What a difference three years can make. In 2014, Destiny launched as the first partnership between Activision and then Halo-alumni Bungie. Its idea of a shared-world shooter was enticing, bringing the structure of existing MMOs and the tight shooting from Bungie’s history to a very open multiplayer-centric service. It was a game that honed in on the goofy, fun-loving aspect of its co-operative play before quickly needing to make a heel-turn on the back of player and critical negative responses. Destiny got a lot better, and its sequel is trying to get things off on the right foot.
That’s evident just by comparing the launch trailers for both the original Destiny, and the one launching in just a few days time. Destiny 2 is front-loaded with lore this time, giving players a more imposing antagonist to rally against while also setting the stakes for the countless battles you’ll end up running through. While this lore was pushed to the side initially in Destiny, its expansions made right on incorporating it better into the structures of the game, to the point where we have a launch trailer that feels more jam packed with narrative than the entirety of the first game.
And it works. There’s a clear motivation for thousands of players to band together and attempt to save the last remnants of humanity from an alien foe, while also contextualising your singular role in a larger conflict. There’s emotion behind it mixed with personality and grandeur, which only serve to make the game feel far greater than the sum of its parts. Because Destiny hasn’t really had a seismic shift in gameplay yet – but that’s fine considering the underlying elements were tight to begin with.
There’s still a lot we don’t know about Destiny 2 that we’ll have to wait until launch for. But if you had to just judge it solely on the tone of this trailer, it’s clear Bungie has certainly been listening.
Last Updated: August 22, 2017
jimz0r
August 23, 2017 at 07:01
Alessandro, is it in the best interest of your readers to be selling trailers for shady game corporations?
This is essentially a review of marketing material, not the actual game itself.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6f5e66cf3cead1eb96d6f18f289af02da171d07f0d5bfd01dadacae96e9cf1fc.jpg
Or is it in the best interest of CH and it’s marketing partners?
Sageville
August 23, 2017 at 09:46
How exactly do you think this website stays afloat?
jimz0r
August 23, 2017 at 10:12
By not actively promoting marketing material of advertisers?
Just a quick question: Does this site plan to review Destiny 2?
The D
August 23, 2017 at 10:40
Yes, yes I do.
Sageville
August 23, 2017 at 10:52
Do you expect this site to not talk about upcoming and possibly one of the biggest titles to release this year… just because it’s also advertised here? Sjoe….
jimz0r
August 23, 2017 at 11:02
No, but I can’t really trust their review of that title either. That a problem for you?
The D
August 23, 2017 at 11:12
Well,that’s like, your opinion. Maaaaaaan.
jimz0r
August 23, 2017 at 11:24
Just want to clarify that I know you guys are just doing what needs to be done. I hold no ill will against you.
I just hope that when that Kane & Lynch 2 situation happens, you can Jeff Gerstmann the shit out of it.
The D
August 23, 2017 at 11:49
Hey! I liked Kane and Lynch 2!
Sageville
August 23, 2017 at 11:41
Apparently it’s a problem for you, better find your reviews somewhere else, preferably on a site that doesn’t advertise….
RinceThis
August 23, 2017 at 11:40
Eh? This was not a sponsored post. If it was we’d state it. This game is a big game. Are we not supposed to post articles on it because we were paid for something completely unrelated?
The D
August 23, 2017 at 10:43
It’s still news. People like this stuff, they’re invested in these games and a post like this does appeal to them.
Have we received money for allowing the site to be skinned in Call of Duty and Destiny products? Yes, yes we have but we’re still able to be objective as well. After all, this is what keeps the site alive.
And I can tell you now, we didn’t receive a single cent for posting that launch trailer. We just did it because we liked it and wanted to.
Alessandro Barbosa
August 23, 2017 at 11:19
I’m…slightly confused over your gripe. Posting trailers and commenting on them is pretty much the bread and butter of most gaming publications. And while it might have been infinitely easier to just embed a link and hop on our merry way, we attempt to provide context and editorial on the stuff we do post (like pointing out tonal differences between games and their marketing, like I did above.)
If it makes you feel any better, we as writers aren’t exposed to the marketing agreements made for advertising, and never allow it to influence what and who we report on. That’s only when posts are sponsored, at which point it is made abundantly clear in the piece that it was paid for. In this case we have an avid reader market for Destiny – one that would be interested in trailers such as these. Just like most other launch trailers for most other games.
And like all the games we report on, we will be reviewing Destiny 2. If you choose to only follow publications that don’t post trailers or anything of the such, those do exists. But for the most part this is a central hub for readers to get a fix on a wide variety of content from the games they’re interested in, and as such content like this is relevant.
Thanks for the input that 🙂
Alessandro Barbosa
August 23, 2017 at 11:21
(PS: I also wish all these conspiracy theories of journalists getting paid hand over fist for supposedly posting trailers was true. I could add to my imaginary yacht collection then instead of wondering how to eat this month)
RinceThis
August 23, 2017 at 11:43
He says from his Ivory tower 😛
jimz0r
August 23, 2017 at 11:43
*quickly googles Alessandro Barbosa, checks out his public Facebook profile*
Yeah, you practically live in poverty dude.
RinceThis
August 23, 2017 at 11:44
Wow man. Please do not start making this personal.
jimz0r
August 23, 2017 at 11:52
When someone starts making flippant remarks about a legitimate concern, I’ll point it out.
RinceThis
August 23, 2017 at 11:57
You are not pointing anything out other than your stalking tendencies. Which I find worrying and far more distasteful than your presumptions about Al.
Alessandro Barbosa
August 23, 2017 at 13:08
So now to further prove that we don’t recieve kickbacks for posting trailers I need to live in poverty? Or is hyperbole lost on you.
Either way my point is clear: we don’t, never will, and never have posted content which is paid for without explicitly making it clear when content is sponsored. If you choose to have weird theories about how we’re getting rich off lying about that, you’re welcome to have them and choose to consume your media from outlets you deem more trustworthy. Cheerio
Pieter Kruger
August 23, 2017 at 08:38
Screw Bungie, I won’t even consider this game until they specify what enhancements/optimizations are being done for Xbox One X version. I simply don’t trusttheir silence regarding this matter, smells like laziness and or paid for parity. Luckily so many other new games to choose from….
Sageville
August 23, 2017 at 09:45
What a silly thing to get emo about….
RinceThis
August 23, 2017 at 11:30
hahaha