Destiny: Gigantische Dimensionen erregen Mainstream-Interesse

The MMO shooter Destiny is so huge that it is no longer just gaming media reporting on it. Major mainstream media have also taken notice. And what are they reporting on? Well, about the size.

Similar to the SF film spectacle “Avatar” a few years ago, Destiny is making waves outside its own industry just with its gigantic size. The Guardian, one of the world’s most renowned newspapers, sends a journalist for a quick visit to Bungie.

Huge dimensions, huge attention – Destiny has the formula for success

The numbers are simply too big, the dimensions too immense, the effort too enormous, the world too foreign, to not be amazed. Similar to the film “Avatar” or a luxury cruise ship with 13 different restaurants on board, just the required logistics for Destiny grabs the viewer’s attention.

It wasn’t always like this: With five people, an employee recounts in a conversation with The Guardian, they started thinking about the basic principles of the game. Now, 500 people are working on Destiny. But how do you coordinate all of this? Space became tight. When a multiplex cinema near the office was for sale, they jumped at the chance, installed a cooling system on the roof of the building, and converted it. The walls between the cinema halls were torn down. Now, developers are working on Destiny across an area the size of two soccer fields.

How can Destiny remain creative with such dimensions?

With the size, a new hierarchy and new workflows became necessary to continue working efficiently and creatively. No one has an office at Destiny; the desks have wheels for mobility. Visibility is also important; nothing in the room should be taller than 1.80 meters. If a crowd of employees stands around a PC, it should attract the attention of others. Because something terrible or something genius is happening there. Both must be noticed.

A manager remarks, looking at all the developers in front of their monitors: “These guys must be incredibly clever and full of dedication. They never fall asleep at their work. Never.”

In MMOs, there is no “Too big to fail,” not even for Destiny.

Mein MMO says: The irony of the articles currently appearing in mainstream media about Destiny, which will certainly increase in the coming days, is that the game itself is not the topic, but merely the gigantic dimensions it has now assumed. In this regard, such a super-prestige object is valuable in its own right. Such attention from mass media is worth its weight in gold. Smaller titles without an IP would kill for such attention. Destiny receives it for free.

Attention is therefore present, now Destiny as a game must also convince and not just as a monumental Herculean task. And the game must convince in gameplay, not in size. Because the “Too big to fail” rule does not apply to video games.

Update Tuesday 20:00: A preview of how Bungie intends to maintain interest in Destiny can be found here. Apparently, they have teamed up with Google Maps for a very special form of city tour.