By now, the reality that dungeons inDestiny 2will no longer be a part of the season pass has begun to set in for most players. While many fans of the game aren’t thrilled about the change to this type of content, it’s a step that makes sense for securing the financial future ofDestiny 2. For the live service game to remain free to play at its base, some of its content will need to be paid for. This isn’t a bad thing, andDestiny 2as a live game might be one of the best ways it has evolved, allowing the title to adapt to its audience and balance different mechanics as needed over the years.
As great as the evolutions thatDestiny 2has gone through are, the idea of its dungeons being treated as DLC feels like a step in the wrong direction. Whilethe current dungeon debacle inDestiny 2almost immediately had many fans up in arms, the added price point of the dungeons isn’t the most discouraging thing. Another aspect that feels a bit more off base is how Year 5 dungeons will likely interact with cross-play and cross-save inDestiny 2.
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New Dungeons in Destiny 2
Destiny 2recently implemented full cross-play functionality and has had cross-save data accessible for a while. The latter means that Guardians can continue to have access to their gear and different classes on multiple systems without having to worry about lost progress. This is great for keeping players engaged and provides options for those who may have access to different systems at different times. However, the most recent This Week At Bungie post makes a clear note that the upcomingBungie 30th Anniversary Packis somewhat of a step away from this.
With the paid 30th Anniversary content being treated as DLC, it means that the newest dungeon coming toDestiny 2will be removed from the accessibility of cross-save. The added price points of dungeons and their removal from seasonal content is not a choice that has gone over well for many. In the past, new dungeons weren’t blocked off from players the way they look to be in the future, and adding the new dungeon nearthe end of Season of the Lostmarks a rather significant change forDestiny 2.
With The Shattered Throne,Pit of Heresy, and Prophecy dungeons as part of an expansion or seasonal content, there were straightforward options for obtaining them, and the seasonal approach made them accessible on different platforms. If the dungeons in Year 5 take the same approach as the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack dungeon, then less content seems to be getting offered to players at a higher price point. This approach makes fiscal sense when it comes to complete expansions, but applying it to dungeons feels likeDestiny 2is taking more away from the players who are interested than it’s offering them.
This might not seem like a big deal to some, as dungeons don’t make up the most important aspects ofDestiny 2, but they’re still fun activities. Even withoutmatchmaking for all activities inDestiny 2, dungeons are a great middle-ground for Guardians interested in end-game content. With smaller fireteams, dungeons in the past have been easily accessible yet challenging pieces ofDestiny 2content that players didn’t have to worry about purchasing on each of the platforms they might play on. Treating dungeons as DLC with an approach that’s closer to the way expansions are rolled out rather than seasonal content will mean the opposite, forcing players to be tied to one system rather than being able to move between PC and consoles as they wish.
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Future Destiny 2 Dungeons
Avoiding this feels like an easy fix forDestiny 2. Moving forward, and even starting with the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack, dungeons should be accessible on all platforms once they’re purchased by Guardians. While they might not be as influential on the entire community as seasonal content likeNiobe Labs, that doesn’t mean players shouldn’t be allowed to access dungeons from whichever platform they’re playing on at the time.
However, if dungeons do remain accessible like this, players should still expect that they’ll need to pay for them. It’s clear thatDestiny 2is trying a new approach when it comes to introducing new dungeons to the game. With the reintroduction of Gjallarhorn alongside the new dungeon and the possibility ofDestiny 2bringing back two classic exotic weapons, more reprised content could reappear in a similar DLC bundle like the Bungie 30 Anniversary Pack. This might not be seen as the best approach, but the goal now should be to make this method more palatable to as many players as possible asDestiny 2moves forward.
A task like this might be difficult to accomplish, though, as having to pay extra for content that otherwise felt free in the past is something that players aren’t likely to ever accept willingly. Making that content feel like the price tag is justifiable is something that can be hard, and current actions likeadding Gjallarhorn could be a double-edged sword. Still, it is just as important as making dungeons enjoyable, and how much they cost and what they come with could become a deciding factor for players trying to figure out ifDestiny 2is worth their money.
Since dungeons will likely be a middle ground between seasonal content and expansions for the foreseeable future, this becomes even more important. How they are implemented is going to be something that players will pay attention to until a new model is introduced inDestiny 2. Actions like these can set the tone for a game,with its community either being positive or negative.Destiny 2has often had a positive relationship with its player base, and recent changes to the Trials of Osiris show fans’ voices are heard. As more is added to the game, andthe Light and Darkness story inDestiny 2continues, it’s important that this remains true for dungeons and other content as well.
Destiny 2is now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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