It’s no secret that Destiny 2 developer Bungie is up against the wall when it comes to its community. Many of the players that once put in daily hours in Bungie’s world have become frustrated with the state of Destiny 2 and they are looking for some drastic changes.
In an effort to improve Destiny 2 for the future, Bungie has posted a job listing for a ‘Gameplay Specialist’ position. Essentially, the position would be responsible for representing the hardcore Destiny player, testing activities, and communicating what does and doesn’t work in the sequel’s endgame.
The post doesn’t shy away from detailing exactly what Bungie is looking for either; the developer wants a player with a ton of hours in Destiny 1 and 2 and a deep understanding of its systems. Qualifications include experience with all of the classes in Destiny (Hunter, Warlock, Titan) and teaching other players endgame activities.
CONTRACT GAMEPLAY SPECIALIST
Bungie is looking for a dedicated gameplay expert with the ability to playtest and analyze games from a player point-of-view, and then to communicate clear and constructive feedback to our development teams. Gameplay Specialists at Bungie should constantly be thinking about the user experience through weekly reset routines after reaching endgame, and should leverage their experience and expertise to offer insights and feedback. This will require a strong desire and excitement to play through Destiny 2’s end game with a small team of skilled players to gain an in-depth feel for the underlying systems in play.
Players who meet this rare criteria will need to be able to evaluate and make insightful predictions about end game content and over time, give clear objective feedback with an eye towards player sentiment and engagement.
Estimated Duration: 3 months
RESPONSIBILITIES
Participate in long-form, front-to-back, end-game Destiny 2 play.
Analyze and assess systems and processes through gameplay.
Track and communicate objective feedback and issues with an eye towards both end game specific, and game-holistic improvements
REQUIRED SKILLS
Significant Destiny and Destiny 2 experience, including end-game mastery.
Excellent communicator both written and verbal.
Ability to work effectively individually as well as with a small team
NICE TO HAVE SKILLS
Has a wide range of classes represented in Destiny 2 (and Destiny).
Experience leading clans, large social groups, or teaching new players effective end game strategies
According to the job listing, the Gameplay Specialist will only be with Bungie for about 3 months, but this could eventually become a longterm position at the developer. Bungie has a long history of hiring hardcore players into forward facing positions; Bungie community manager Cozmo started out as a moderator and frequent poster on the Destiny subreddit.
If we had to guess, the new position will help Bungie tweak new activities planned for the upcoming fall update, which should release around September. Endgame is going to be a big question mark for the add-on, especially given how frustrated players have become with the base game’s current offering. Can Bungie convince players that there will be the depth fitting of a $30 (or more) expansion?
If nothing else, this job posting shows that Bungie is willing to listen to its community members and even bring them onto the development team in order to ensure Destiny 2 can win players back. But the real question is how much influence and experience one player can have?
What many of the Destiny community members have been asking for is a more open development process that includes testing with experienced players. Bring on hardcore PvP fans to help fine tune the Crucible. Let top tier raiders try out the endgame activities and see if they are challenging and rewarding. This Gameplay Specialist position, while temporary, is a good first step, but there is arguably a lot more work to be done.
Destiny 2 is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.