It is not a good time for Destiny 2, and the reality is that Bungie is not doing well either. The iconic looter shooter has had its ups and downs, starting as one of the most ambitious games in history, then being seen as a major disappointment, and eventually reinventing itself to become one of the most successful examples among the free to play titles on the market. Currently, however, the overall picture is very different, to the point where it feels as if both the game and the studio behind it are falling uncontrollably into an abyss.
Based on data handled by Steam, the number of Destiny 2 players has dropped alarmingly over the past few years. Not long ago it was easy to count more than 300,000 players online, a figure that had fallen to around 30,000 players by December 2024, and in recent weeks has recently hovered at barely 10,000 players online. Certainly alarming, but what are the reasons behind this decline?
Weak Expansions and Repetitive Cycles
Destiny 2 was designed to be basically eternal and self-sustaining, always offering new content to its loyal players, and keeping the promise that its ideas would remain fresh and original. However, for quite some time now, there has been countless very negative criticism toward the content and changes Bungie has made to the game. The studio’s attempts to aggressively reset several of its aspects, such as the Light progression level or the way to obtain rewards or upgrade characters, have not convinced players at all, who have constantly felt forced to adapt without enough time for it, shaken back and forth.
On the other hand, we all know that the nature of a looter shooter like Destiny 2, just like Warframe and others, has always been about repetition and endless farming, which is why their studios, Bungie in this case, and Digital Extremes, have tried to dedicate themselves fully to the task of making (or trying to make) this inevitable cycle as little frustrating and monotonous as possible. The issue is that Destiny 2’s very structure is already wearing down the players’ patience, since once a few milestones are completed, everything comes down to endlessly repeating the same activities over and over again. This loop not only seems to have no solution, it also fails to convince new players.
A Complex Welcome and Too Many Unnecessary Mysteries
It is a fact, regular Destiny 2 players are tired, yes, but Bungie is also failing to let new players be dazzled by the experience. Currently, anyone trying to dive solo into this game’s loop faces a real odyssey, with a bunch of content and elements that are hard to understand unless you have someone to guide you. The dynamic has turned the game into too strong a barrier to cross from the outside, and at the same time fails to retain those already inside.
In the past, one of the things Destiny 2 stood out for was how easily it sparked interest in players who were captivated by the game’s aura of mystery. This mystical aura not only enveloped its story and its interesting and deep lore, it was also the distinctive mark of many of its missions and gameplay features. Of course, we always welcome the presence of a hidden secret or two that is not easily accessible to everyone, but the overuse of this technique has ended up becoming one of its heaviest traits.
Players often end up constantly resorting to external guides or help. Sure, we’ve all done it from time to time, but the fact that all players without exception are forced to resort to these methods over and over again has become over the years a real annoyance.
Bungie and Its “Legal Problems”
Leaving the game aside a little, we must keep in mind that the recent accusations of plagiarism against Bungie have created a general sense of distrust in the community when it comes to receiving any new content from the studio. You know what we’re talking about, right? This year an artist claimed that Bungie had used some of his personal creations without permission in the development of Marathon. The studio admitted that a former employee had incorporated these designs without authorization, but it was not the first time it faced a similar complaint.
Last year, Bungie had to compensate the artist Tofu Rabbit for the unauthorized use of one of her fanarts in a Destiny 2 design, and in 2023 the studio was also accused of plagiarizing some of the game’s cutscenes, and on another occasion it even plagiarized a story from another artist, and before that there was yet another similar case, and probably another before that… need we say more?
My Personal Opinion
Although I have played Destiny 2, I haven’t invested that much of my time in it. However, I was able to appreciate, as a new player at the time, how difficult it was to face that huge wall that was the story, the amount of complex elements, and gameplay mechanics that simply ended up overwhelming anyone sooner rather than later. As a point of comparison, I can say I have spent more than 10 years of my life on another of the most famous f2p looter shooters on the market: Warframe. I mention it now not as any sort of promotion, but because I can say with absolute certainty and knowing exactly what I’m talking about that Warframe has lost its way catastrophically, reflecting several of the traits we’ve mentioned as negative in Destiny 2.
What I mean is that I’ve seen this before, and as much as I wish it weren’t the case, I’ll see it again. In the case of Destiny 2, this could be the beginning of the end, or without a doubt a turning point that will eventually bring consequences, whatever they may be. Beyond the studio’s problems, the game itself has faced complex situations before and has proven, to the surprise of many, that it can overcome them, or at least it has so far… Players know they are witnessing what is probably the most critical moment in this title’s history.
So…
Can you imagine if they suddenly announce Destiny 3? In fact, perhaps the studio’s best bet right now could be a plan for a total renewal, hopefully avoiding plagiarism accusations! And what if Destiny 2 split from Bungie? Difficult, but not impossible, and even so, it wouldn’t guarantee the best outcome for anyone, would it? And this is exactly when we ask you to share your opinion. Are you a Destiny 2 player or have you been one? Are you among those who stayed or have you already left? What’s your take on the current state of the game and its developer, Bungie? You know gamer, we’ll be reading you! 🙂
Images Source: Destiny 2 Official YouTube Channel, Reddit, Pinterest
