The new game “Anthem” will only have one title that is supposed to be developed further. An Anthem 2 is not planned. For our author Schuhmann, this is a sign that the world has changed on PS4 and Xbox One. Destiny and The Division are still relics from a time when the market was different.
New Generation: One must be aware that games that are released today were planned and developed years ago:
- In 2010, it was established in a contract between Bungie and Activision that Destiny 2 would be released two years after the first part. It was 2017 before this really took effect.
- Massive went straight to work on developing The Division 2 in March 2016, after The Division was released. This decision was also made years ago.
- Anthem, which will be released in 2019, is meant to remain the only game in its franchise. An Anthem 2 is not planned. This decision was likely made just recently, and it reflects the new market on PS4 and Xbox One.
Why end and continue an online game? Fans have long struggled with the ancient decision to keep the game going and leave behind what was developed for the first part. A Destiny 3 is likely already in development, and a Destiny 4 and Destiny 5 are also planned according to contract. Bungie has not found a convincing answer to why there had to be a Destiny 2. “Because we had it in the contract,” joked Destiny 2 director Luke Smith once, adding: “A 2 on the title signals better that it’s a fresh start where everyone can join.”
Where is something new? However, the arguments for a fresh start crumbled Destiny 2 in the first hours of gameplay. There was really nothing new in Destiny 2, but rather much that was recycled. Players were supposed to lose everything in Destiny 2 and stand before nothing:
- Their homeland destroyed
- Deprived of their powers
- and the huge arsenal of armor and weapons simply gone, destroyed in the Cabal’s attack
And indeed: The Guardians dramatically lost their powers, as shown in the PR. But shortly after, they got their powers back – just like their homeland and the main part of their weapons. Everything back to the state of Destiny 1.
The problem with continuations: Therefore, fans find it hard to understand why they should buy a Destiny 2 when there are no huge differences between part 1 and 2, and no new console generation has appeared. Today, many fans complain that Destiny 2 should simply have been released as a major expansion for Destiny 1.
Investments only temporarily: Furthermore, with the continuation model, everything achieved in one part is only “gained temporarily.” In the next part, players start again naked – thus losing what has been achieved. The game also lacks the content of the first part. “Mammoth worlds” that MMORPGs like World of Warcraft have been working on for 14 or The Elder Scrolls Online for four years are never possible if the old is constantly being discarded.
Content droughts annoy: While waiting for the new game in the continuation strategy, content drought usually prevails in the old part. There is a “drought period” that can easily last over a year. While continued games like The Elder Scrolls Online offer something new every three months in the form of a DLC or a larger expansion, old games dry out while fans wait for the new part.
Money was made at PS4 and Xbox One long at the checkout
Changed business model: The existence of Destiny 2 and the upcoming The Division 2 is because both games were still developed with the “old console market” of PS4 and Xbox One in mind. The games still follow the model of “Call of Duty.” Money is made at the checkout, with the sale of “game boxes” or DLCs. However, this no longer reflects the reality of the market in 2018. The PC has long been a digital market with Steam – PS4 and Xbox One are catching up quickly.
New world on PS4 and Xbox One: One can see how digital sales of DLCs, the season pass, or cosmetic items in the cash shop have become increasingly dominant during the game’s runtime. A sale of a new game is not necessarily required today if you can earn so much money digitally. No game demonstrates this better than Fortnite, which makes millions with the battle pass and continuously new skins. Analysts believe this is a model for the future.
Anthem has recognized this: Anthem is therefore a child of the new age. EA wants to make money through microtransactions and DLCs, to further develop a game rather than constantly bringing out new titles. The question will be whether Destiny and The Division will also adopt this model or whether we will really have to expect a Destiny 3 or a The Division 3 in the coming years, while on the other side the world of Anthem continues to develop and people there can keep their stuff that they once acquired digitally.
