According to KitGuru.net, Destiny 2 has been struggling throughout 2025 with player retention issues and disappointing performance from The Edge of Fate expansion. Known Destiny leaker Colony Deaks claims Bungie has begun early development on Destiny 3, marking a significant reversal from their previous plan to keep Destiny 2 running indefinitely like World of Warcraft. The game has been losing players for months despite fundamental changes including a new loot tier system, activity Portal feature, and improved cinematic storytelling. New players aren’t joining because they missed Destiny’s biggest moments after the main 10-year story arc concluded in The Final Shape, while veteran players are leaving due to mixed opinions about the Portal and overall direction. Bungie’s initial post-Final Shape plans clearly aren’t working, forcing the studio to consider a full reset with Destiny 3.
The live service reality check
Here’s the thing about the “forever game” model – it sounds great in boardroom presentations, but the reality is much messier. Bungie bet big on Destiny 2 becoming their version of World of Warcraft, a perpetual machine that just keeps evolving. But MMO history shows us that even the most successful games eventually hit a wall where technical debt and player fatigue become overwhelming. Destiny 2 is seven years old now, built on technology that predates the PS5 and modern gaming PCs. You can only bolt on so many new systems before the foundation starts to crack.
Why reset now makes sense
Basically, Bungie’s caught between two audiences they can’t satisfy simultaneously. Veterans want deeper, more complex systems that build on years of investment. New players look at the mountain of content and mechanics and just nope out. A clean slate with Destiny 3 solves the new player problem instantly – everyone starts from zero. No more worrying about which old expansions are essential or explaining a decade of lore. But here’s the catch: if this leak is true, we’re talking about a project that’s likely 3-4 years out minimum. Can Destiny 2 survive that long in maintenance mode while bleeding dedicated players?
The streamer problem
This might be Bungie’s most immediate concern. When high-profile Destiny streamers like Colony Deaks start reporting negative sentiment and veteran players leave, it creates a vicious cycle. These creators are essentially free marketing – when they’re excited about the game, their enthusiasm is infectious. When they’re critical or move on to other games, that absence is felt across the entire community. Bungie needs these influencers to stick around and eventually champion Destiny 3 whenever it arrives.
Not all bad news
There are some bright spots worth mentioning. The Destiny x Star Wars crossover expansion, Renegades, is generating positive early impressions. Crossovers like this can bring in players from other franchises who might never have tried Destiny otherwise. It’s smart business – tap into established fanbases while you work on the long-term solution. The question is whether these temporary boosts can sustain the game through what could be a very long transition period to whatever comes next.
