NEW VIDEO: Talking through today's brutal Bungie layoffs, who is gone, who is staying, who is running the company now and where things go from here
https://t.co/B6PMyWJPnC
the Bungie curse is to have a seemingly unlimited stockpile of the most talented people in the industry but they are doomed to be perpetually managed by literal demons
Alright, so now that we can confirm Bungie leadership was indeed involved in every step of deciding to end Destiny, I’ve got some unfiltered thoughts.
-The content vault was the sole destroyer of all positive momentum and sentiment for the game when players now had to spend money on new expansions every year or two with an inherent fear that content would be vaulted anyways. “Pay for access” is the death of player investment and the DCV highlighted itself as the most destructive decision ever made in any game to-date.
-Destiny 3 should’ve been green-lit immediately after the Witch Queen, Lightfall, and Final Shape reveals in 2020 and 2021. It would’ve been the perfect lead-in for concluding Destiny 2. They knew the saga was concluding with Final Shape and the game was becoming too bloated. Had they decided to do so, they could’ve announced Destiny 3’s release at this very moment 5-6yrs later. It also would’ve been the perfect bargaining chip to PlayStation for the acquisition by showing longevity of an established and secure IP with a clear title release forthcoming.
-I can guarantee a very large base of players will decide to avoid this “new journey” in Bungie if it isn’t Destiny 3. This demographic of players over the last 10yrs are Destiny fans who spent the last decade exclusively in Destiny - even bringing their kids to enjoy. For sure, you’ll have many who will try whatever comes next, but if it isn’t Destiny, you’re going to have a very large gap.
-Marathon’s “strong foundation” is grossly over-exaggerated. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very good game that plays unbelievably well and perfectly emanates the identity of Bungie, but its retention concerns are so evident that to deny its existence is damaging. An extremely large portion of marathon players migrated from Destiny and are the core audience to consider here. To Shut down their original game with no plan in sight while saying “we have this instead” will not produce positive results. If marathon wants to succeed beyond its extraction mode, it needs a world built like Destiny, told like Destiny, and world-shaped from the marathon lore that’s been build since the 1990’s.
-If Destiny 3 is not in development and they have no plans to continue the franchise, sell the rights to another reputable studio who believes in the IP and will keep it alive. Destiny is arguably the best looter shooter that defined a literal genre and to abandon development of one of the biggest established IP’s in history is a terrible business decision.
-All of this stems from terrible decision making from the top-down. The game went from creating one of the greatest gaming worlds and stories ever made over the last decade to dollar signs and spreadsheets first. Game success comes from building a full experience that players cannot help but be immersed in.
Blaming “industry shifts” for a game struggling is code for “we aren’t getting it right on our end because we’re making the wrong decisions at the wrong time.”
The players haven’t changed; the reason for developing a game did.
I’m angry. I’m frustrated. I’m sad. I’m hurt. I’m lost. Destiny was home for over 10yrs.
I’ll see y’all in the tower.
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