I haven’t talked about Tom Clancy’s The Division here on the blog but I’m super stoked for it and have talked about it so much on some social media services that people have asked me to please shut the f- up about it (in a much nicer way).

I had the game pre-ordered on the PS4 mostly because I had $100 in PSN credit and because these days, I generally gravitate to the PS4. But a few of my friends had pre-ordered on the Xbox One. Well, I’m socially anxious enough that I don’t often have the gumption to join in on MP festivities (though the few times I have done so I’ve had a great time) so I was fine with being the odd man out over on PS4.

Then this morning CoutureGaming caught The Division bug and if you don’t know Aaron from CoutureGaming, let me tell you that guy’s enthusiasm is INFECTIOUS. So that got my Twitter feed rolling along about The Division. Blowing up, really.

And it turns out there’s maybe 10 people I know who seem really excited for co-op-ing their way through the streets of Manhattan together. I was starting to doubt my decision to go PS4 on this one. Then not one, but two people offered to buy me a copy of the game on Xbox One so I could join in with the gang.

Now let me tell you something about myself. I’m an old geek. In other words I was a geek when being a geek meant being picked on, shoved around, and generally shunned. I was also a fat kid. I was never wanted for any kind of team activity. I was the guy who was picked last. I also lived far from any other kids, so I spent most of my childhood doing solitary activities. Even though that was 45+ years ago, I think it really set a path for my life to follow. I tend towards doing everything alone. I can overcome this; I spent a few years tending bar back when bartending was 1 part drink mixing, 1 part therapist. And I was well-liked as a bartender too. But as I get older I return to my solitary ways.

So when a couple of people actually wanted my company to the point where they offered to buy me a copy of the game, I was sincerely moved. Of course I couldn’t take them up on their offer; I wouldn’t impose on such kindness unless I was in dire need. But it did convince me to order an Xbox One copy of the game.

We (and by we I’m referring to my social media circle of friends and acquaintances) talk about gaming a lot, but we don’t actually get around to playing together very often. There are a couple of duos that get together frequently (I admit I’m basing this all on outside observation) but getting 4 people together for a team event seems pretty rare.

But somehow I think The Division is going to be that special snowflake of a game where there are enough people interested and playing on the same platform that we might have full groups playing together rather frequently, at least during those heady early days of launch.

Now all I have to do is overcome my anxiety and take that first step to join them, and playing The Division could become a very special experience for me. I have to admit I’m even more excited about the game now.

Oh, and to any PS4 owning friends that might read this, I still have the game pre-ordered there too. I have Destiny on both platforms and have played it on both. I’m content to cross-own The Division as well.