Returning or new players might not realize it, given the current state of excitement and glee, but theDestiny 2community has been on fire for the last several months. Spirits and community sentiment were at an all-time low following built-up frustration and what seemed like a constant flow of bad news from Bungie. However, four hype streams and a meaty content update changed everything.
Destiny 2has been a wild ride over the last year or so. The game went fromrecord-breaking concurrent player numberswith the launch oftheLightfallexpansion into a spiraling player decline that reached a tipping point afterBungie announced layoffs and a delay forThe Final Shapeexpansion. Players were already frustrated by thelacklusterLightfallexpansionanda disastrous State of the Game, not to mention theinitial boring reveal ofThe Final Shape. All the while, reports began surfacing describing Bungie’s“soul-crushing” studio atmospherefollowing the layoffs. It was a perfect storm thatcalled the longevity ofDestiny 2into questionas player falloff exponentially grew.
How did Bungie win players back?
Bungie’s efforts to win players backbegan in earnest with the plentiful rewards it started doling out after theSeason of the Wishstory concluded. Between the super-easy-to-getRiven’s Wishesloot and free weekly Bright Dust, it was a good start. Then, the spotlight hitDestiny 2again whenhoverboards came to the game. These moves got positive attention onDestiny 2and set the stage forInto the Light.
Players had knownInto the Lightwas comingsince the delays were confirmed, but Bungie remained secretive about what the content would entail. The studioannounced that it would host three streamson Twitch to showcase some of what players could expect fromInto the Light.This announcement included a piece of art depicting a group of Guardians entrenched with defenses fighting against Hive in the Last City. Immediately,the community hoped for a long-requested horde mode. At the same time,API leakshinted that some sunset weapons would return. The hype started to return to theDestinycommunity.
Into the Light and a tease of what’s to come
To put it mildly, the threeInto the Lightstreams knocked the socks off most viewers. The first stream introduced players to the main course ofInto the Light,a horde mode called Onslaught. Thesecond stream focused on weapons, confirming that some sunset favorites would return alongside another constant community ask,a matte black Shader. These reveals already had players riding high, but the third stream took things to the next level, announcingtwo fan-favorite Exotic missions were coming backalong with new PvP maps and a completely unexpected Raid boss rush mode called Pantheon.
In the aftermath of the excitement, Bungie revealed it had one more well-guarded surprise up its sleeve. At the close of the thirdInto the Lightstream, the studio announced that a fourth stream would be held a half-hour before the update’s release. The fourth stream was a surprise gameplay reveal forThe Final Shape, with someBungie employees noting on social mediathat if players liked theInto the Lightreveals,The Final Shapegameplay showcase would blow them away.
The gameplay showcase forThe Final Shapecertainly delivered on the hype built throughout the threeInto the Lightstreams. Withover half a million views on Twitchas of this writing and a constant stream of excited comments throughout, players were thrilled to seeThe Final Shapeanswer some initial concerns brought up after the expansion’s initial reveal. Chief among these was the inclusion of anew Subclass, Prismatic, and a new enemy factionfor players to fight.
On to better days
Now,Into the Lightis out, with players chasing aftershiny Brave weapons, testing theirWarlock,Titan, orHunter buildsagainst Onslaught, and reentering or experiencing some of the best Exotic missions inDestiny 2for the first time. Players are enthusiastic about what’s in the game now and excited about the future with all thatThe FinalShapewill introduce.
In a review of the update on X, formerly Twitter,The Destiny Showsaid, “Into The Lightis the perfect send-off to a turbulent year inDestiny 2. It prepares Guardians for the future while celebrating Destiny’s historic past. Did we mention it’s FREE for all players? This DLC is everything we could have hoped for and then some, invigorating the game with new activities, awesome loot, collectibles, and an experience players will enjoy for many hours beforeThe Final Shape.”
As Forbes’ residentDestinyexpert Paul Tassi noted,Into the LightandThe Final Shapegameplay reveal have sentDestiny 2back to Steam’s Top 10, with player numbers outperforming the launch ofSeason of the Wish. And it’s not just the fact that players are returning to the game or starting theirDestinyjourney for the first time contributes to the upbeat mood. In some ways, Bungie has shown that it’s been actively listening to players.
Of course, the obvious example is the Prismatic subclass and a new enemy faction afterfans voiced disappointmentfollowingThe Final Shape‘s initial reveal. But that’s not all. After players learned thathalf of the Brave Arsenal was to be time-gated, Bungie chose to meet the community halfway andeliminate time-gating after April 30. These may not seem like significant gains, but for theDestinycommunity, it feels like we’re being heard for the first time in a long while.
There’s no telling if this positive aura around the game will last, and there’s no way to know how the relationship between Bungie andDestiny 2players will develop afterThe Final Shapereleases in June. Hopefully,Into the Lightmarked a needed change for the game that will continue for as long asDestiny 2persists. Right now, it just feels nice to get some of the things the community has always felt the game has been missing and have a good time engaging with it.
