Destiny 2 has been an integral part of the loot shooter scene for 8 years and is now indispensable. However, a phenomenon of the space shooter is particularly curious. No matter how much players complain about the game and its content, in the end, they keep playing it over and over. MeinMMO has investigated this peculiar love-hate relationship in Destiny 2.
For 8 years now, shooter enthusiasts have been roaming in Destiny 2. The game offers them, besides the massive story, excellent gunplay and the fiction of being an immortal Guardian who can achieve anything with their space abilities.
There are many arguments against Destiny 2: In 8 years, not everything has been perfect, and it still isn’t. Over time, a very special love-hate relationship has developed between the players and Destiny 2 that one cannot let go of.
Those who look at the Destiny universe from the outside naturally wonder: “What can be good about this?”
- The content vault removes many game contents and restricts gameplay options.
- Old content returns to the game after a few years and is declared as new.
- Players go through the same grind in Destiny 2 each season and often very similar quests.
- New weapons come and go. Some are good for a while, but then get nerfed or become irrelevant again due to a new meta.
- Even events lack variety, but offer a lot of hard grind that is hardly achievable.
Basically, these are the things that annoy almost every Destiny 2 player. In addition, there are details that are only visible to active players in Destiny 2.
- The Crucible matchmaking, cheaters, and the neglect of PvP are hell.
- Seasonal challenges, weekly milestones, and daily rewards sometimes feel like a hassle.
- And the game has many relics and remnants from past DLCs, add-ons or old seasons that are still in the game, even though they are technically dead.
You love Bungie’s ideas, but often hate how poorly they are executed. That’s why it has become a traditional player custom to complain terribly about Bungie and their ideas. In the seasons, there are times when one wants to uninstall the game. But this little evil grind goblin on their shoulder whispers, “Don’t do it! You have to have everything!”
But what is it that keeps players attached to Bungie’s loot shooter despite all the difficulties and problems? Why does Destiny 2 just not go under and has managed to maintain solid player numbers for years? Including peak values of over 100,000 concurrent players alone on Steam.
Actually, hardly any player truly wants Destiny 2 to fail or end. Even if the space shooter often fluctuates between very good and simply bad due to changes, new content, and new seasons.
- Destiny has some of the most beautiful open-world environments that you can explore in a game. Every location is unique and always breathtaking.
- The gunplay is one of the best, if not the best, compared to other shooters.
- There are creatively designed exo-weapons. All with a unique feel and playstyle.
- In addition, there’s the fantastic, deep story that you want to know about every secret.
- And it’s always fun to hunt down the best weapons as a (coordinated) fireteam in a strike, dungeon, or raid and triumph over everything.
A Destiny player once described it very aptly on reddit when they said:
[Destiny 2] is more like your super-hot ex-girlfriend whom you left because she turned out to be a complete nightmare, but you still write that you stop by from time to time […]
once commented a Destiny player on reddit
You have to hate Destiny 2 to love it: So far, almost no other first-person shooter has managed to create a world where you can shoot so luxuriously consistently as in Destiny 2. You have to hate Destiny 2 to love it. Because only when you leave the game can you realize how good it is. And that’s also because there is no effective competition to Destiny 2.
Yes, there have been and still are enough live-service alternatives that have taken Bungie’s exciting shooter formula, partially replicated, and attempted to create a new experience from it. In vain. Destiny’s loot shooter machinery keeps humming along.
The game is still far from being perfect today. There will always be something to improve. But Bungie is also not tired of tweaking things again and again. The game lives because it grows, changes, and evolves.
In addition, Destiny after 8 years is no longer just a game for many. It’s more like the favorite sweater you love to wear again and feel comfortable in. Through the new TV story model, new players have found their way back into the loot shooter since Witch Queen. This is a whole new generation of Destiny players, as they appreciate the current universe more than many long-term Destiny veterans. Destiny 1 had fantastic content. But the overall upgrades in Destiny 2 with class abilities, customization, and quality of life are simply better now.
Although this fact may not please everyone, Destiny has likely found a unique key to longevity.
What about your love-hate relationship with Destiny 2? Can you do well without the shooter, or do you belong to the repeat offenders who keep making detours into the universe of light and darkness? Please let us know in the comments.
Soon, Destiny 2 will enter its 18th season. What to expect, read here:
