Currently, the current season model in Destiny 2 is under criticism for being exhausted too quickly. Therefore, we wanted to know from our community if you would like to see the old DLC model return instead. Your answers are clear but also show where the community currently sees the most potential for improvement.
What is the survey about? In July, there was strong criticism of the season model of Destiny 2. Especially after the current season of the Haunted brought back some well-known content and characters into the game. Players increasingly felt that Bungie uses its seasons only as soulless fillers between good content.
Therefore, we wanted to know in a survey from you, the German MeinMMO Destiny 2 community, whether you currently see a return to the pure “once-a-year DLC model” as an alternative solution, or whether you would keep the current season model despite everything.
Players believe in the potential of the season model
In our survey, 1,625 MeinMMO readers have voted as of 25.07.2022, 09:30 AM. Each had only one vote available. The distribution is as follows:
Thus, 49% of our readers believe in the current season model in Destiny 2 and its potential.
The remaining votes are distributed as follows:
- Only 652 MeinMMO readers were in favor of a return to the pure DLC model. That is 40% and therefore second place in the voting.
- The rest, namely 180 MeinMMO readers, or 11%, do not care what content model Bungie uses in its space shooter.
The community has changed its opinion: In 2020, MeinMMO wanted to know from you how the season model in Destiny 2 is perceived. At that time, however, individual annual DLCs won with 51% of the votes. Players preferred to have a lot of content at once rather than just a little bit at a time.
After a few seasons behind the guardians, in 2022, despite all the criticism of the system, it is exactly the opposite model that wins our evaluation. The season model can now score more with players than pure DLCs, and our readers have also justified this in their comments.
Your arguments for the season model are solid: Destiny 2 player Chris has recognized for himself that a return to the DLC model would likely set Bungie back years.
I am […] realistic enough to say that DLCs are no longer an optimal option for Bungie [at this point]. They have long since taken that path, and to switch back now would probably set us back years in terms of the state of the game. After all, many systems and concepts have been adapted to the season model.
explains Chris in the comments on MeinMMO
And player Fly says the season model is simply a relaxed thing that he personally likes quite well.
Personally, I find it quite good at the moment; you can check in every week, get a decent story now, and can do something, but also relax and play other games. For someone who only wants to play Destiny, it may become boring faster, but there are also so many other (good) games that you can play (besides Destiny).
explains Fly calmly on MeinMMO
That’s why you want DLCs again in 2022: However, there are also good arguments that our readers put forward for the return to the DLC model, like player huhu_2345.
The DLC model was much better for me. A DLC comes out, and I game until I have completed the content and grind here and there until I’m no longer interested. After that, I wait for the next DLC. […] With the season model, I “have to” play regularly. Weekly completing the same missions and after three months everything repeats and repeats, the eternal cycle starts all over again.
describes huhu_2345 his arguments against the season model on MeinMMO
Without content, however, both are irrelevant for many players
One thing is clear from the comments: Despite many preferring the season model at the moment, they are also dissatisfied with some content Bungie currently provides.
Particularly the currently active Season 17 has added to the frustration of long-time players from the community. Player Sleeping-Ex sums it up when he comments that without content, both are irrelevant.
The question of whether seasons or DLC is irrelevant. If Bungie can’t manage to provide appropriate content, which is admittedly difficult with some hardcore players, it doesn’t matter whether I am bored until the next DLC or the next season.
explains Sleeping-Ex his problem with both models
And he is not alone. The Destiny 2 player and MeinMMO reader Zavarius sees it similarly and writes: “A DLC every 6 months is just as much a death sentence as worn-out copy-and-paste seasons every week.”
There’s still potential for improvement in the season model: Essentially, the community is satisfied with the season model itself. But many players still want a space shooter that excites them with creative content, even in its seasons.
Reheated “between seasons” spoil this experience and feel as if Bungie is just stalling until they can get back to the big story.
For many players, it wouldn’t even take the big story beats that Bungie brings into the game during the smaller seasons. They would be satisfied with something fresh that invites them on surprising exploratory adventures or entertains them with a new, yet unknown activity per season and unknown locations.
How do you find the result? Would you have thought that players prefer the season model by now? And if seasons remain in Destiny 2, what would be your wish for what Bungie should change about the current model to make it more entertaining for you? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
It remains to be seen whether Bungie will keep an eye on these criticisms from its community for the future of Destiny.
Many Destiny veterans who have been playing the game for years still remember how painfully boring the DLC model used to be. This includes guardian Devgru, who remembers it well:
[…] keep me away from this ‘One DLC per year would be much better.’ [The DLC “The Taken King”], for many still the best expansion of all time, was also “done” after a few months, and people were waiting for the [“The Rise of Iron” DLC] and were gone. […] Without [Triumphs], there would have also been yawning emptiness after [a] few months, and people still complained back then that there was nothing to do.
[…] sure, they could also simply pump everything into one DLC per year, and maybe then something would come out with the quality of Forsaken or Witch Queen, but they have also managed that. And without something like [“The Black Armory” from the old annual pass], players would have gotten bored after half a year even in Forsaken.
states Devgru against the DLC model on MeinMMO
And player Fly says the season model is simply a relaxed thing that he personally likes quite well.
Personally, I find it quite good at the moment; you can check in every week, get a decent story now, and can do something, but also relax and play other games. For someone who only wants to play Destiny, it may become boring faster, but there are also so many other (good) games that you can play (besides Destiny).
explains Fly calmly on MeinMMO
That’s why you want DLCs again in 2022: However, there are also good arguments that our readers put forward for the return to the DLC model, like player huhu_2345.
The DLC model was much better for me. A DLC comes out, and I game until I have completed the content and grind here and there until I’m no longer interested. After that, I wait for the next DLC. […] With the season model, I “have to” play regularly. Weekly completing the same missions and after three months everything repeats and repeats, the eternal cycle starts all over again.
describes huhu_2345 his arguments against the season model on MeinMMO
Without content, however, both are irrelevant for many players
One thing is clear from the comments: Despite many preferring the season model at the moment, they are also dissatisfied with some content Bungie currently provides.
Particularly the currently active Season 17 has added to the frustration of long-time players from the community. Player Sleeping-Ex sums it up when he comments that without content, both are irrelevant.
The question of whether seasons or DLC is irrelevant. If Bungie can’t manage to provide appropriate content, which is admittedly difficult with some hardcore players, it doesn’t matter whether I am bored until the next DLC or the next season.
explains Sleeping-Ex his problem with both models
And he is not alone. The Destiny 2 player and MeinMMO reader Zavarius sees it similarly and writes: “A DLC every 6 months is just as much a death sentence as worn-out copy-and-paste seasons every week.”
There’s still potential for improvement in the season model: Essentially, the community is satisfied with the season model itself. But many players still want a space shooter that excites them with creative content, even in its seasons.
Reheated “between seasons” spoil this experience and feel as if Bungie is just stalling until they can get back to the big story.
For many players, it wouldn’t even take the big story beats that Bungie brings into the game during the smaller seasons. They would be satisfied with something fresh that invites them on surprising exploratory adventures or entertains them with a new, yet unknown activity per season and unknown locations.
How do you find the result? Would you have thought that players prefer the season model by now? And if seasons remain in Destiny 2, what would be your wish for what Bungie should change about the current model to make it more entertaining for you? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
It remains to be seen whether Bungie will keep an eye on these criticisms from its community for the future of Destiny.
