Days after Bungie’s recent round of layoffs, the company hopesDestiny 2’supcomingFinal Shapeexpansion will be apotential savior for the shared-world shooter.
According to a new Forbes report, the developer wants the expansion to be on par withDestiny:The Taken KingandDestiny 2:The Witch Queen. That’s the impetus forShape’srecent delay to June 2024, as Bungie recently affirmed that it wanted to “build something that will be regarded alongside the best games we’ve ever made.”
“We are intensely focused on exceeding your expectations for The Final Shape,” continued Bungie. “Destiny 2has more than 650 dedicated teammates pouring all their energy and expertise into delivering this epic moment and its subsequent Episodes.”
Some staff knew ofShape’sdelay months ago, continued Forbes. But the delay was revealed late enough that Bungie couldn’t create an equivalent toits previous30th Anniversary event to naturallyfill the void inFebruary 2024 (its original release date). Some sort of content will launch around that time, but there are presently no specifics.
Bet it all onDestiny 2:The Final Shape
Bungie’s layoffs were in part blamed onDestiny 2’sdeclining player base, and Forbes notes that engagement and player spending have sharply fallen after the release ofDestiny 2: Lightfallthis past February. Even so, it’s alleged that the expansionsold “very well.”
Ahead of the layoffs, management reportedly looked for various ways to avoid them, though executive compensation was apparentlynot one of those options. Similarly, the developer’s recently acquired new building was said to bea non-factor in the reductions, and the $1.2 billion for employee retention had barely anything left to avoid cuts.
Reportedly, Bungie staff harbor anger towards management, who told them that being acquired by Sony in 2022 saved the studio. Some have made their feelings known in team meetings, with Forbes noting that those who made gambles onthe developer remain after things didn’t pay off.
Destiny 2’slong-term future after these layoffs is currently unclear. It’s said that Bungie hopes to be a multi-property (and multi-revenue) studio between this, itsMarathonreboot, and whatever else is in the pipeline. But it all depends on whetherThe Final Shapecan turn the tide ofDestiny 2,and if its players will stay around to find out.
Forbes’ full report on Bungie andDestiny 2is here.