The Destinytracker site will no longer publish daily player numbers for Destiny 2. It painted a false picture of the shooter’s population.
In recent days, declining player numbers for Destiny 2 have been circulating. The numbers come from this thread on reddit, and were then spread through tweets. We did not report on it, but these numbers also appeared in the comments on our articles.
English-speaking and also German-speaking media use the graphs and numbers to depict a certain image of Destiny 2: Destiny 2 as a flop without long-term motivation – a game that has lost as many players in 6 weeks as a Call of Duty loses in 6 months.
The numbers that supported this image originally came from the fan site Destinytracker. There, one can view all sorts of statistics about Destiny. Usually, it’s about which weapons are used in the Crucible or who is leading in the various categories.
Through all this, the site keeps track. It even has values like “ELO” in the program – something that doesn’t actually exist in Destiny, but Destinytracker offers it nonetheless. And of course, player numbers.
Numbers should not be used to cast Destiny 2 in a bad light
However: The site does not appreciate that the numbers regarding the daily player count were used to cast Destiny 2 in such a bad light. Therefore, these numbers will no longer be made available in the future. This was explained by a spokesperson for the project on reddit.
According to Bistoory, the numbers were used to tell a false story about Destiny 2. The statistics are misleading in representing the active player count of Destiny 2 – the daily user numbers are not suitable for that. This applies to all kinds of games.
Not every player plays 24 hours every day. At Destinytracker, they thought that an explanation of the numbers could clarify what the numbers are meant to convey. But apparently, this was irrelevant to those who wanted to tell a certain story about Destiny 2 and took these numbers as proof of being right.
Under the statement on reddit, there are then speculations that Destinytracker had removed the numbers at Bungie’s request.
Statistics confirm the feeling of many: Something is wrong
Mein MMO believes: Player numbers can construct a story of “Oh, it’s going downhill” for any PvE game. That’s how these games are built: During the leveling phase, people play more than when they reach the endgame and fall into a certain routine.
Such games know two phases:
- The special part, when new activities and content are available that one engages with -> Here, players play more
- The everyday life, in which one follows a certain routine without tackling new content
One knows with these games that there is a sharp decline in playtime when players have completed the story campaign and transition into the everyday phase. This usually happens within the first two to six weeks of a game.
However, with Destiny 2, there are actually difficulties in the endgame, and the numbers highlight this “felt problem” even more. In addition to the “normal drop-off of players” in a PvE game, the unique situation of Destiny 2 is added. It is compared with its predecessor.
- In Destiny 1, many found motivation to replay existing activities multiple times.
- In Destiny 2, this motivation is not as strong. Furthermore, there is much criticism of the new PvP.
The misleading numbers therefore correspond with the feelings of the critics and seem to confirm what critics are already thinking: Destiny 2 is bad. People are quitting left and right. Bungie faces the consequences of having made a bad game.
However: Even if Destiny 2 were running perfectly, the numbers would still decline and drop because the routine has set in.
Who is a Destiny player and who is not?
The question is: “What distinguishes a Destiny 2 player?”
- Is it someone who spends time in the game every day?
- Is it someone who only does activities once a week?
- Or is it even someone who no longer plays Destiny 2 but still keeps informed about the game and plans to rejoin when new content comes out or changes are made?
The “daily player numbers” answer this question in a certain way – this can be seen as misleading. A discussion about the problems of Destiny 2 is right and important – however, arguments should be at the forefront, not such statistics.
More about the problems of Destiny 2 and how Bungie wants to respond:
