Key ‘Division’ Architect Departs Ubisoft for EA’s Battlefield Studios
the future of Ubisoft’s highly anticipated The Division 3 is facing new uncertainty as Julian Gerighty, the executive producer behind the franchise and Star Wars Outlaws, has announced his departure for Electronic Arts’ Battlefield Studios. this move comes just weeks after Gerighty publicly expressed confidence in the ongoing development of the sequel, and amidst a broader restructuring at Ubisoft.
Despite a lack of public updates for over two years, The Division 3 remains in development at Massive Entertainment. A mainline sequel to The division 2 was officially announced in September 2023, but no gameplay footage has been released. However, Gerighty recently described the project as “shaping up to be a monster” in an interview earlier this month – a statement widely interpreted as positive.
Just over a week later, on January 16, 2026, Gerighty revealed his move to EA via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “It’s time for me to hang up my go bag…The Division burns luminous, and I can’t wait for you to discover what the teams have been working on.”
Massive Entertainment sought to reassure fans in a statement, emphasizing continuity: “While we’ll miss him, his mark will live on at Massive and we’ll continue to bring the world he’s been part of creating to our players for years to come. Julian, your legacy is part of this studio and remember: once an Agent, always an Agent.” The studio affirmed its commitment to The Division 2, The Division 2: Survivors, The Division Resurgence, and The Division 3.
Ubisoft confirmed that The Division veterans Yannick Banchereau and mathias Karlson will continue as creative directors on The Division 2 and The Division 3, respectively. Magnus Jansén, co-director of the original The Division, will lead development on The Division 2’s extraction mode, Survivors.
This personnel shift arrives alongside a “proposed organisational restructure” at Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft Stockholm, announced earlier this week, which will impact 55 positions. It remains unclear whether Gerighty’s exit is directly linked to these restructuring efforts.
Interestingly,Ubisoft previously denied reports of Gerighty’s departure three months ago,dismissing the rumors as “far from true.”
Gerighty’s move to battlefield Studios also follows the recent passing of Vince Zampella, the head of the Battlefield franchise, who died in a car accident in Los Angeles. While the specifics of Gerighty’s role at EA remain undisclosed, his arrival comes at a pivotal moment for the Battlefield series.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Gerighty began his career at Ubisoft in 1999, eventually becoming a creative director on The Crew. He joined Massive Entertainment in 2015, overseeing development on The Division, The Division 2, and Star Wars outlaws.
Fans may receive a further update on The Division 3 soon, as the franchise is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary on March 8, 2026. This milestone could provide an opportune moment for Ubisoft to showcase the game.
