I hate to do this, but I've got to be negative for a second. (Destiny)

by Coaxkez, Wednesday, November 01, 2023, 08:11 (178 days ago) @ Kermit
edited by Coaxkez, Wednesday, November 01, 2023, 09:04

Alright, so Marathon is clearly the Next Big Thing (TM) for Bungie. It is receiving the lion's share of the company's attention and resources internally and is being funded by the revenue stream from Destiny 2. That revenue stream is now failing to meet expectations, which is threatening the future growth potential of the entire company, so something has to change. I get that. Needless to say, I do not agree with Bungie's decision here at all, but I do recognize that they felt compelled to do something drastic to secure their revenue stream.

But let's take a step back here. I was quite negative on Marathon back when it was announced and my position today has not changed. I mean, just think about what the project represents. Bungie has spent over a decade fine-tuning one of the most miserable PvP experiences in modern gaming -- by almost every single metric -- and their Hail Mary move is to take that "expertise" to a PvP-exclusive title and double down on games-as-a-service? That's the play to secure the future of the company?

Really?!

It's not that I oppose PvP-centric games on principle or that I am necessarily against games-as-a-service. (It's often designed exploitatively, but it can work with smart designers at the helm.) It's just that I am not convinced by Bungie's strategy at all. How can you possibly think of going PvP-exclusive when your current PvP model is complete ass?! They can’t even get matchmaking right.

So yes, I recognize that these layoffs represent a strategic move to bolster Marathon's development cycle as much as possible (arguably), since that is where the company has chosen to place the lion's share of its hopes for the future... but I question the entire strategy here. This really does not feel like a good direction for the company overall.

Anyway, forget about all of that. The mere fact that Bungie just fired 8% of their entire staff is objectively shitty. I feel horribly for all of the people who have been impacted by this management decision. Ideally, layoffs are something that no company should ever consider unless they've been backed into a corner without a viable alternative. With that in mind, should we be worried about the future of Bungie?

...

I hate being so negative. I would really, really love to offer something positive here. Bungie is a great developer with a long track record of delivering world-class titles to the industry. They shaped my adolescence and informed my love of video games more than any other single developer. I want Marathon to prove me wrong and succeed beyond anyone's wildest dreams, both creatively and monetarily, as a new world-class title in the storied Bungie canon.

I just struggle to see any trace of the company that actually built that canon anymore.