Destiny 2The Edge of Fate launched earlier this week, and as the beginning of a whole new arc for the series, it has a lot to prove. As beautiful as it was,The Final Shape felt like a swansong forDestiny 2, and many players who had been with the series for its decade-long run chose that moment to be their jumping-off point. As such, there has been a lot of conversation before even the new story arc’s reveal as to howDestinymight recapture its audience after its biggest narrative hook was behind it, and so far, The Edge of Fate is struggling to reignite that fire.
Taking Guardians to Kepler, The Edge of Fate is the first chapter of a new story that focuses on the Nine, introducing dark matter as a core concept that could serve as a new narrative foothold. Several of the new things found inDestiny 2’s latest expansion have been received very well, from much-needed quality of life changes and system revamps to new characters like the enigmatic Lodi. But among all of these necessary changes, it is clear thatDestinyis on a long road to finding its identity again, and more than anything, this is reflected in some cold, hard data.
Player Counts Reveal That Destiny 2 Needs to Go Further Than the Edge of Fate to Truly Shine
Destiny 2is no stranger to ups and downs in its history, with some pretty famous low points such asCurse of Osiris and Season of the Hunt, to name a few. Each time, the game was beset with big issues, and the community was making its voice heard loud and clear. But Bungie, the veteran studio behind two of the most iconic FPS franchises ever, always found a way back, and each time the community was there to rally behind a studio that had embraced its issues and come back stronger.
This time, though, the rallying cry has revealed a lot aboutDestiny 2’s current predicament. With The Edge of Fate’s launch,Destiny 2’s 24-hour peak concurrent Steam player count was 99,131. This is unprecedented for the series so far, as even the controversial Beyond Light expansion drew in 241,843 at its peak, and by comparison with The Final Shape’s 314,379, it’s less than a third.
Obviously, it was expected that many players would fall off after the Light and Darkness Saga was completed, but Bungie was most likely hoping that the draw of a new story could bring players back with new mysteries and secrets. So far, that hasn’t moved the needle for many fans, and it could be a sign thatDestiny 2needs to go further than Keplerif it wants to really excite.
While Player Numbers Might Be Concerning, They Are Consistent With One Trend
Though the numbers are significantly lower than normal, they do follow a historic pattern. Generally, eachexpansion inDestiny 2’s history has increased its playerbase approximately threefold. This can be seen most recently in The Final Shape, where 116,000 players the month before became 314,000 upon its release. The same is true for The Edge of Fate, where before the peak, player count was around 38,000; the expansion boosted it to 99,000, almost three times higher. While The Edge of Fate could perhaps have offered a more compelling reason to get invested inDestinyall over again, it also shows that maybe a core contingent of players are just checked out no matter what. Once The Final Shape came and went, so did they, and Bungie should look elsewhere for its audience.
Destiny 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian’s look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.An Immersive StoryYou are a Guardian, defender of the Last City of humanity in a solar system under siege by infamous villains. Look to the stars and stand against the darkness. Your legend begins now.Guardian ClassesChoose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter.
