After multiple delays, The Division 2 finally gets new content this week

Ubisoft has revealed that The Division 2 is finally getting new content. This is the game's first major patch in 2022, and it arrives alongside a new season. Season 9: Hidden Alliance will include the usual: a new target, new gear and weapons, and a new battle pass.

But there's also a host of free additions, in the form of the co-op mode Countdown, and a new weapon upgrade feature dubbed Expertise. Hidden Alliance kicks off this Thursday, May 12.

Countdown is an eight-player co-op mode that tasks everyone with clearing out a power plant from enemies and other hazards. Players are split into two teams of four, and they have just 15 minutes to get the job done. Each team will deploy at a separate location and face unique challenges and objectives. Think of it like sort of a raid-lite experience.

Expertise, on the other hand, is a feature that lets players upgrade items simply by using them. The more you use an item or weapon, the more Proficiency Ranks you're going to earn with it. Once an item reaches the highest rank, you'll be able to upgrade its base stats.

The Expertise Level takes into account all items you're ranking up, which in turn will open up the ability to change item grade. The good news is that both ranks apply to your entire account, so each of your characters will be making progress towards the same goal.

On the cosmetics side, you can expect two apparel events throughout Season 9. If any of that sounds interesting to you, The Division 2 is kicking off a free weekend on all platforms between May 13-15.

Hidden Alliance is the first of three seasons scheduled for 2022, though Ubisoft didn't say what new gameplay content, if any, we can expect from the two other seasons.

Ubisoft initially promised that new Division 2 content would arrive late into 2021, but ended up pushing it back to February 2022, then again to an indefinite date in 2022. The Division 2 has been re-running past seasons since then.