After the events of last season, the pressure from Black Tusk has eased around D.C., giving the Division a chance to turn its attention back to threats closer to home.
The Hyenas have taken advantage of that opening.
Reports indicate they have developed a new Potent Spice formula, one that makes their fighters more resistant to pain and harder to bring down. The source appears to be a chemical compound recovered from the Dark Zone, now being stored and moved through new Hyena outposts inside the area.
That same compound could be used by the Division for something very different: medical support for civilians and Agents still holding the city together.
Your objective is to enter the Toxic Dark Zone, disrupt the Hyenas’ operation, and recover Sample Cannisters before they can be turned into something far more dangerous.
Here’s what’s coming with Into the Dark.
PvP Environment Improvements
Dark Zones
Modifiers
New Weapons, Gear, and Talents
Master Climax Mission
QOL & Other Updates
Classified Assignments
Season Pass
One Time Offer
And More…
Into the Dark includes the first step in a broader update to the PvP experience, with changes applying across Conflict and all Dark Zone variants.
For this first phase, the focus is on Weapon and Gear Talents. The goal is to reduce the gap between overperforming and underused options, create more room for different builds, and improve the overall PvP balance.
This is part of a longer process. Future PvP updates are planned to look at Skills, Attributes, Status Effects, and other areas that affect the competitive experience.
For the full list of value changes, please refer to the dedicated PvP balance notes.
Entrance turrets have been adjusted to better prevent door camping by dealing additional direct Health Damage to hostile Agents within range.
Agents now receive a brief invulnerability window when entering the Dark Zone, giving them time to load in and assess their surroundings. This protection ends early if the Agent moves or fires their weapon.
Across all Dark Zones, Landmark activities have become more rewarding. Landmark Chests now refresh more quickly, and Dark Zone Keys have a higher chance to drop from Landmark Bosses and Named enemies.
Exotic Component drop chances from Landmark Chests have been increased:
[list]PvP Dark Zones: 40%
Toxic Dark Zone (PvE): 25%
In the Balanced and Classic Dark Zones, Landmark Bosses now also have a higher chance to drop Exotic Components:
Challenging Landmarks: 33%
Heroic Landmarks: 48%
Dark Zones will now rotate between three variants: Classic, Toxic, and Balanced.
Variant | Focus | Rogue Protocol | SHD & Expertise | Global PvP Balance |
Classic Dark Zone | Standard PvPvE risk-versus-reward gameplay | Active | Active | Active |
Toxic Dark Zone | Seasonal PvE survival and cooperation | Disabled | Active | Active |
Balanced Dark Zone | Competitive skill-based PvPvE | Active | Disabled | Active |
(PvEvP / Normalized / Global PvP Balance: Active / SHD & Expertise: Active / Rogue Protocol: Active)
This variant plays closest to the current Dark Zone experience. Rogue Protocol remains active, Invasions continue to function as they do today, and Agents keep the benefits of their SHD Watch and Expertise progression.
(PvE / Normalized / Global PvP Balance: Active / SHD & Expertise: Active / Rogue Protocol: Disabled / Season / Toxicity)
The Toxic Dark Zone is a variant specific to this season, directly connected to the Cleaning up the Streets Global Modifier.
This version of the Dark Zone is a shared space for up to 12 Agents, designed for those who want to experience the area without the same PvP pressure. Rogue Protocol is disabled, Agent damage is turned off, and you can group up with up to 3 other Agents through the standard party system.
Toxicity covers the entire zone and builds over time, applying hazardous effects the longer you stay inside. To reduce it, you’ll need to activate Surged Active Modifiers, and leaving the Dark Zone completely clears it. Checkpoints and Safe Houses pause the buildup and freeze your current Toxicity value.
Global PvP Balance also applies in the Toxic Dark Zone, allowing builds to follow the same PvP ruleset used in other Dark Zone variants. This should make moving between PvE and PvP variants feel less abrupt, without requiring a full build rethink.
Sample Cannisters can be found in the Toxic Dark Zone as contaminated items, meaning they must be extracted before they can be claimed. Calling the Extraction Helicopter requires a Stabilization Agent, which has a chance to drop from Landmark Chests and Landmark Bosses.
Hunters in the Toxic Dark Zone now guarantee 1 Exotic Component when defeated and have a dedicated 2% chance to drop Eagle Bearer or Ravenous.
(PvPvE / Normalized / Global PvP Balance: Active / SHD & Expertise: Disabled / Rogue Protocol: Active)
The Balanced Dark Zone is for those looking for a more competitive PvEvP experience, with high-level normalization based on the Conflict ruleset.
SHD Watch and Expertise bonuses are disabled, making the experience less dependent on long-term progression. Rogue Protocol remains active, contaminated loot is still at stake, and extractions can still turn into a fight.
To make this variant more rewarding, deconstructing contaminated items inside the Balanced Dark Zone grants double DZ Currency.
Dark Zone vendors have been updated with new cache options focused on progression, crafting, and build improvement. Vendor costs have also been adjusted across all Dark Zone entry points.
Each vendor now offers different cache options:
DZ East: Recalibration Cache (40 DZC) and Optimization Caches (60 DZC).
DZ West: Exotic Component Cache (120 DZC / 4 Items) and Reconstructed Cache (180 DZC).
DZ South: Prototype Core Caches (125 DZC) and Prototype Caches (260 DZC / Higher Chance for Better or Perfect Stats).
Item | Price \[DZC] | Contains |
Skill Mod | 40 | High-roll Skill Mod |
Gear Mod | 40 | High-roll Offensive, Defensive, or Utility Mod |
High-End Gear Piece | 60 | High-End Gear Piece with random stats |
High-End Weapon | 70-72 | High-End Weapon with random stats |
Gear Set Piece | 64-65 | Gear Set Piece |
Named Weapon or Named Gear Piece | 90 | Named Weapon or Named Gear Piece with Perfect Talent |
Exotic Cache | 130 | 1 random Exotic Weapon or Exotic Gear Piece |
Item | Price \[DZC] | Contains |
Recalibration Cache | 40 | 70 Ceramics, 70 Steel, 65 Electronics, 65 Titanium |
Optimization Cache | 60 | Tactical Assessment, Weapon Alloy, Gear Weave, 5 Field Recon Data, 3 SHD Calibration |
Item | Price \[DZC] | Contains |
Exotic Components Cache | 120 | 4 Exotic Components for Expertise or Re-rolling |
Reconstructed Caches | 180 | 1 Random Blueprint (Named / DZ Exclusive), 1 Named / DZ Exclusive Weapon or Gear |
Item | Price \[DZC] | Contains |
Prototype Core Cache | 125 | 1 Prototype Core |
Prototype Cache | 260 | 1 random Prototype Weapon or Prototype Gear Piece, with a higher chance for better or Perfect Stats |
The Hyenas have pushed their Potent Spice experiments further, using the Toxic Dark Zone to store and move the chemical compounds needed to produce it.
Your task is to recover Sample Cannisters from Hyena activity and stop those materials from feeding back into their operation.
Once secured, Sample Cannisters can be used in two main ways:
Contribute Sample Cannisters at the seasonal vendor to increase the Sample Size bar and unlock stronger High Quality Munitions bonuses.
Active Modifiers can automatically consume Sample Cannisters on activation to trigger a more powerful Surge version of their effects.
The seasonal vendor is located in the Base of Operations, next to the Specialization table.
At the vendor, you can contribute Sample Cannisters to increase the Sample Size bar. As the bar progresses, it unlocks additional High-Quality Munitions bonuses for the season.
High-Quality Munitions is a temporary buff granted after contributing Sample Cannisters. While the buff is active, you benefit from all bonuses currently unlocked through the Sample Size bar. Each reload consumes one stack, and the buff ends once all stacks are depleted.
Active Modifiers return with a new Surge mechanic.
When you activate an Active Modifier and have enough Sample Cannisters in your inventory, they are automatically consumed to trigger a stronger version of that modifier.
Surged Active Modifiers improve the base effect, add extra bonuses, or reduce certain drawbacks depending on the modifier used. Inside the Toxic Dark Zone, activating a Surged Active Modifier also helps reduce Toxicity.
Active Modifiers can also be upgraded, improving effects such as cooldown, duration, or Surge cost.
The three Active Modifiers this season are:
Invincible - focused on healing, armor repair and temporary damage reduction.
Pneuma - focused on weapon swap speed and stacking bonuses based on weapon types.
Vicarious - focused on skill efficiency, skill damage, and supporting your allies with repairs and healing.
There are 9 Passive Modifiers, split into three categories: Gadgets, Resistances, and Offensive.
They can help you reduce Surge costs, improve your resistance to Toxicity and Status Effects while inside the Toxic Dark Zone, increase how many High-Quality Munitions you can carry, and give you new ways to debuff enemies.
These modifiers can make enemies harder to ignore and more dangerous if left alive. Inside the Toxic Dark Zone, they can also interact with Toxicity, making certain enemies a bigger threat the longer you stay exposed.
Folie à Deux - When the enemy first takes or deals damage, a timer starts and their damage increases over time. If the enemy dies after that timer ends, the modifier can transfer to another nearby enemy.
[list]In the Toxic Dark Zone, it can also increase Toxicity for nearby agents.
Plague Doctor - Grants health regeneration to nearby enemies from the same faction.
In the PvE Dark Zone, agents within its radius gain Toxicity over time.
Soporific - Can apply Lethargy debuff when damaging an agent. While affected by this debuff, incoming damage has a chance to inflict Disorient Status Effect. Killing a Soporific enemy removes the debuff regardless of its remaining duration.
In the PvE Dark Zone, Toxicity increases whenever Soporific triggers Disorient.
Caduceus Exotic AR | Talent Caduceus
Critical hits repair you and your allies for 3% of the hit's dealt damage.
Weapon Stats and Mods Optics Slot: 10% Crit Chance Magazine Slot: 40 Rounds Underbarrel Slot: 5% Crit Chance Muzzle Slot: 5% Crit Damage
|
Nurse’s Kneepads Exotic Kneepads | Talent Impervious
Both you and Allies within 10m of you receive +40% Hazard Protection.
|
Ortiz: Reficere | 2 Pieces equipped give 8% Skill Efficiency 3 Pieces equipped give 60% Repair Skills 4 Pieces equipped unlock a new unique talent.
Talent “Ortiz Rapid Application Nanite Prototype” Healing Skills' Duration and Range are decreased by 90%, but their Healing Efficiency is increased by 150%.
Chest and Backpack Talents: Chest Bonus - Talent “Overcharged Nanites” Increase the Healing Efficiency bonus from 150% to 225%.
Backpack Bonus – Talent “Improved Dampeners” Decrease the Duration and Range reduction from 90% to 25%.
|
Edelweiss GPz Brand Set | 1 Piece equipped gives +18% Repair Skills 2 Pieces equipped give +20% Skill Haste 3 Pieces equipped +8% Skill Efficiency
Named Gear Pieces: Named Chest “Benefactor” – Talent “Perfect Empathic Resolve” Repairing an ally, increases their total weapon and skill damage by 3-20% for 10s. 1-15% if self. Effectiveness increased by your skill tier.
Named Backpack “Momma Badger” – Perfect Safeguard While at full armor, increases total skill repair by 160%.
|
Insult to Injury | Talent Perfect Head Scratcher Deal 35% Amplified Damage to confused enemies. After 3 kills, applies Confuse to the enemy you hit. |
Brain Break | Talent Perfect Head Scratcher Deal 35% Amplified Damage to confused enemies. After 3 kills, applies Confuse to the enemy you hit. |
Talent “Head Scratcher” | Deal 30% Amplified Damage to confused enemies. After 4 kills, applies Confuse to the enemy you hit. |
Successfully completing the Climax Mission on Master difficulty for the first time guarantees the Exotic SMG “Underboss” as a special reward. It can also drop at any difficulty, though with lower chances. The higher the difficulty, the better your odds.
Underboss Exotic SMG | Talent Gangland Hit
Shooting an enemy with this weapon applies a mark. You can only apply one mark at a time. Shooting another enemy will transfer the mark.
More marks can be applied on the same enemy by other agents using this weapon. Maximum amount of marks that can be applied on an enemy is 4.
This weapon deals +20% Amplified Damage to marked enemies. The bonus is increased by 5% for each extra mark on the enemy other than your own.
Weapon Mods Optics Slot: +15% Crit Chance |
Escalation Completion rewards now grant +1 Exotic Component for each Escalation Tier, starting at Tier 5.
Prototype targeted loot drops have been added back to Escalation chests.
Tier 0 rewards now 1 token per player.
Several Escalation mutators have been updated.
Current Escalation mutators include:
Harvester - Regenerates Armor and Health when dealing damage. Can be disabled by damaging the enemy with a grenade or applying any Status Effect.
Suppressor - Charges an EMP blast when damaged, then releases it once fully charged.
Aid Specialist - Repairs the armor of nearby allies when they are heavily damaged.
Hot Foot - Standing still builds up a charge. Once full, you are shocked and take damage.
Unyielding - Cleanses Status Effects once when the enemy reaches a set Armor or Health threshold.
Variety Pack - Repeated kills with the same weapon reduce that weapon’s damage until you switch weapons.
Augment upgrade costs have been adjusted to be cheaper on initial levels and more expensive on later ones. Maxing out one item cost remains as 31 Prototype cores.
Augment reroll cost has been reduced and now caps at 6 Prototype Cores, starting from the 3rd reroll.
Hyena Kill Squads can now ambush you during Retaliation. Stay alert.
The Purple Flame outfit now changes color when paired with the Phoenix Hunter Mask, shifting from purple to red for a new look. The Purple Flame outfit will be available in the store until June 23.
The art team has also added new tech that allows compatible masks to be worn under a veil, giving you more ways to customize your outfit.
Several store improvements have also been made for Textiles:
Textile prices are now shown more clearly across bundles, individual items, Skill VFX, Exotic weapon skins, and other store categories.
Textile currency is now visible in bundle views when items can be purchased with Textiles.
Some bundles can now be purchased with either Premium Credits or Textiles.
Bundle prices now better reflect items you already own, with adjusted prices shown before purchase.
Textile-only items and Textile-only bundles are now supported.
Two new Classified Assignments will be available during Into the Dark: Conspiracy Zone Hideout on June 16 and McMillan Reservoir Assault on July 21.
The first assignment follows an unknown piece of Division tech repeatedly pinging the SHD network from the Conspiracy Zone entertainment complex. The second begins with an urgent request for backup after a fellow Division Agent is injured and trapped while investigating an SHD network anomaly at the McMillan Reservoir.
Classified Assignments offer a more contained experience, with a stronger focus on exploration and storytelling. If you enjoy digging into locations and uncovering what happened there, these are worth checking out. You can search for collectibles, including echoes and audio logs, and earn additional rewards such as themed backpack trophies and named item drops.
Classified Assignments can be accessed through the dedicated Assignments tab on the map once they become available. Access unlocks at Level 30, and assignments can be purchased and launched from there.
The optional Season Pass is available for all The Division® 2 players starting at Level 1, priced at 1000 Premium Credits ($9.99 or your regional equivalent) in the in-game store and it’s available to everyone. While the Season Pass is accessible from Level 1, some of the rewards will be usable only when you reach Level 40.
Additionally, players can opt for the Premium+ option, available for $29.99 or your regional equivalent, which bundles the Premium Season Pass with multiple rewards, offering even greater value.
Players with the Season Pass can unlock premium track rewards such as:
2 Prestige Arm Patches
Hyena Turret Skill VFX
Hyena Kill Squad – Sniper Outfit
Hyena Kill Squad – Rusher Outfit
1 Extra Copy of the Caduceus Exotic Weapon
SHD Approved Exotic Weapon Skin
10 Gear Dyes
10 Universal Weapon Skins
400 Premium Credits
The free track also includes rewards like:
3 Arm Patches
Hyena Hive Skill VFX
Hyena Kill Squad - Controller Outfit
Caduceus Exotic Weapon
Nurse’s Kneepads Exotic Kneepads
Block by Block Universal Weapon Skin
2 Named Weapons
2 Named Gear
1 Brand Set
Both tracks also feature multiple caches to unlock along the way.
Don’t miss out on this exclusive One Time Offer, available for $19.99 or your regional equivalent. It includes 2000 Premium Credits and 600 bonus Credits, plus the CBRN Mask Headgear, perfect for stepping into the season’s most toxic corners.
A storm is closing in on Steel Creek Dam and Hydroelectric Plant.
Later this season, Agents will face a new Incursion as the Rikers take control of the facility under worsening conditions. Breach their defenses, take down the leadership inside, and secure the site before the situation spirals further.
We’ll have more to share soon.
That’s all for now, Agents.
Into the Dark is just the start of the season, with more still to come, including our upcoming summer event later down the line.
As always, if you run into any issues while playing, please report them through the Bug Reporter so the team can investigate.
Good luck out there.
/ THE DIVISION 2 TEAM
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