The sudden and unexpected end of Destiny 2 has left many fans and developers at Bungie in a state of shock and grief. The 11-year-long series, which had a promising future ahead of it, has been abruptly discontinued, leaving many questions unanswered. The initial reports of Sony's desire for 'revenge' on Bungie for its transgressions against Sony's GaaS strategy have sparked a heated debate within the community. However, a Bungie source has come forward to douse these flames, providing a different perspective on the situation.
The source, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims that the decision to end Destiny 2 was primarily based on internal resistance and strong pushback from PlayStation employees. The source suggests that the information gathered from the Sony side may not be entirely accurate, as it is likely based on lower-level employees who may not be fully aware of the leadership's motivations. The decision, according to the source, was almost entirely about math: profit and loss. Destiny 2 has been losing more money than it has been making, and it has always been a very expensive game to maintain.
The source also clarifies that Sony is not punishing Bungie out of some desire for 'revenge'. Bungie is not being blamed for the failure of games like Concord or the large-scale problems with Sony's recent live-service strategy. The source confirms that there are no plans to shut off servers, and if Destiny 2 ended, the obvious notion was to at least announce a Destiny 3 and invest in that. However, as of now, Sony is not doing that, and the coming layoffs would make that essentially impossible for the indefinite future.
The source also addresses the widely cited figure that 50% of Bungie is about to be laid off in the wake of Destiny 2's end of service. While the source confirms that this number is being considered, it is not finalized yet. The source also notes that there are scores of Destiny 2 developers just sitting around doing relatively nothing, waiting for this to happen.
In my opinion, the end of Destiny 2 is a tragic loss for the gaming community. It is a reminder of the fragility of the gaming industry and the importance of sustainable business models. The decision to end the series may have been based on financial considerations, but it is a shame that it had to come to this. Personally, I think that there is still potential in Destiny, and if the series were to be discontinued, it would be a blow to the community. From my perspective, the gaming industry needs to learn from this experience and find ways to support sustainable and innovative game development.
In conclusion, the end of Destiny 2 is a sad development, but it is not the end of the series. The gaming community should continue to support Bungie and its developers, and I am hopeful that the company will find a way to continue the series in some form. The decision to end Destiny 2 may have been based on financial considerations, but it is a reminder of the importance of sustainable business models and the need for innovation in the gaming industry.
