Destiny 2: Forsaken got its debut story trailer at Sony's E3 conference today, and it shows the death of fan-favorite Cayde-6 at the hands of returning Destiny 1 character Prince Uldren. Hardcore fans expressed their sadness at the loss of Cayde-6 online directly after the debut of the trailer, and a sliver of hope remained that at some point in the future Cayde-6 will return from the dead. But that's not in cards according to Bungie.

Shortly after the debut of the trailer, Bungie's Scott Taylor and Steve Cotton were on the YouTube E3 show with Geoff Keighley who asked the two developers if Cayde really is dead for good. Taylor responded jokingly at first: "He looks dead. He does not look good." And then he said flat out, "He's dead. He is dead." Keighley expressed shock that they would kill such a big character in the Destiny universe, to which Taylor and Cotton both nodded and confirmed again that Cayde has been offed for good.

In the discussion about the decision to kill Cayde in Destiny 2, Taylor said that the team at Bungie talked a lot about the decision and said it was a "serious call" but that it was the right one in order to make players "care about their journey" in the Forsaken expansion. That journey will see players track down the Fallen barons that have been freed and have aligned with Prince Uldren. It's a bold narrative step for Bungie and Destiny 2, considering how the game has been criticised by hardcore fans as losing that epic nature for a lighter, more humorous tone.

Steve Cotton also said that Bungie very much wants to tell a "darker more high-stakes story" with Destiny 2: Forsaken and to have consequences in "this world filled with immortal heroes and for that consequence to be personal." And to Bungie, killing off Cayde fit the bill for achieving those goals.

Destiny 2: Forsaken releases on September 4, 2018 for PC, PS4, Xbox One.

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