Bungie has confirmed its long-running MMORPG Destiny 2 will officially be sunsetted in the coming month, with a final development update arriving on 9 June. The game will remain live for all players for the foreseeable future, although no new content will be released beyond this date.
As the team announced, ‘While our love for Destiny 2 has not changed, it has become clear that after The Final Shape, we have reached the time for our shared worlds, and Destiny, to live beyond Destiny 2.’
Bungie will now work towards a ‘new beginning’ which includes incubation of its next games.
As reported by Bloomberg, the team that moves forward will seemingly be smaller, as the end of Destiny 2 will also coincide with layoffs.
Bungie announces end of Destiny 2 – quick links
What to know about the Bungie layoffs
Following the announcement of Destiny 2‘s end of development, Bloomberg outlined that a ‘significant number’ of layoffs would follow, with many on the Destiny 2 team being part of this cohort.
Sources speaking to the website reportedly said Bungie did not have a project lined up for Destiny 2‘s development team following this game’s conclusion, a factor which likely influenced the decision to lay off staff.
It’s believed Bungie is not planning to enter production on a Destiny 3 at this stage, and they are instead in the process of pitching new games, including some in the Destiny franchise, that could keep the studio moving.
Bloomberg reports none have been greenlit so far, and at this stage, there’s no guarantee that any will move forward at the studio. It has also pointed out that Bungie is ‘one of the more expensive studios to operate’ under the Sony banner, ‘given the cost of paying tech-savvy workers in Suburban Seattle and the longevity of its staff.’
While Bungie does have other projects beyond Destiny, and it continues to support newly-released live-service extraction game Marathon, it’s believed this game has not performed to expectations, and may be facing tough scrutiny.
At this stage, what’s next for Bungie remains unclear.
What Destiny 2 players need to know about the end of development
For now, it appears those continuing to dive into Destiny 2 will still be supported in day-to-day play. Servers for the game will remain live indefinitely.
‘Though active development may be concluding, we will ensure that Destiny 2 remains playable, just as the original Destiny is today,’ Bungie says. ‘Many changes in this final update will aim to ensure that Destiny 2 is a welcoming place for players to return to.’
‘We’re proud of Destiny 2, the places it took us, and the legacy it has created. Because of you all, our universe is vast, built on years of shared stories, adventures, and victories. From the Cosmodrome to the Pale Heart to the Lawless Frontier, we have forged life-long memories and friendships with you all.’
As shared by Bungie, Destiny 2 has a long legacy that’s worth preserving.
At one point, it was one of the most popular MMORPG experiences available, with a player peak of 316,000 concurrent players on PC alone (via SteamDB).
This is a game that’s forged life-long memories between players. Memories that should be preserved, regardless of live service status and industry turmoil. As the Bungie team says, it plans to keep Destiny 2 alive in perpetuity, so players can always return and feel welcome in this virtual world.
