The Division has a cheating problem.
On PC, nefarious players can cheat as they see fit. On consoles and PC alike, players have taken advantage of numerous exploits found within the game to obtain high-level gear with almost no effort and more.
Ubisoft is hoping that will change soon, as it's now cracking down on cheaters and exploiters alike, and there is a key distinction between the two. Cheaters are those using modified versions of the game, while exploiters are those taking advantage of bugs or glitches in Ubisoft's code to get ahead.
As detailed in a new blog post, Ubisoft and developer Massive are taking a number of new steps to ensure that The Division stays cheat-free. The first is new methods for detecting cheaters. Ubisoft says this new system is already in place, and in the past few days, it has helped catch more cheaters than in the past several weeks.
When cheaters are caught, punishment will now be much more severe. A first offense will result in a 14-day ban, with a second offense resulting in a permanent ban.
Far more players have likely taken advantage of the game's numerous exploits, and now, they too will have to be careful from here on out. Ubisoft says it will keep an up-to-date list on exploits or bugs that, if used, can result in various sanctions ranging from account rollbacks, temporary suspensions or permanent bans.
"As mentioned earlier, providing a high-quality experience is our priority," developer Massive writes in the blog post. "Fixing game bugs is one aspect of it, and we are improving our processes to address that. Dissuading players from impairing others' gameplay by violating the rules of the game is another aspect. We also want to give you better visibility and transparency. We are fully committed to providing an enjoyable and fair environment for all our players, and will take all steps necessary to achieve this goal."
It's unclear exactly how strict Ubisoft will be when it comes to issuing out punishments for exploiters. After all, more than a few curious players have likely tried an exploit or two over the past month. It seems like only those who repeatedly use exploits will be in danger of temporary or permanent bans, but it's probably best not to try your luck. The Division has had plenty of issues since launch, and hopefully these steps will ensure a more problem-free future.
