Summary
Destiny 2has been right at the center of multiple gaming discussions this year, for better or for worse. The launch of the penultimate expansion for the game, Lightfall, was met with backlash due to the shallow narrative approach it took, which put a dent into the community’s morale. Then, multiple conversations sparked aboutmicrotransactions inDestiny 2and how it’s both becoming increasingly hard to keep track of them all and increasingly expensive to purchase anything. The icing on the cake for many was the news of layoffs happening at Bungie, with some key developers and even the beloved composer Michael Salvatori being let go. However, Season of the Wish now makes another dangerous step inDiablo Immortal’s direction, and that is not encouraging for The Final Shape and the game’s future as a whole.
Right now,Destiny 2has multiple DLCs for sale that players need to own to even play most of the game’s activities and story missions or to acquire specific gear like Exotic armor and weapons. Despite being several years old and with no updated content, Bungie is still selling a Forsaken Pack, the Shadowkeep expansion, and the Beyond Light expansion, all while also selling the 30th Anniversary Pack, The Witch Queen, Lightfall, the Lightfall annual pass,Season of the Wish’s season pass, The Final Shape, and The Final Shape + annual pass bundle.
Destiny 2’s Season of the Wish Takes Its ‘Microtransaction Hell’ to Unprecedented Levels
Why Destiny 2’s Monetization is Becoming a Big Problem
One of the most prominent content creators for the game, Aztecross, made a YouTube video that garnered immense traction about howDestiny 2has gradually become a “microtransaction hell.” This is especially true when one considers all the many microtransactions that Bungie pushes with every new release, with them also increasing in number quite often, and providing little ways for players to get several cosmetic items for free.
Silver purchases are very frequently added to the game for things that previously were not purchased-only, too. Today, Season of the Wish launched, and with it came two new microtransactions that players can purchase for real money exclusively. The first is a “Season of the Wish Shader Pack,” which is far from what players wanted given the backlash of the Silver-only bundles including an Exotic weapon skin, an exclusive Shader, and a Ghost Projection for a grand total of $13. On top of that, Bungie added a new DLC to the ever-growing list on Steam called “Destiny 2Starter Pack.”
Destiny 2 Starter Pack Explained
This feels like a tone-deaf move on the studio’s part considering the current player sentiment, and it’s especially concerning when looking at its content. The Starter Pack includesDestiny 2currencies that are all over the place in terms of quantity, offering:
Glimmer is capped inDestiny 2, and 125,000 is not even the full cap, which is double that amount. 1 Ascendant Shard is nowhere near enough for players to do anything valuable with it, the single Enhancement Prism is even worse, and all of this comes at the price of $15. The pack does include more items, though:
Why Destiny 2’s Microtransactions Are Bordering Diablo Immortal Territory
This is borderline pay-to-win territory, a direction thatDestiny 2has been dangerously heading into recently. Offering in-game currency and Exotics, which were specifically resource-gated behind big walls for those players who didn’t get them when they came out, is making a pay-to-winDestiny 2future all the more likely, and that’s not far fromDiablo Immortal’s own lane. WhileDiablo Immortalwas heavily criticized for microtransactions, it seemsDestiny 2hasn’t learned the lesson from it and is also ignoring what many players feel about the ordeal.
Destiny 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian’s look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.An Immersive StoryYou are a Guardian, defender of the Last City of humanity in a solar system under siege by infamous villains. Look to the stars and stand against the darkness. Your legend begins now.Guardian ClassesChoose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter.
