The MMO shooter Destiny 2 changes the weekly rituals of the franchise. Bungie informs players in advance about what will be featured in the Trials of the Nine and the Nightfall strike. The dates for September are known. Doesn’t that come at the expense of the event character of Destiny 2?
Destiny is a game built around rituals. Cynics say: It has to be, or nothing happens to them.
The week in Destiny is clearly structured:
- Tuesdays is the weekly reset, which is at 11 AM
- Wednesdays is weapons day – that is also at 11
- Friday morning Xur arrives and brings Exotics
- Friday evening the Trials of the Nine starts
- monthly the Iron Banner takes place
Players typically wait for these dates, precisely at the minute when the activity starts. Because they want to know every time: “What is going on? How does it proceed this time? And what do the other players think about it?”
That may seem strange to non-Destiny players, but that’s how it is with Destiny for 3 years now. This has contributed to Destiny’s success.
People gather and complain about Bungie
This collective waiting and discussing had event and cult status in Destiny 1. It was an established part of the success formula. These rituals brought the community together every week.
Players discuss every week, regardless of whether there was anything going on in the game or not, about the current weekly activity. Alone on our site, at peak times over 12,000 people wanted to know: “What is the Nightfall strike today? And what do others think about it?”
At the height of Destiny, “Weekly Reset” threads alone on our site already had 300 comments – the 100 were regularly included.
Especially the discussion was crucial. Players could easily get the information themselves through an app or from the official website, yet people still sought the information in forums and communities every week because that’s where the chatter was nice.
The weekly rituals were meant to bind players to Destiny. These rituals still exist in Destiny, but Bungie now takes the excitement out with this one pic.
Now everything is already known – Bungie spoils itself
With the monthly plan, Bungie has revealed everything.
We now already know the modifiers and locations for:
- The Nightfall Strike
- The Trials of the Nine
- And the 4 Flashpoints and their order
This eliminates the wait for this information about what is “exactly” featured. The wait for the actual “Weekly Reset” or the “Trials of the Nine” is no longer that interesting. Okay, you might still learn bonus information and discuss, but the “immediacy” and tension are gone.
Bungie, however, does not entirely forgo the “meeting and discussing” effect. There is still no information on what Xur brings.
Is it going to be like this from now on?
The question is: Is Bungie going to do this every month and announce in advance what will change? Or was that just for the launch month of September?
We want to know from you: Do you think this is better now?
For more information on what exactly is happening with Destiny 2 in September, read here:
Destiny 2: No Xur today, Iron Banner & Faction Rally announced
