The Division's Survival and 1.5 update goes live on the PTS today

PC players can hop onto the public test servers to try out the next planned update.

A snowstorm is brewing. Special Report required. Broadcast incoming. https://t.co/WSnz4uwhT8 pic.twitter.com/xRC6rIdMxc

— The Division (@TheDivisionGame) November 7, 2016

The Division‘s Survival PTS will be accessible for all PC players today, and they'll be able to play PvE and PvP Survival as well as getting a look at the changes coming with update 1.5.

The second expansion essentially transforms the game into a survival sim with players scavenging in the midst of a blizzard trying their best not to die.

The plan to run another test server before the DLC release was announced last week.

The Survival content is restricted to those with a season pass, but if you bought yours later than Thursday November 3, you're out of luck and won't be able to access the PTS.

You can go and take a look at Survival on the official stream right now, but if you prefer to go in fresh and just want the details, here's a run down of everything so far courtesy of Reddit:

2 game modes PvP Survival OR PvE Survival – Groups can meet on the map and help each other but not kill each other in PvE mode
24 players on the LZ map
WHEN YOU DIE ==> GAME OVER! (you can be revived from the downed state)
hunger, cold mechanics
you are sick and need to extract yourself
you start with a pistol only and with no / bad gear
clothings have a ‘cold' rating that protect from the blizzard
crafting plays an important role
there are ‘hideouts' – like apartments (those are not safe house)
there are crafting benches in the hideouts
you need to build a new mask / virus filter when you want to enter the DZ / contaminated zones
on the borders of the map the enemies are weaker and get stronger when you move closer to the center of the map
No need to be L30 to play Survival – Just need access to the BoO
No link to World Tier – every player plays as the same difficulty level (you start with a simple green pistol) and work your way up

Apparently update 1.5 will introduce a new World Tier, named weapons, gear sets and more, but we'll have to sit tight and wait for the patch notes.