We Don’t Want To Be a Dead Game: Destiny 2’s Directors on Reassessing the Shooter’s Future

Destiny 2, a game of significant influence in the online gaming landscape, has recently faced challenges. Bungie, the game’s developer, is acutely aware of this situation and is actively working to revitalize the player experience and attract a wider audience.

The Hardening of the Core

Game director Tyson Green highlights a trend where the core audience has become more entrenched, while attracting new players has become increasingly difficult. He describes it as a “tightening and contraction,” which presents problems for a live service game needing constant growth and engagement, especially when trying to deliver meaningful expansions.

The Edge of Fate and Its Discontents

The “Edge of Fate” expansion, released in July, saw a dip in player engagement, not due to the narrative itself, but rather the revamping of power progression mechanics. Bungie has been actively trying to address these issues to rebuild its player base. The upcoming “Renegades” expansion is a vital step in charting a better course for the game’s evolving universe and player experience.

The End of a Saga, The Beginning of a Challenge

Many live-service games struggle with maintaining player numbers. For Destiny 2, this challenge was magnified by the conclusion of the Light and Darkness saga with “The Final Shape.” While this ending provided closure for many players, it also created a perceived natural endpoint, making the prospect of continuing the journey less compelling for some.

“That Wasn’t the Plan From a Business Perspective”

Green acknowledges that while “The Final Shape” brought a satisfying conclusion to the saga, it resulted in a significant population drop. The intention was to continue building and expanding Destiny’s universe. Green admits this situation wasn’t managed perfectly, but it was a necessary risk they took to try something bold and narrative-driven. He also emphasizes that it’s paramount to listen to the playerbase.

The “Fate Saga” and Initial Stumbles

Following “The Final Shape,” Bungie began laying the groundwork for the new “Fate Saga” with “The Edge of Fate.” However, this expansion received a mixed response, particularly regarding its power level system and a perceived grind. These changes created a steeper barrier to entry for new players and frustrated veterans seeking meaningful progression.

Lessons Learned, Hard Lessons Learned

Green candidly admits that “The Edge of Fate” did not deliver a satisfactory progression system, highlighting it as a crucial lesson. Bungie recognized the need to adapt based on player feedback. The team realized players desire meaningful rewards and experiences, not just arbitrary numbers that increase incrementally. This has shaped the direction for future updates.

Renegades: A New Hope

Following the release of “The Final Shape”, Bungie changed its major expansion release schedule. Instead of one, there would be two mid-sized expansions per year, each with seasonal events. With the release of the “Renegades” expansion, Bungie has the opportunity to showcase the new, realigned power progression system, which was steadily built upon over the updates.

Experimentation Through New Release Model

Green said that the advantage of the new release model with two expansions per year, is that it allows for more experimentation with individual expansions. The team decided to use this freedom to create a “space western” revenge story and took inspiration from the Star Wars franchise when building the world of the new Destiny expansion.

Will You Be Playing Destiny 2: Renegades?

The success of the ‘Renegades’ expansion hinges on whether these changes can entice players to return to Destiny 2. The team hopes that player feedback will be positive.

• Yes
• No
• Undecided; it depends on reviews and word-of-mouth

Reassessing and Re-thinking

Bungie acknowledges that the challenges Destiny 2 faces are common in the live-service game landscape. It’s viewed as an opportunity to re-evaluate the game’s direction and future. Core creative director Ben Womack expresses confidence in the current roadmap. He believes re-thinking conventions will pave the way for a renewed and thriving Destiny 2.

Breaking Conventions, Creating Something Special

Womack highlights the importance of questioning established conventions and boundaries, especially for long-running games. He notes that the collaboration with Lucasfilm for “Renegades” pushed the team to explore new ideas, like blaster weapons and a lightsaber-like Praxic Blade. The team is determined to push the boundaries of what they are capable of.