Even if there is still a lot of complaining going on – MeinMMO author Sven Galitzki looks back at Destiny 2 at the end of 2020 and concludes that the action-MMO from Bungie is in a better place now than it has been for all the years before. Find out here why.
What is the complaining about? The end of the year is slowly approaching. At this time, things traditionally calm down in Destiny 2. There is less to do, previous content is mostly already completed, but new content will not appear until the new year.
Currently, the Winter Event “The Dawning” is still ongoing, but otherwise Bungie’s action-MMO has relatively little fresh content to offer. This time of the year is often used by many to look back on the outgoing Destiny year and take a closer look at the current status quo of the game.
And since players have less to do right now, there is traditionally more complaining.
What is being criticized? Essentially, the criticism at this time of year is the same year after year:
- There are numerous wish lists about what Destiny should improve as soon as possible, otherwise, people will stop playing.
- Time and again, one reads that things are only getting worse, and if Destiny doesn’t do X or Y immediately, it will soon be dead.
- The shooter has been dying for years anyway, but after the new expansion Beyond Light, it seems especially final and dramatic.
- And what you keep hearing: The game is in worse shape than ever before. Most developer decisions are bad, overlook the community, and it can’t possibly get any worse.
This is no different in 2020. Especially the Beyond Light expansion has to endure a lot of criticism.
But I say: Even if not everyone might see it this way – despite all this often quite justified criticism, Destiny 2 is in a much better state at the end of 2020 in my view than it has ever been before. But let me explain why.
Where does Destiny 2 stand at the end of 2020?
Here are the main points: The new expansion Beyond Light was released for Destiny 2 in November. This brought various new content – including a new location, a new damage type, and associated new powers for the Guardians as well as a new raid.
Beyond Light is the first of a total of 3 major expansions that will supply Destiny 2 with new content until at least 2022 and likely beyond. Beyond Light received mixed reviews. There was certainly praise but also quite a bit of criticism.
Additionally, the now 12th Season, the Season of the Hunt is currently running parallel. Alongside major annual expansions like Beyond Light, the seasonal model with its seasons throughout the year ensures further content supply.
Moreover, Destiny 2 has become much smaller. The game could not grow indefinitely and so numerous contents have rotated into the so-called Destiny Content Vault since the release of Beyond Light – including many locations and associated activities. The vault contains all content from both Destiny titles, and the developers can utilize these resources for the further course of Destiny 2.
This is why Destiny 2 is in a better place now than before
Some may wonder: One might naturally ask: What is different now compared to the previous years? Except for Stasis and the Content Vault, it sounds basically like the end of previous years as well: A new expansion, seasons, the usual complaints at year-end.
Moreover, this year has also seen a lot of content falling away, and much of the hard-earned and beloved gear has become completely irrelevant due to sunsetting (for the endgame). How can the game possibly look better?
There is finally a master plan: Well, the reason why Destiny 2 seems to be in a better state at the end of 2020 for me than ever before is quite simple:
One now knows exactly where the journey is heading and what broadly to expect, indeed over 2022 and beyond. There is finally a big master plan for the game, and the overall framework for the future is set. And that is exactly what was different in previous years and was heavily criticized by many.
Whether regarding sunsetting, seasonal content, or the missing content – yes, there are indeed justified criticisms. But in my view, these are all little things compared to the situation when the game lacks a clear philosophy, a clear direction in which it wants to develop, and doesn’t even know what and how it ultimately wants to be.
Exactly this has already led to Destiny 2 being released in a state where everyone just shrugged and wondered how it could have come to this.
There was insecurity here: Years of uncertainty and searching for oneself followed:
- Forsaken was good, but how does the seasonal model proceed?
- What will actually happen after parting with Activision?
- What can Bungie handle on its own?
- Is Destiny 3 on the way, or will they continue to focus on Destiny 2?
- What does Bungie generally intend for Destiny in the future?
Until 2020, there were no real answers to these and many other fundamental questions. But Bungie has apparently managed to reorganize itself, and this year we have learned a lot about it.
We finally know
- There will be no Destiny 3, Bungie fully commits to Destiny 2 in the long run.
- Destiny 2 is increasingly moving towards an action-MMO, now identifies itself as such.
- Bungie has concrete plans for the game. In 2021 and 2022, one additional major expansion is to be released each year, followed by seasons that should ensure content supply until the next expansion. This sets the roadmap through 2023. The last expansion has apparently not concluded the story yet.
- There will not be another expansion the size of Forsaken, Bungie cannot handle that on its own. What scope we can expect is shown by the new Beyond Light.
- Crossplay will be available in 2021, so players on all platforms can play together.
In short: We now essentially know what to expect with and from Destiny 2 until 2023. Not everyone may like that, not everyone may agree, and this can also certainly be criticized – especially the details. But that does not change the fact that one now finally has a picture of the big picture and a clear idea of what Destiny is and what it plans to do in the coming years.
Whether one wants to be a part of it – everyone must decide for themselves. But in my opinion, it is now possible to do that much better than in all previous years.
What do you think about it? How do you currently view Destiny 2? Let us and other readers at MeinMMO know in the comments.
