DESTINY.BUNGIE.ORG

Beta Cutscene Library - Open

The Destiny Beta contains 6 separate 'cutscenes' - we've put together a gallery for those who want access to them. They're streamable, but they're also downloadable (up to 1080p). Swing by and see what's available! Thanks tremendously to Cody Miller for recording these in 7.1 (or 5.1, occasionally) Surround Sound.

Bungie Weekly Update - Beta Beginnings

It's Friday, so there's a new Bungie Weekly Update - and you should read it. It's (well, duh) focused on the Beta, and what is going on right now. (Are you going to be near your console tomorrow at 2pm PDT? You have a chance - in a very small window - to play in a special Crucible event at that point.) Want to know more? Read it for yourself. (We have a local copy, should you need it.) Thanks to SigbiasSilva for kicking off the thread on our forum.

Platform comparisons

Now that both the PS3 and PS4 versions of the Beta are live, it's possible to make comparisons; to see how the two generations stack up. Our own Korny whipped up a few GIFs (don't mind the color issues; you're looking at image detail) - there are two in this post, another two in this one, and three over here (the detail differences on the city from a distance are pretty intriguing). And then UnrealCh13f stopped by with a Game Riot video, which shows off the differences in video form. (The beginning, which is all cutscene, is fantastic - it really gives you a sense of what's changed. The second half, which is gameplay, is much harder to parse, since the two runs aren't even remotely similar.) Go check this stuff out! (And keep an eye on Korny's thread - there may very well be more content added.)

I love Bungie fans.

One of the Beta story missions brings you into contact with a broadcast speech - and the language (not surprisingly, since we're in Russia) is Russian. 2good4u2 asked if anyone knew what was being said... and Narcogen not only answered the question, but provided context for the broadcast. Awesome stuff!

Building a Level Playing Field

Digital Trends talked to Roger Wolfson about the challenges of building a cross-platform game (and why Destiny will NOT feature cross-platform play). The biggest reason you'll be interacting only with people on the same platform as you're on? It's not technical - it's experiential.

"I'll speak for the hypothetical player," Wolfson explains. "I have a disadvantage sniping across the map because [my opponent with a next-gen console] is only two pixels on my screen and I'm four pixels on his. You see that in the world of PC gaming, where people are always racing to the best video card to give themselves the advantage."

(He's also happy with the way different platforms provide similar gameplay - when he jumps back and forth between a 360 and a PS4, the loading is similar, the action is equally fluid, the enemy count is the same. Graphics are obviously different... but the gameplay translates nicely.) Go read the entire piece! Thanks, Xenos.

Stuff's Having Fun

The UK magazine Stuff has a review of the Beta - swing by to see what they thought. (Spoilers: they love it.) Thanks, Jason Sussman!

YouTube Beta Walkthrough (Part 1)

NukemDukem stopped by to announce Part 1 of his Destiny Beta Walkthrough - it's nearly 90 minutes long, so if you're looking for long-form watching opportunities, you should check this out.

Jump In. The Water's Fine.

Bungie themselves posted a short (but pretty sweet) teaser for the Beta - if you need your whistle whet, this is just the clip to do it!

Getting to Grips with Destiny

The Inquirer has posted a hands-on preview of the Beta (pretty impressive, given that they managed to get it online before the Beta went live for most of us). Go give it a read!

For the Chauncey Gardner in each of us

Bungie listed a number of Twitch.tv users planning to stream Destiny over the next few days - if you want to watch, this is your list! Thanks, INSANEdrive.

Destiny Lead Designer's Crucible Multiplayer Tips

IGN's Destiny coverage continues with insider Crucible tips from Lars Bakken. Go watch! (Thanks, GrimBrother IV.)