The possibility of a sequel to "Destiny" appears unlikely.

Exactly a decade ago, Activision launched Bungie's ambitious shooter game, Destiny. It marked a significant leap beyond conventional shooter games that Bungie—and the gaming world—had produced before.

Indie developer and avid Destiny supporter Rami Ismail remarked to GamesIndustry.biz about the revolutionary nature of the game. Despite its FPS roots, Destiny was styled akin to an MMO but not on a massive scale. It merged PvE campaigns with PvP elements, crafting a “looter shooter” style that thrived as a live service model.

This unique blend became a notable trend before Fortnite entered the mainstream, changing the gaming landscape. Destiny set the stage for live service games, shaping the industry for years to follow.

"Destiny deserves to be studied as the encapsulation of a very specific period in the development of video games, one that I don't think we'll ever get back to"

Rachel Weber, IGN

Rachel Weber from IGN pointed out Destiny's success in pioneering the shared world shooter genre and maintaining Bungie’s innovative storytelling prowess. It appealed to both the competitive shooter market and MMORPG players, who adapted early to microtransactions and expansion-driven content.

According to Circana's Retail Tracking Service, Destiny has achieved significant financial success in the U.S., ranking as the 34th biggest video game franchise based on full-game and digital sales. Interestingly, these figures exclude earnings from microtransactions and DLCs. The original Destiny stood as the 30th best-selling game from its 2014 launch through July 2024, surpassing titles like Fallout 4 but falling short of others like Elden Ring. Meanwhile, Destiny 2 ranked 61st in full-game sales.

The Destiny Impact

Piers Harding-Rolls from Ampere Analysis commented that Destiny is the standout success in combining the looter shooter genre with the live service model. Bungie’s transition to a free-to-play model in 2019 served as a benchmark for maintaining player satisfaction.

Destiny’s influence is visible in many games, including Anthem and The Division. Even now, titles like Helldivers 2 and The First Descendant draw inspiration from Destiny. However, most publishers did not anticipate the investment needed to match Destiny's scale and success.

"Everyone's leaned on the 'Bungie magic' and the rabbit hasn't always come out of the hat in the way everyone had hoped"

Mat Piscatella, Circana

Speaking on the shortcomings of games like Anthem, Weber noted these titles failed to learn from Destiny’s achievements, suffering technical issues and underestimating players' hunger for content.

Circana's Mat Piscatella acknowledged that although Destiny set a benchmark for retaining long-term player engagement, others like Fortnite and Minecraft now lead this space. He observed that many games, including Borderlands 3 and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, tried to replicate Destiny’s formula but failed to achieve the same level of success.

"Most games inspired by Destiny have been unable to deliver its longevity and long-term engagement"

Piers Harding-Rolls, Ampere Analysis

Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan noted Destiny's impact extended even to other genres, influencing games like Overwatch and Apex Legends. He highlighted Destiny’s ongoing innovation with its RPG elements and varied characters, suggesting the continued evolution of RPG shooters.

Bungie's Road Ahead

Destiny's influence on the gaming industry is undeniable, particularly in shaping the trajectory of live service games. Despite its impact, Circana's Piscatella hesitated to attribute the industry's direction solely to Destiny. Instead, he emphasized Bungie's evolving relationship with publishers throughout the years.

Destiny's development began as a collaboration between Bungie and Activision Blizzard, but the partnership ended two years earlier than planned. Bungie's journey continued as an independent studio before Sony purchased it for $3.6 billion.

Despite hurdles, Destiny 2 appears to maintain a strong player base. Harding-Rolls notes the recent expansion, The Final Shape, generated player counts nearing seven million across major platforms. While numbers have decreased post-launch, a core group of dedicated users continues to engage daily.

The ongoing success of Destiny 2 is attributed to Bungie's ability to cater to multiple segments of its audience, ranging from PvP and PvE enthusiasts to casual players and hardcore fans. According to Rami Ismail, managing these diverse expectations simultaneously is a massive challenge.

"Destiny has always been super interesting to watch from the perspective of a director and designer, but I don't envy them. That's a monster to tame."

Rami Ismail

There is no certainty in predicting Destiny 3's potential success amidst such a competitive market filled with live service giants like Fortnite. Rachel Weber concluded that despite the hurdles, there remains a loyal audience for Destiny. She expressed hope that Bungie's forthcoming project, Marathon, could build on this foundation under Sony.