It’s never too early to start talking about Destiny 3. At least, that’s what it seems like as of late. Reddit user AnonTheNine, a very reputable source for Destiny leaks, has begun to divulge some tasty details about what we can expect to see in Destiny 3.
In a response to a Reddit thread I posted this past week, AnonTheNine revealed that Destiny 3 had just begun development for a fall 2020 release. Also, game director Christopher Barrett is at the helm, with Destiny 2 launch game director Luke Smith playing a large part in the development. Check out my report from a couple days ago to get the details for the significance of all this.
Since then, AnonTheNine seems to be on a roll, sharing many new details about the core of the game. He was either listening in on some kind of pitch meeting, or is literally Christopher Barrett himself. That’s probably not the case, but I can’t help but chuckle at the genius of a move like that if it were true.
So let’s outline a few of the details that he’s posted. Remember that all of the following is not confirmed or commented on by Bungie, so take everything with a grain of salt.
Europa. Image Credit NASA.
Europa!
Let’s start with the first interesting point of interest. In a thread posted by AnonTheNine, the above picture of Europa, Jupiter’s moon, was posted with the title “Can’t Wait.” Later in the comments, he clarified by confirming Europa would be a new location in Destiny 3.
Europa has always been a point of interest in Destiny. Never actually appearing in-game, we have seen concept art for Europa in the past. In the image below you can see what appears to be a compound buried under a frozen Europa tundra, with Jupiter looming in the background.
Early Destiny 1 Exploration Concept Art
We have already visited one of Jupiter’s other moons, Io, so Europa isn’t much of a stretch. There would be many secrets to discover; if this concept art is any indication of what the final destination will look like.
Next, AnonTheNine goes on to talk about the game mode offerings. In a response to another thread, he states:
“Guardians using darkness. OW areas PvPvE.”
Expanding on this, it implies that guardians will be able to use darkness powers. Also that the OW, or Overworld area will allow for Players fighting alien A.I. in addition to other guardians at the same time. Similar to Gambit currently, but on a more massive scale.
There isn’t any indication on whether this will be presented as a game mode or if it will simply be the new “patrol” experience. Either way, this will help make the world feel more alive. However, as with everything else, there needs to be a fictional reason why we are combating against other guardians. Which leads to the next leak.
Destiny 2 Dark Forest Concept Art
Light vs. Dark
The next detail was in reference to Light versus Dark powers. AnonTheNine went on to explain that we will have the option to ally ourselves with the light, or the dark. It’s hard to see how there could be a fictional excuse for this being a thing that we do, but perhaps that’s the point.
If this is a concept Chris Barrett and his team are exploring, let’s hope it’s well fleshed out in the story and setup. It will be interesting to see how this manifests in game. Will our current elemental subclasses be replaced with Dark and Light subclasses (a la Metroid Prime Echoes), or could this simply be a loyalty of some kind? Perhaps it could be related to the factions. The purpose of the factions Dead Orbit, Future War Cult, and New Monarchy are still up in the air. Fighting for your faction would be a great use of the concept. A civil war amidst looming and certain annihilation. Those stakes could be very interesting.
A Little more “Hardcore-y”
It’s no secret that Destiny 2 launched with a more casual player-base in mind. Omitting many of the game’s deeper systems for a more streamlined and ultimately shallow experience. A lot of that initial damage has been repaired with the return to form we know as the current Forsaken release, but it seems Bungie is prepared to risk it all again with a total transformation. This time however, it’s tipping things to the opposite end of the spectrum.
In yet another reddit thread, AnonTheNine mentioned that Bungie has learned their lessons well with how Destiny 2 went down. Destiny will push its RPG elements much further and be much more “Hardcore-y”. He also mentions that causal players who are only used to putting in a couple hours here and there will leave the game, hinting at just how hardcore Destiny 3 might be. Now this last sentiment could just be what he heard as a concern from some of the Bungie or Activision higher-ups.
Hopefully they will come to see that the solid foundation a smaller, more loyal player-base provides for long-term franchises. In this context “hardcore” is referring to the approach-ability of the games various systems, complete with more specific stats that use numbers instead of vague descriptions.
Destiny 2 Exploration Concept Art
For Love of the Hobby
Personally, the more hardcore and investment-driven, the better, but only if the activities and the world can keep up on the content side. Bungie constantly underestimates their community’s ability to jam through content. That being said, let’s hope they take this pre-production stage more seriously, and plan for a longer, more steady stream of content to support a more hardcore experience.
Bungie had a lot to prove with Destiny 3. There is still another major expansion allegedly slated for fall of 2019, which should maintain or amplify the current cadence and progression we have now. We will likely not hear about Destiny 3 until spring of 2020 at the latest. If AnonTheNine is as close to the project as it seems, we might just get a steady stream of information as things progress. Let’s hope we like everything we hear.
Recent Comments