A well-known Destiny streamer calls Destiny 2 a“microtransaction hell” and resonates with the community. He triggered a lot of support and intense discussion about the soul of Destiny. Many players now feel betrayed and sold out by Bungie. And not just because of the many small paywalls.
This has increasingly upset the community: The monetization programs of Destiny 2 have long been criticized. Anyone who does not purchase the complete all-inclusive package for a DLC year from Bungie pays extra.
- In 2021, Bungie revised its offering concept for the first time and removed the dungeons from the content pack. They were no longer included for individual buyers.
- In 2022, the developer introduced the improved event card for its four free annual events. So if you want more cosmetics, you have to pay real money here again.
- In 2023, the price of the season pass was then increased by 20%. So anyone who decides anew each season whether to play it and buy it now pays more for it. That the prices of the seasons have been adjusted was still okay. But unfortunately, Bungie did not offer corresponding silver bundles for this price increase.
Even old expansions like Forsaken, which have not been in the game for a long time, are still offered as “legacy”. Here you pay for the “Forsaken package” just to get to the exo weapons and endgame activities. There is no content.
All this has led to a lot of feedback, including from Aztecross, and much praise for finally having someone with the courage to say it and handle it so openly.
And then there’s Marathon.
“1% Innovation, 2% something new and 97% greed”
More and more paywalls are causing unrest: Even with NPCs like Shaw Han in the Cosmodrome. Anyone who comes to him as a new player and discovers the exo quest for “Arbalest” has to pay first. Because you only get it if you own the latest expansion. And this, although the weapon is actually in the general loot pool.
This is how Bungie has gradually broken down its outstanding loot shooter into many small components that can be sold individually to players if they are not all-inclusive and do not give Bungie the complete “annual advance”.
In combination with the current instability of the game and the dissatisfaction with the overall situation between bugs, cheaters, emergency maintenance, and the feeling that Bungie has left its guardians for the new IP ‘Marathon’, Aztecross spoke for many.
His video reached almost half a million views and over 10,000 comments in less than a day. Many players shared their own experiences and disappointments under the video, indicating a growing rift between Bungie and the loyal player community.
Who is Aztecross?
The Destiny YouTuber Aztecross is a veteran of the loot shooter. He has accompanied Destiny 1 and 2 for several years and thus knows many issues and problems with which Bungie is struggling in the seasons and DLCs. His videos on YouTube mainly revolve around the loot shooter, related class builds, and explanatory videos.
You can watch the full video here:
The community calls for a boycott: There is also great concern about the state, the content, and innovations of Destiny 2 as well as about how Bungie is currently handling feedback. Here, players increasingly feel that their voices are no longer being heard.
So the Guardian StatementAcademic820 comments on the video on Reddit that Destiny 2 basically consists of only 1% innovation, [2%] something new and 97% greed.
I find Aztecross’ new video phenomenal as he [in it] exposes the many ways Bungie shows its greedy corporate mentality. While watching this video, I am saddened that the game I have remained loyal to since the launch has now disappointed me so much. I am tired of Bungie lying to us and treating the community so poorly. […] We will no longer tolerate the way Bungie treats us.
comments the Guardian StatementAcademic820
Aztecross also draws attention in his video to “Marathon”, the new IP from Destiny 2. The YouTuber points out the fact that the development of Marathon has also changed Destiny 2. Especially since there are things that Destiny players have been eagerly waiting for years.
- The availability of dedicated servers.
- Leaderboards and fresh maps, which have been in high demand by PvP players for years.
So Paul Tassi from Forbes states in his personal analysis on the subject:
Bungie has almost completely abandoned Destiny PvP, which is still played by hundreds of thousands of people every day, and is instead putting most of that talent directly into Marathon, and if Marathon becomes a hit, it will probably only get worse.
writes Paul Tassi from Forbes in his article on Aztecross’s video
One feels abandoned and forgotten by Bungie
A concern many players have: Even though it has never been communicated that way by Bungie, many guardians currently assume that the AAA studio will abandon Destiny 2 for Marathon.
On the one hand, because they currently feel abandoned and forgotten by Bungie and on the other hand, because many of the well-known developers are now working on this new game, such as Kevin Yanes, the now former senior design lead of Destiny 2.
The player Zero_Emerald even tells Bungie: “Losing my trust now, losing my support later.”
Why should I invest in Marathon anymore? I don’t want Marathon to fail, but if the average player were a smarter consumer, it should actually be a flop. Because who would look at content vaults, broken promises, silence, Eververse, and all the other things and still have any trust? […]
comments Zero_Emerald on Reddit
And the mood on MeinMMO is no better. Millerntorian writes under our latest Weekly Reset:
[…] Triumphs are somehow only discount coupons for some overpriced collectibles due to the alignment of the Bungie store. Or a slogan above the head, after which “The Colonel” doesn’t crow in a few weeks. Too bad, I have always enjoyed Destiny; such a gradual “decline” is sad to see. I find it regrettable that this franchise feels like it is being buried so neglectfully.
writes Millerntorian on MeinMMO
A player named TheOvercusser even expresses it more bluntly, saying: “The Final Form is just a hand with an raised middle finger and the Marathon logo painted on the nail.”
Bungie’s next steps will decide much: The community is currently in a dilemma: On the one hand, they are very attached to Destiny 2 and have invested many hours into the game.
On the other hand, players are increasingly disappointed with the decisions and lack of transparency from Bungie. This conflict between loyalty and disappointment has recently created a significant rift between players and the developer team, which is clearly felt in every Destiny bubble, whether on Reddit, YouTube, or the many Discords.
While some players hope that Bungie finally listens to the community’s feedback and takes concrete steps to address the concerns, others are skeptical and seriously doubt real changes now.
The loss of trust and disappointment over recent events have already led some players to turn away from Destiny 2 forever and seek alternative games. It is up to Bungie to restore the dialogue with the community and offer credible solutions to regain trust.
How do you see the development and future relationship between Bungie and the Destiny 2 community? And do you also believe that Bungie will sacrifice Destiny 2 for Marathon? Feel free to leave your opinion in the comments.
While Aztecross will continue to provide his content on Destiny 2, another well-known Destiny 2 streamer has taken a much-needed break:
Destiny 2: YouTuber takes a break after 10 years – Even Bungie says thank you!
