‘The Division’ Midnight Release: Best Buy Skips Out, GameStop And Other Stores Open Late

Three years after Ubisoft revealed Tom Clancy’s The Division, the highly-anticipated MMO/third-persons shooter is finally making its North American debut. As usual, that means fans are scrambling to figure out where they can pick up a copy of The Division on Monday night .

Fortunately, dear reader, you're in luck. We've rounded up information on the stores that will/won’t be open late on Monday night. Obviously, this won't be a complete list of places where you can/can't find a copy of The Division. There are always mom and pop shops, local entertainment store, etc. But if you’re just trying to check on GameStop or Best Buy’s launch plans, we’ve got you covered.

So, without further adieu, here are some of the retailers planning to sell The Division at midnight (or earlier) on March 8:

The Division Midnight Launch - Best Buy

Unfortunately, Best Buy won’t be staying open late on Monday. It probably couldn’t hurt to call your local store, since we’ve heard of individual stores getting clearance to host their own events for games that are big with their customer base. But the dedicated gaming events page on Best Buy’s website doesn’t have anything listed for Monday night. So there’s a good chance you’re going to need to find another store if you’re hoping to pick up Tom Clancy’s The Division at 12:01 on Tuesday morning.

While the company won’t be open late on Monday night, those who pre-order a copy of The Division from Best Buy will also take a home a download code for the Hazmat Gear Set; a set of starter gear that includes a Go Bag, Hazmat Suit and P416 Assault Rifle.

The Division Midnight Launch - GameStop

Unsurprisingly, GameStop will be open late on Monday night. Even better, the GameStop events page confirms the video game retailer will use the same release schedule we’ve seen for numerous other midnight launches over the last few months. That means fans outside of the east coast will actually get to pick up the game a bit earlier than midnight, with all locations beginning sales at 12:01 a.m. EST.

Those who pre-order The Division from GameStop will also receive a copy of the Hazmat Gear Set.

The Division Midnight Launch - Other Stores

Even if you don't have a Best Buy or GameStop in your neighborhood, it's not necessarily time to panic yet. Walmart stores are usually open 24/7 and tend to stock plenty of copies of major releases like The Division. Give your local store a call, make sure they won't be closed on Monday night, and head down to the big box retailer at midnight to grab your copy of The Division. Target stores typically don’t host midnight launches anymore. But it couldn't hurt to give your store a call if they're the only option.

The Division Midnight Launch - PSN and Xbox Live

Worst case scenario, if there aren't any other options for picking up a copy of The Division in your city, and/or you'd prefer to get a digital copy, you can still pre-order the game via PSN or Xbox Live. Digital game sales don't typically unlock until 3 a.m. EST, to give brick-and-mortar stores a fighting chance. But if you don't have a ride, or there's not a midnight launch isn't scheduled in your area, at least you can still get a jumpstart on friends who waited until after work/school on Tuesday to pick up The Division.

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Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for more The Division coverage throughout the rest of 2015 and for however long Avalanche Studios continues to support The Divisionin the months following launch.