How Bungie can fix Destiny 2 and bring players back before it’s too late

Destiny 2 is in a rough spot right now, and I’m not just talking about the exit of The Dawning. A year of layoffs at Bungie and the disappointing Episodes, coupled with an array of technical issues, have really taken the shine off of how well The Final Shape wrapped up the series’ first decade.

In fact, if you’re a Destiny 2 player, you’re probably wondering if the series will have many more anniversaries to celebrate. Dwindling player numbers and a constant swirl of rumors about an unhappy Sony not best pleased with their purchase of the studio feel like we could be approaching the end.

Still, it’s always darkest before the dawn, and while Bungie has drastically shifted its roadmap to account for two expansions a year and more free updates, there are things it can do sooner to improve community sentiment.

Look to new players

If you’ve ever tried to introduce a friend to Destiny 2, you’ll know just how frustrating that experience can be.

“Oh, it’s free, I’ll give it a try” is a great starting point for any game looking to grow, but it doesn’t take long to see the flaws when so much of what Destiny offers is off-limits to anyone without buying an expansion.

Then it becomes a series of further questions, like “Which expansion is best?”, “Which expansions do I need?”, “What’s a Season Pass?”, and worst of all, “Do I need a Dungeon key?”

It’s a mess, and an expensive headache for new players that, if your friends are anything like mine, has them simply moving onto another game entirely.

It’s not an apples to apples comparison, but given we’re now sitting on eight expansions (half of which are vaulted), would Bungie really lose anything by making all expansions except The Final Shape free for all players a la World of Warcraft? It’d mean players could jump in and get started even if Bungie went “full WoW” and added a level limit for free players.

Refocus monetization

That brings us to a major bone of contention. Destiny 2 is free but has paid expansions every year (moving to two each year in 2025), and we know little to nothing about those so far.

Then there are Season Passes, Dungeon Keys, Event Cards, and store purchases. It’s a bit of a nightmare, really, and while it’s far from the worst offender in gaming, it leaves a rough impression on anyone just jumping in.

In truth, I’m not entirely sure I know what the answer is, but I do wonder if a paid subscription could be worth considering.

I’ve posited the idea before, back in 2021, in response to the introduction of Dungeon Keys, and the idea is that rather than asking players to fork out for constant season passes and the like, you’d get all Destiny has to offer from a single monthly payment. Even if it’s $10 a month, it’s arguably easier for some players to swallow than a $60 expansion and additional purchases made piecemeal, particularly if you get a bundle of Silver and a discount for signing up for a year in advance.

It’s a controversial idea, but it does help keep Bungie (and PlayStation) to their word. If they want your money, month to month, they’ll need to earn it, while the more constant stream of income could help the team grow and introduce new ideas that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

We’ve heard many times how Zero Hour, one of Destiny 2’s best surprises, was funded by microtransactions, but what if Bungie could use a steadier income to introduce more regular content patches outside of expansions and seasonal updates?

The Nuclear Option

Any game that’s been going as long as Destiny 2 will feel like a mess of code. Aside from new activities, Bungie has rolled out entire new systems for players, and much of it remains commendable even now. Finishers, mod overhauls, new weapon types like the Glaive, and much, much more have been added in recent years, but as the error messages start to pile up, Bungie must have considered the nuclear option – Destiny 3.

We’ve seen with the second game what good a reboot can do, but it comes with risks and considerations that don’t come with an expansion. Will progress carry over? What’s the minimal viable product to make it worth it for players? What kind of monetization will it employ? Does the number ‘3’ scare off newcomers?

These are all questions Bungie would have to reckon with, and that’s saying nothing of timescales. This year’s particularly brutal layoffs at the studio likely mean any Destiny 3 is still some time away, and it’s not likely to be something the team can just hop to anytime soon.

The future of Destiny has arguably never been less clear, despite less than a year passing since its crowning achievement with The Final Shape. It’s hard to believe, after running Excision, we’d be here wondering what’s next or if the game is being placed on life support, but the series has been in the doldrums before.

Here’s hoping Bungie can steady the ship, because for all of its faults, there’s something truly special about Destiny, and that’s why we all care so much.