How Will the Final Shape DLC Decide Bungie’s Destiny?

The Final Shape DLC of Destiny 2 can quite possibly be its final. Both the game and the developers are facing heavy backlash from the community. Many critics are assuming the direction of Destiny 2’s future may rely heavily on the success of the DLC. And the string of poor decisions made by Bungie recently has given weight to the critic’s assumptions. 

The Sony-owned studio Bungie is in a state of internal turmoil right now. When the studio was acquired by Sony for $3.6 billion, many executives praised the decision. Since then, however, the picture has completely changed when the reports of layoffs in Bungie emerged.

Layoffs happening in Sony-owned Bungie

Bungie has recently laid off around 100 people from their team, including acclaimed composer Michael Salvatori. This came as a shock to the community as Sony had acquired the studio recently for $3.6 billion, with $1.2 billion for staff retention. Despite the hefty amount for staff retention, Bungie has laid off almost 8% of its workforce.

The reason they gave for layoffs also did not sit right with the community. The Destiny creators claimed missing projections by nearly 45% led them to take such tough measures. Furthermore, reports emerged that CEO Pete Parsons and some other executives previously forfeited annual bonuses before the layoffs. However, the netizens have not accepted this explanation and have blamed Bungie higher-ups for poor management.

The remaining employees have also started to show their dismay over the mismanagement from executives. Surprisingly, the parent company Sony is not being included in these blames. Critics claim if the Sony buyout did not happen and the Destiny creators were still independent, they would have been in serious jeopardy.

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The anger of fans erupted further when news about delays in Bungie’s upcoming title Marathon and The Final Shape DLC for Destiny 2 started to emerge. This would not be the right time for Bungie to announce a delay as fans are placing their hopes in this DLC. The year 2023 is already looking bad for Destiny 2 as Lightfall failed to impress the fans. Both fans and Bungie devs are looking forward to this DLC and it was evident from a comment made by Bungie.

What does Bungie expect from the Final Shape?

Destiny 2 can quite possibly cease to exist if The Final Shape DLC flops. The devs at Bungie know what is at stake as the game is their crown jewel and has a consistent player base. However, that player base is shrinking rapidly now. But Bungie believes the DLC will certainly attract the players back. And they have made some bold claims, despite the layoffs.

In a recent Bungie.net update, the studio said, “To us the path forward is clear: We need to make The Final Shape an unforgettable Destiny experience. We want to build something that will be regarded alongside the best games we’ve ever made – a fitting culmination that honors the journey we’ve been on together for the past ten years. Forsaken, The Witch Queen, and The Taken King – these are the standard bearers we aim to live up to.”

However, these look like hollow claims from the outside. The official Destiny 2 The Final Shape release date is February 27, 2024. But a report by Jason Schreier suggests the DLC will be delayed to June 2024, due to the ongoing layoffs. 

Netizen’s love for Destiny 2 is declining

Among the layoffs and news about delays, the uproar among the fans has started to emerge. Reportedly many players are refunding their DLC preorders for The Final Shape. A gamer even claimed Steam had granted a refund for the expansion because it was not only delayed but might not meet a certain quality level the player would expect.

The sales figures for the upcoming Destiny 2 DLC were already low. Now with players returning orders, the alarms at Bungie should be ringing. Bungie executives would have to think fast on their feet as they are currently on a sinking ship. If they want to regain the trust of their existing players, they should focus on developing the DLC faster and without bugs. Marathon and Gummy Bears can wait for a while as delays are common for games in development.

However, delaying a live-service game like Destiny 2 will prove catastrophic. For this Bungie can take help from its parent company Sony and many other gaming studios under Sony. Or Bungie can pool its resources on a single project. What steps will the Bungie executives take will only come forward with time. But one thing is for certain, the release timeline of The Final Shape DLC and its performance will be a make-or-break situation for the future of Destiny 2. The future of the game will also point towards the future of the company as they cannot afford to lose a game like Destiny 2. 

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