "We have enough feedback from consumers from alpha and betas to polish it as much as possible before the launch so that it comes to the market with the best experience possible." 

This seems to indicate that Ubisoft may be on the verge of polishing the title even more, and the late addition of a test program is the reason for a setback in the previously scheduled release date. 

If the plan pushes through, it will score a major victory for Ubisoft, as the twist will be a pleasant welcome for hardcore fans, who has long been speculating on alpha and beta programs being run for "Tom Clancy's The Division". The rumors are supported by the fact that Ubisoft has a habit of testing out their games before they are officially released.