During the weekly livestream event today for Tom Clancy’s The Division, Massive Entertainment introduced a handful of new features and changes coming to the game with the upcoming 1.7 update. These changes and additions are just a small example of the overall strategy Massive has for The Division over the next six months.

While there’s still no release date for the 1.7 update, many gamers in The Division community were excited for the newly announced features, and the changes coming to some of the more controversial aspects of the game. Below are a few of the most notable changes Massive announced for The Division today.

Classified Gear Sets

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Undoubtedly the most notable new feature coming to The Division with 1.7 is Classified Gear Sets. Essentially, Classified Gear Sets are just better versions of the Gear Set items already available in the game. However, since they offer better statistics and bonuses, they will give gamers a reason to track down and grind out each piece of gear they want.

Classified Gear will incorporate five and six piece bonuses into the game, which can give players a leg up against NPCs and other players. Currently, Gear Sets only offer up to a four-piece bonus, so the addition of two additional bonuses on Classified Gear makes them worthwhile for dedicated The Division players.

Additionally, Classified Gear Sets will have a new range of stat options, with the minimum stats starting at the current highest stat level for gear. Basically, that means each and every piece of Classified Gear is guaranteed to be better than the current gear players have. Classified Gear will also allow players to recalibrate two separate stats per piece, unlike the current setup which only allows players to recalibrate one stat.

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Massive made sure to confirm that Classified Gear can be used in conjunction with current gear to give players improved stats, but also mentioned that the only way to unlock the fifth and sixth bonuses is to have all Classified Gear pieces for that particular Gear Set.

Classified Gear will be available during the Global Events that Massive is planning to incorporate into the game with the 1.7 update. Once the Global Event has concluded, the Classified Gear pieces will be added to the general loot pool, so players can continue striving for full Classified Gear sets. Classified Gear sets will be added to the game in trios during each Global Event, starting with DeadEye, LoneStar, and Final Measure during the first Global Event when 1.7 launches.

For many gamers, the addition of Classified Gear offers a worthwhile goal when playing The Division. Hopefully this will get gamers excited to jump back into the game as Massive looks forward to additional new content with the upcoming 1.8 patch later this year.

Ninja Backpack Changes

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One of the more controversial gear items in recent months has been the NinjaBike Messenger Bag exotic item. Many players in The Division felt like the Ninja backpack didn’t offer a strong enough bonus to be considered an exotic, and that it dropped far too often compared to other exotic items.

Fortunately, a recent patch removed the Ninja backpack from exotic loot drop circulation, with Massive announcing that a better exotic bonus would be coming soon for the item. Now, Massive has finally revealed what that bonus is, and it’s enough to have many gamers excited again for the Ninja backpack.

Starting with the 1.7 update, the Ninja backpack will become a Wildcard item for Gear Sets. Essentially, the Ninja backpack will give players an additional bonus for each Gear Set item they have equipped. For instance, if players have three pieces of one Gear Set and two pieces of another, the Ninja backpack will unlock the four piece bonus for the first set and the three piece bonus for the other set. Massive even mentioned that if players have five different Gear Set items equipped, the Ninja backpack will give them five different two-piece bonuses for the Gear Sets.

Gamers noted how the Ninja backpack seems to have moved from useless to possibly overpowered for the game, which is why Massive will be paying close attention to how players use the Ninja backpack in the upcoming 1.7 PTS. Like past PTS events for The Division, gamers will get a chance to try out the various additions and changes coming to the game in 1.7 so Massive can test and adjust them as needed.

Additional Changes

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Finally, Massive announced a handful of other changes coming to The Division with the 1.7 update. The developer is planning to rework some of the Gear Sets so they’re ready to be updated with Classified Gear enhancements. Massive is also planning to make changes to the Seeker Mine skill due to complaints from many players about how overpowered the skill is in the game's PvP modes and areas.

Naturally, each of the proposed changes has been met with mixed feelings from The Division players. Hopefully Massive will be able to work out any quirks with the proposed changes and additions with the PTS that should be coming in the next couple months.

Tom Clancy’s The Division is available now for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.