It may be crazy for some to realize that Bungie's space opera shooter has already been around for over three years. Following up on the original game, Destiny 2 continues to survive and thrive as the years go by. Not only that, but Bungie has already outlined the next three years of content for the game, something not many games are capable of doing. The extensive future of Destiny 2 would not have been possible without the Destiny community, some of whom have been around since the first game in 2014.
Of course, the game itself has had its fair share of rough patches, but that's never really phased the hardcore Destiny 2 community. Plenty of players have stepped away or felt burnt out from the game, especially with the early beginnings of the seasonal approach with Shadowkeep. However, even though things have slowly evolved and changed over time for the better, the general Destiny community has stuck around since the beginning.
It's Not Just About Loot for Destiny 2
Ironically for an MMO first-person shooter like Destiny, it's not the loot-based gameplay that oftentimes keeps the hardcore players sticking around. Obviously that's a big reason to stay, but more importantly, Destiny 2's thriving community has helped keep the game alive as long as it has been. The first Destiny game sold quite well on release, but Destiny 2 was where the game's community really began to prosper. Even if in many cases, the game didn't exactly match up with expectations, players still stuck around as they knew Bungie was committed to making the game better.
In fact, the Destiny 2 player community grew substantially after big expansions like Forsaken and Shadowkeep. This was largely because Destiny 2 was finally returning to form, becoming the "hobby" game that people would consistently return to as a sort-of gaming comfort food. Whether pursuing incremental goals like grinding for Light level, or just in general attempting to get a god roll for their favorite weapon, there was a plethora of tasks in Destiny 2 after Forsaken. Whereas before most players would hop in on Tuesdays to complete weekly tasks and then skip out for the rest of the week, Forsaken ushered in the current era of Destiny 2 that's in effect.
Maintaining More Than Just Weapon Balance in Destiny
Last year, Bungie won the "Best Community Support" award at the Game Awards 2019 for Destiny 2, and the playerbase it helped cultivate. Despite how often the Destiny subreddit can appear to be just a wall of complaints, the truth is that there's a lot of deep love for Destiny 2 among players and fans. Deej, Bungie's communication director, had mentioned that the Destiny community was a product of what the community inspires the game to be, not the game itself. Running a raid or strike for the hundredth time is more about using the chance to hang out with friends than it is to get a specific loot drop, at the end of the day.
Of course that's without mentioning any of the good will Bungie continues to emphasize from the company itself. The Bungie Foundation was established by the developer to further the goal of encouraging positivity and selflessness. Consistent charity streams among Bungie staff and prominent Destiny content creators are a usual occurrence with Destiny 2. Not to mention the many efforts in service to great causes, like the Black Lives Matter in-game emblems and IRL pins. A big theme of Destiny 2 and the community surrounding it is camaraderie, bringing together folks who are already lifelong friends and new folks together as well.
Even In Destiny's Dark Ages, Players Still Stick Around
Even in the darkest of times, the hardcore Destiny community continues to stick around. Back during Season of the Worthy in particular, there was a lot of outcry from fans regarding issues with the re-introduction of Trials of Osiris after several years of hiatus. Plenty of players went to Destiny's subreddit to toss around phrases like "released half-baked," but that's never been discouraging for Bungie, a developer that takes its criticisms to the chin. Some may not realize it, but Bungie always does its best to appease the hardcore fanbase just as much as average players.
Sure, there will certainly be players who get burnt out and decide that Destiny's not for them anymore, and that's a totally fine and understandable reality for some players. There will also be the windfall of former players returning for Destiny 2's biggest expansion yet with Beyond Light. It's a testament to how much players still care about Destiny, even after they theoretically haven't played for months. It's never been just about the core mechanics of hitting the Light level cap and grinding for god rolls, even though those aspects are pivotal parts of the gameplay loop.
Destiny 2 is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X versions also in development.