Ever since the official announcement of Destiny's upcoming The Taken King expansion pack during the E3 2015 conference this year, gamers have been clamoring for any extra details regarding the content, no matter if they're minor or major. Thankfully, Bungie remains ever-present when it comes to connecting with Destiny's community, and the developer has certainly given their fan base an exhaustive primer for the The Taken King's DLC.

So far, most of what we know involves tangible gameplay features, such as increased bounty slots, new subclasses, and state-of-the-art weapons and armor. Plus, it's been revealed that Destiny's Guardians will be tangling with The Taken King's mysterious big bad Hive entity known as Oryx. Although many would consider the aforementioned DLC to be rather substantial, some are arguing that the expansion doesn't offer enough content in order to warrant its price tag of more than $40. Also, others are complaining about having to re-buy the base game and its existing two add-ons if they want access to exclusive content in The Taken King's Collector's Edition.

Today, in an interview with Eurogamer, Bungie's creative director Luke Smith contends that The Taken King's components more than justify the cost. Regarding why the DLC elements are such a pricey affair, Smith says:

“So, purchasers get a big, rich campaign. Fully voiced cinematics and the story of what happens when an angry alien god wages war on a solar system, all with a satisfying conclusion. . . . We also have a bunch of new strikes – we’re not yet talking about how many – and a new raid. We’re showing two new PVP modes and four PVP maps this week, and it’s a fairly safe bet we’re not done yet showing things off."

While Smith definitely makes some valid claims regarding The Taken King's worth, one must take his statements with a grain of salt, for objectivity tends to go out the window whenever creators discuss projects to which they are attached. For instance, when asked for a further opinion on the price, the creative director gives a nebulous answer, saying, "We’re really comfortable with the value we’re giving to players this autumn. I believe that once we begin to share more, players will be even more excited."

Even though his company loyalty overshadows his critical thinking in this case, one can't blame Smith for his enthusiasm. In fact, there are moments in the conversation where it's obvious that he genuinely cares for Destiny, and wants the best for its players, as he emphasizes Bungie's eagerness to remain engaged with the game's fan base.

At any rate, with Destiny gamers currently logging an average of more than three hours a day in the title, it's evident that the game's replay value has remained intact. Bearing that in mind, once The Taken King expansion goes on sale, those statistics are likely to get even higher.

Do you think The Taken King DLC is too expensive? If so, will it deter you from buying it when it comes out later this year?

Destiny's The Taken King is set to release on September 15, 2015 for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

Source: Eurogamer