Destiny 2: Shadowkeep Is Going To Change Destiny Forever
E3 is basically now, and with that comes a bevy of Nerdgasm inducing information. However, none has been more mouth watering and exciting than what Destiny is doing. I've been saying it for years that they need ONE world that they build upon. I've been saying that, that's the concept that has helped make Fortnite as popular as it is. ONE character that they allow us to build up. The formula that has helped make Warframe such a winner. Well it would appear that Bungie got the memo and my jaw is on the floor right now. I hardly know where to start but I'll give it a shot.
Bungie's reveal stream started with Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy talking about an Activision-less vision. About a Destiny 2 that’s continually changing, evolving, and playable anywhere. They embraced their place in the "MMO" realm of D2. They were excited to announce their partnership with Google Stadia and the coming cross-save feature. It was a solid 20 minutes of 2 people being genuine and excited about their game. Not just as developers but as fans. And to an extent it showed just how much under the thumb of Activision the company was.
And let me just say that at on the surface, Shadowkeep looks amazing. I'm excited to head back to the moon. Excited to team with Eris Morn. Excited to PLAY ANYWHERE! Google is offering an All access deal with their Stadia Founder package. A package that includes the base game, all the expansions and add ons. As well as the upcoming season pass and expansion.
And can we all take a moment to appreciate how awesome it is that Shadowkeep can be purchased, downloaded, and played all without the need for any of the stuff that's come before it. Because yeah, that's pretty freaking sweet for those players whom opted out of that first round of..."DLC".
So come September we'll see Bungie shift from a company focused on profit to a company focused on building a better game, a stand alone expansion, cross-save among platforms, the death of exclusive content, and so much more. And frankly if this is what Bungie unleased looks like. I love where their head is at.
See, Shadowkeep is taking Destiny 2 in a grand direction. Putting it on par to match if not out do what Bungie did with last year’s Forsaken. And the idea that this is only beginning is something truly great. I'm keeping my hopes high that we won't see a Destiny 3, but instead a Destiny 2 expanded. Because let's be real. This is as close to a W.o.W style FPSMMO as we're gonna get right now. And if you look at what Shadowkeep is said to be coming with it out does all of the past expansions by a mile.
When The Taken King launched it gave us a lot of new features and a cool U.I redesign. Forsaken did somethingsimilar. Even now with Season of Opulence there are subtle tweaks to the U.I that make the directories, maps, and inventory stunning. And the direction Bungie wants to take Shadowkeep looks no less impressive.
From the new ways to customize to bringing back artifacts in a meaningful way. It truly it too much great news to cover in one article. And the fact is, Destiny 2 has struggled and failed to meet expectations in the past. Ever since its 2017 fall launch, Bungie (with Activision) has struggled to create an experience that would satisfy not only the fan base, but themselves as well. The struggle to create a more mainstream experience while staying true to the hardcore has been just out of reach for them. I have a strong feeling that come September of this year, Shadowkeep and the changes that comes along with it will shatter the mold and create a new Destiny for us all.
Season of Opulence is out and offers a ton of new things to do, collect, and grind for. And let me just say this. THE GRIND. IS. REAL! And honestly everything I love to do in an MMO. So for now we have that to tide us over while we await the Destiny 2's next big and TRUE expansion to see if Bungie can give us the game we were hyped about when the original Destiny was announced. To see if Bungie can manage to bring the game back to its days of glory. Shadowkeep, set to release September 17th, promises to further set the foundation for an even more ambitious version of Destiny. A version more a kin to the idea of what I believe a lot of us wanted the game to be. A true First Person Shooter Massively Multiplayer Online game. The likes of W.o.W, ESO, and Everquest. Season of the Drifter was the sketch; Season of Opulence is the blueprint; and Shadowkeep will base of the future of not only Destiny 2, but the future of Bungie as well. So strap in Guardians, things just got interesting!