Time to gear up, ladies and gentlemen! The dates for The Division‘s open beta have officially been announced by Ubisoft. Players will be returning to mid-apocalyptic Manhattan on February 18 on the Xbox One, and February 19 on the PC and PS4.

The beta will run until February 21, and players across all platforms can pre-load the beta as soon as February 16. If you were disappointed with the inclusion of only one story mission in the last phase of the beta, you’ll be pleased to know that a brand new mission will be added to the mix this time around. Players who participate in the open beta will receive a special in-game reward for when the game officially launches. Unfortunately, however, your character from last month’s test will not carry over, so you’ll have to start all the way from the beginning.

Also released today was a new video (viewable above) highlighting the game’s factions. We came across the Rioters, the Cleaners, and the Rikers factions during last month’s beta. This time around, we’ll be introduced to the Last Man Battalion – an organized group of ex-military types who are hell bent on controlling New York by means of violence and martial law. Reminds me a bit of The Brotherhood of Steel from Fallout.

Opinions of The Division were totally split across the social media landscape when last months closed beta concluded. Some believed the game to be a lackluster attempt at amalgamating the persistent online shooter elements of Destiny to a Tom Clancy backdrop. Others praised the game for its big explorable open world and the anxiety-inducing shenanigans of the game’s PVP/PVE area, the Dark Zone. My first impression of the game wasn’t the best either – I was annoyed by the game’s awkward control scheme and slow pacing; but after spending a couple of hours maxing out my character’s level and partaking in Dark Zone activities with my friends, my fondness for the game grew vastly, and I ultimately ended the closed beta very pleased.

The Division is slated to release on March 8, 2016. Did you enjoy the closed beta? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

—

Image Source: Ubisoft

Malik Forté is the Gaming Editor of Nerdist and the fearless leader of the White Pants Illuminati. Find his ramblings on Twitter: @Malik4play.