When Ubisoft first revealed The Division Resurgence in 2022, like many, I became skeptical. Could the developers really fit a sprawling cityscape and the series' dense action on mobile? We all know the answer is yes, as The Division players dive in on their iPhones and Android devices. There's clearly a bit of technical wizardry at work to make it happen. So, I ask the game's executive producer, Fabrice Navrez, about achieving the best possible performance.
I'm playing The Division Resurgence on the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro. It's an ace mid-range Android phone, but Nothing doesn't typically show off its gaming capabilities. It may not reach the heights of a REDMAGIC handset, but I'm guessing its hardware is similar to something you have in your pocket, unless you've got one of the best iPhones, of course. Either way, Ubisoft's new mobile game does what it can to ensure players with varying degrees of hard power can get in on the action.
"I think one of my main pieces of feedback, as an exec producer for the game, is 'have you tried what you're showing me on a phone?'" Navrez says. For most free mobile games, Navrez shares that the process of development starts on "a big PC screen, so everything is a bit shinier. You have more power. I think, really, here the team did a great job of optimizing the game. And I think here it's more of a question about options."
Ubisoft casts a wide net performance-wise. The developer's official list of supported devices includes over 100 handsets and tablets, ranging from older budget phones up to the latest flagship models. It's a meaningful spread because it shows Ubisoft opening the floodgates to everyone, regardless of what's in your pocket. I would like to see some frame-generation options, similar to those of gacha games like Wuthering Waves.
For most devices, you'll find that Resurgence targets a solid 30fps by default but can increase to 45fps depending on your settings and device. Navrez adds that hitting at least 30fps "is our baseline. That's what we need to guarantee. And indeed, we were able to push that quite far on different types of devices."
Navrez expresses that "if you have a very powerful device, you can have a game that looks very high quality, with super nice graphics. I think it could be one of the nicest-looking games on the market." Whether it's bringing New York City to mobile or embracing MMORPG elements, Navrez believes sturdy performance is part of Ubisoft's core goal.
"That ties back to one of the main intentions of the game: we believe The Division is an amazing universe. From the very beginning, one of our missions has been figuring out how to bring that universe to as many players as possible. In that context, making sure it runs well on a wide range of devices is key to fulfilling that mission."
Before you drop in, you can read my The Division Resurgence review to see our full thoughts on Ubisoft's looter shooter.