Destiny 2: Players Express Frustration Over Lack of Long-Term Plan as Population Declines

Concerned Destiny 2 players have attributed the game’s declining population to a lack of clear vision from Bungie.

Despite experiencing a significant increase in popularity in June 2024 following the release of The Final Shape, the numbers have drastically declined in the subsequent months. According to Steam Charts, the average number of players in August was only 35,746, which is significantly lower than the previous month’s total of 123,023.

Despite being a common phenomenon for Destiny 2, the decrease in active players after the release of Lightfall, an unpopular expansion, is not surprising. However, the situation is unique this time. The Final Shape was highly praised by both critics and fans upon its release, making it unclear what could be causing the decline in players.

Based on player feedback, Bungie’s lack of clear vision is being held responsible.

destiny 2 player count steam charts — Steam Charts

Destiny 2’s active player numbers on Steam have more than halved since The Final Shape released.

On September 2, Aztecross, a content creator, posted a video suggesting that Destiny 2’s decline may be due to a lack of clear direction from Bungie. This sparked agreement from many on Reddit.

“The author of the thread agreed with Cross, stating that the current low sentiment is likely due to the absence of any announced plans for the future. They also noted that this is the first time since the release of Shadowkeep that there has been a lack of a communicated long-term plan for Destiny 2.”

“Another individual shared, “The reason I’ve stopped playing is 100% because of the recent announcement.”They also added that it was unfortunate because Final Shape had been a refreshing experience. However, as soon as the restructuring and lack of future expansions were revealed, their interest declined.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNYC4rocEvE

We Need a Future Again in Destiny 2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNYC4rocEvE)

Despite numerous reports of Bungie potentially abandoning Destiny 2’s annual expansion model following news of mass layoffs, the developer has yet to make a statement and the rumors remain unconfirmed.

The discourse continued, emphasizing the impact it has had on me. It questioned the point of pursuing weapons when there may not even be any content to utilize them on.

Despite the looming uncertainty for Destiny 2, it is confirmed that two new Episodes, Revenant and Heresy, will be released after Echoes. The upcoming update, Frontiers, has been announced, but its contents remain unclear apart from the title.