This week, Destiny 2 angered its players when it was revealed that an overpriced starter pack was offered on Steam. For the community, this was not only a blatant “noob trap” but also an “ill-considered and shabby decision to make money.” Bungie has now pulled the plug and removed its offer.
Which offer was criticized here? A starter pack for Destiny 2 was offered on Steam, which could be purchased for 14.99 euros. It includes 3 exotic weapons, 3 cosmetic items, and various materials.
At first glance, the offer seems harmless. However, the community’s criticism focused on the fact that all the exotics included in the starter pack can be unlocked in the game without any major issues and none of them offers a significant advantage.
No one who knows the game would recommend this as “3 of the best exotic weapons” to a beginner, they find. But Bungie did.
After players and content creators criticized the pack in numerous posts and videos, it became clear that Bungie could no longer ignore the criticism.
“Under which rock are the responsible people living?”
Destiny 2 needs the trust of its players: The developer of Destiny 1 and 2 currently faces the challenge of regaining the trust of the players. However, since the release of the DLC “Lightfall,” player dissatisfaction has only increased.
- Lightfall launched in February 2023 and received only mediocre reviews.
- Since then, the atmosphere in the community has worsened. Especially after Destiny 2 released its “State of the Game” in August, which did not reflect what the players wanted to hear at all.
- It was so bad that in October, a number of employees had to be laid off, as reports suggest they were 45% below revenue forecasts for the year.
- Currently, the number of players is lower than ever – at least regarding concurrent players on Steam – and many players see the now postponed “Final Form” in June 2024 as the final departure point to leave the game for good.
- Bungie’s 10-year vision for a continuing Destiny universe after “The Final Form” in 2025 is therefore heavily jeopardized.
Positive impulses are urgently needed. However, with the release of the Destiny 2: Starter Pack, they instead stepped into it again.
This is how Bungie responded to the criticism: The controversial offer has since been removed, and the pack can no longer be purchased. Shortly after the removal, Bungie also commented via Twitter/X, stating that it has been closely monitoring players’ feedback.
Yesterday we started the Season of Wish and are closely following the conversations about what you liked and what you didn’t. We are starting with the Starter Pack, which unfortunately brings no joy. Therefore, we have removed it from the stores. We have heard your concerns and believe that there are other parts of Destiny 2 that new players should dive into first before chasing these exotic weapons, cosmetics, and upgrade materials.
Bungie stated via Twitter/X
Most players agreed with this. However, some reminded Bungie once again under the announcement, like Jay Read: “It shouldn’t come from your community to tell you that it’s wrong; you should damn well know it yourselves. You are way too reactive instead of proactive.”
The incidents surrounding the alleged deception of inexperienced players in Destiny 2 highlight the close relationship between developers and players as well as the swift reactions of the gaming community to unethical practices.
It remains to be seen whether Bungie will learn from this experience and how future offers for new players of Destiny will look.
What do you think about Bungie’s decision to immediately remove the controversial starter pack from sale? Do you think they will pay better attention in the future? Then feel free to comment on your opinion.
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