https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8M7l5fX7lg

So Bungie had a bunch of 'content creators' and other community people over to talk about Destiny. From the sound of this video, it sounds like they are actually listening. That's good right?

I'm curious about this… because the sample of people invited sound like the last people I'd want determining Destiny's trajectory. "Content creators" obviously want a game that they can play for a long time so they can make money. But is that what will make the game actually better?

I feel like it may be a mistake unless they invited as well a bunch of people who have nothing to do with youtube / competitive crucible. I certainly don't think Datto would make the game better. At all.

Please take their suggestions with a grain of salt Bungie.

Here is a scary thought for ya. Their thoughts on Destiny 2 are just as valid as yours are.

So yeah!

Conversely, the thoughts of 'casuals' are just as valid as theirs… so where are they represented at this summit?

This whole summit thing seems kind of strange, and I wonder how much of this is spurred by Activision, and how much is Bungie.

Not quoting word for word, but the meatiest bit from the linked video for me was;

"If the Fall 2018 content doesn't succeed in a big way - Ho boy!"

To think... Bungie wanted to make it's own Starwars. Everyone is watching, and the success or failure will likely reverb into the industry in a big way.

We'll see what happens with Anthem too. Buckle up and bring popcorn for that.

Disclosure: I've barely been paying attention to Destiny stuff the last few weeks. IRL and all.

That said, from the bits that have floated in off the ether have got me thinking, and I generally share your concerns, Cody. This whole summit thing seems kind of strange, and I wonder how much of this is spurred by Activision, and how much is Bungie.

This question may be unknowable really, but I'll ask it anyway… How much of a game's success, either in terms of sales or critical reception, is the result of the internet 'content creators'? It seems to me, Bungie is trying to get them on their side. It also seems like most of the 'creators' want very specific things for the game. Things which might be good for their 'business', but maybe not necessarily good for the game as a whole.

Datto starts the video saying he asked them 'What happened?", which implies that everything about Des2ny was a disaster. But from where I'm standing, so much improved. Some things were made worse, and a lot could be better still. But I just don't agree with calling it a complete misstep as many like him seem to say.

Destiny was very frustrating, often boring / mind numbing in between the fun parts. I experienced very little of that in Des2ny. To this day I have not done any grind, nor have I been required to in order to do what I wanted. I've killed Argos and RoboCalus without so much as a single minute spent in the grind. That is fantastic.

Yet I hear and everyone seems to want that back. Random rolls too. These things are easy to point at and blame, but they are not the root problem when it comes to Des2ny's shortfalls (in my opinion anyway).

There are PvE and PvP people. Yes they are "content creators" and want it to be a longevity game like the first one, but they also just want it to be streamable and youtubable so people will see their content. Most have moved on to other games and are doing well with those (most), so I don't think they are trying to make it the ONLY game they are playing, as they just want to be able to add it back to the rotation. But I think that diversity of "styles" and opinions will do well to represent 80-90% of the community.

As InsaneDrive was trying to point out, causals are what made this game the way it is. So including them in this current discussion most likely wouldn't have been helpful, as it is already very casual friendly (i.e.: i don't think clan rewards will be going away and that's good especially if they limit the pool).

To be honest, I wouldn't consider most of us casuals. When D1 was at it's height, I played just as much as I worked during the week. Granted I wasn't married, so it was a bit easier, but if I could, I would be playing it a ton still. I have moved over to Fortnite mostly myself, as it's a game I can play with friends, as other than during IB, not many of us or my IRL friends play D2. Now that may include some causals, but I think most of the casuals just need friends to play with.

because otherwise I was going have to agree with Cody 100% and the thought of that makes me uncomfortable.

It’s the PvE side that has me anxious about the future.

Ask yourself why grind specifically is being asked for. Not more things to do. Not harder things to do. But specifically grind.

I can’t help but feel like story is mostly a lost cause. The lore is fine. We need STORIES to tell. Since 2014 the lore has been excellent. The narratives not so much.