Latest news with #Destiny2
Forbes
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Calculating How Many Players ‘Destiny 2: The Edge Of Fate' Will Launch With, Per Math
Destiny 2: Edge of Fate Destiny 2 is entering a much different new era in a month, one which will launch the next few years of the game. It's switching from an annual expansion and four seasons to two smaller expansions and four 'major updates' that are not seasons, and the entire project is called 'Frontiers.' Its first expansion is The Edge of Fate, which will be out on July 15, just under a month from now. One open question is just how many players Edge of Fate will launch with, namely, who will have stuck around since the launch of Destiny 2's The Final Shape a year ago, given the context of how the game will work now. I think we can use math to at least get a pretty good estimate of this, given the difference between the pre-expansion lows of the playerbase and then what they spiked to at actual launch. We will, of course, have to use Steam for this, as we don't have data elsewhere. We only have from Beyond Light forward for Steam, so no Forsaken or Shadowkeep. Pre-Beyond Light Month (Oct 2020) – 94,000 concurrents Beyond Light (Nov 2020) – 242,000 concurrents Increase – 2.57x Pre-Witch Queen Month (Jan 2022) – 78,000 concurrents FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Witch Queen (Feb 2022) – 290,000 concurrents Increase – 3.71x Pre-Lightfall Month (Jan 2023) – 96,000 concurrents Lightfall (Feb 2023) – 316,000 concurrents Increase – 3.29x Pre-Final Shape Month (May 2024) – 116,000 concurrents The Final Shape (June 2024) – 314,000 concurrents Increase – 2.7x increase Destiny 2 So, what I'll do here is average the increases together, which would be a 3.01x increase Then, we take the current playercount figures for this month, the month before Edge of Fate release: 38,000 3.01 x 38,000 = a potential 114,000 peak. That would be below half of Beyond Light and Witch Queen and close to a third of Lightfall and Final Shape. I also think you might be able to say that this could be an over-estimate if the idea is that in the post-Light and Darkness era, a brand new, lower-profile, smaller-scale expansion may prove less attractive. I'm not trying to dunk on the game here, but I do think we have to be realistic about the new normal for Destiny 2 going forward. I've avoided reporting on the 'record lows' the game has hit almost every month since The Final Shape, but now reality is approaching as we try to see what level of surge we're getting for these smaller expansions. Then, of course, we'd have to see how the second expansion did six months later, the Star Wars-themed Renegades. The way this works out on the revenue side is if the cost of making less content with fewer employees works with the new lower, average playercount in a way that doesn't put the game deeply in the red. This is not a short-term experiment, this is the plan for a few more years at least with no Destiny 3 on the horizon. It will have to work at least to some degree, as at this point, I don't think it's a safe bet that Bungie can rely on the upcoming Marathon to be the huge boost the studio needs (we've talked that to death at this point). Maybe Edge of Fate will prove surprising, but it's a smaller expansion, offering less content, outside the long-term Light and Darkness saga. Expectations will have to be adjusted accordingly. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Daily Mirror
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
This month's Xbox Game Pass roster is the start of a huge year for players
Xbox Game Pass is getting a major new drop of games, after a huge collection of titles were revealed to be on the way to the service over the next year or so A fresh batch of games is set to arrive on Xbox Game Pass, promising to delight both shooter and sports enthusiasts with the latest additions. Xbox Game Pass has faced some stiff competition in the gaming subscription arena. PlayStation has been dominating the game in recent weeks, turning a disappointing drop into a major surprise PS Plus reveal that offers players more Destiny 2 expansions and Another Crab's Treasure. This was followed by its own PlayStation State of Play as part of the massive reveals of showcase season, announcing big hitters like Sword of the Sea, Twisted Metal 3 and 4, and Resident Evil 2 and 3 set to join the service soon. However, Xbox has plenty more in store. Since the release of Doom: The Dark Ages, the service has significantly upped its game by introducing Metaphor ReFantazio in a May drop and offering a newly remastered Warhammer 40K: Space Marine on Xbox Game Pass. It's a colossal victory for players, and it appears to be getting even bigger with a substantial recent drop. Moreover, with the bonus announcement of a plethora of games set to join the service over the next year, it's going to be better than ever when they arrive. So, what exactly is new in the latest Xbox Game Pass announcement? Here's what you need to know. Xbox Game Pass update for June 2025 A significant collection of games is set to arrive with the new Xbox Game Pass update, as revealed in a recent blog post. The lineup includes games that will appeal to both casual players and serious gamers. Here's what's included in the latest Xbox Game Pass update: Xbox Game Pass Standard Baldur's Gate Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC EA FC 25 This is fantastic news for fans of Control, as FBC: Firebreak is launching simultaneously on PS Plus. This means you can assemble a team regardless of your chosen console. It's time to return to The Oldest House. Xbox Game Pass games leaving As always, a small selection of games are departing the service to make room for the newcomers. It's unfortunate, especially since an excellent sandbox game is being removed from the pass this time. Here's every game set to leave Xbox Game Pass on Sunday, 15 June: Xbox Game Pass' massive showcase roster You've seen everything coming to the service soon, but there's still a robust list of games set to arrive on Xbox Game Pass over the next year or so, as revealed at the most recent Xbox Games Showcase. It's an extensive and impressive collection of quality titles. Here's everything revealed at the showcase to be on its way to the service: Call of Duty Let's not mince words – this is a colossal number of games dropping into players' laps at no additional cost. Whether it's blockbuster hits like Black Ops 7 or the eagerly anticipated Hollow Knight Silksong, it's becoming increasingly evident that if there's a major game heading to Xbox, odds are, it's also coming to Xbox Game Pass – making a subscription practically indispensable for gamers wanting to keep up with the latest releases. The forthcoming year promises to provide fans with plenty to do, and in the face of fierce competition, Microsoft has demonstrated why its subscription service deserves recognition, not only because it essentially pioneered it in the gaming world, but because it continues to be top-notch. A massive influx of games is set to hit the service as if this month's Xbox Game Pass update wasn't robust enough. Brace yourself for a significant loss of free time when these games finally land – particularly with Super Meat Boy 3D. That one's going to be a challenge.
Forbes
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
The ‘Destiny 2: Edge Of Fate' Grind Sounds Questionable At Best
Destiny 2 Edge of Fate We've been able to digest the glut of information we got from the recent creator visit to Bungie headquarters focused on July's Edge of Fate expansion for Destiny 2. The game is now entering a new, untested phase called 'frontiers' with two small expansions a year and 'major updates' instead of actual seasons or episodes. And now, the goal is for Bungie to keep players grinding. And grinding. And grinding. Of course, the grind is a core part of the looter shooter, and that's always been true with Destiny. But I find myself reading through all this and uttering 'ehhhh' more I consume. Granted, we won't fully know how this all works until we experience it in practice, but I'm finding some red flags here and there. The idea is already that Destiny is trying to do more with less. The developer has been slashed to half of what it was a few years ago, plus a chunk of devs are now working on Marathon. So the game is shrinking, hence the two smaller expansions, one raid and one dungeon a year. The goal seems to be to stretch out those two expansions into lengthy, six-month super-seasons punctuated by larger updates in the middle, albeit again, not something like an old season launch. Destiny 2 FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Bungie is inventing new ways to grind and pursue power, but it feels like it's going to be quite a shift in terms of both the systems themselves. There is what appears to be a seasonal armor grind that will almost force players to complete it if they want the max amount of damage reduction. It's a way to encourage a grind, sure, but in a way that feels more like a punishment if you don't do it rather than a bonus if you do. The same goes for a grind that will flat-out increase your damage with certain weapons over the course of a season. This is also combined with the concept of 'New Gear' as one aspect of how this is going to work. While Bungie says your old gear is 'viable,' it sounds like the goal is definitely a form of soft-sunsetting, as you can see in the most recent TWAB: On top of that, there will not be an increase in vault space, so you're going to have to start cleaning house given how much old gear will be sub-par under the new system even if you can technically use it. New Gear is also the only way you can push your power over the new 200 cap, a system that involves a new form of dismantling and materials that makes infusion more convoluted than it is now, which does not sound like a terribly positive addition. This raises questions about power-enabled activities like Trials of Osiris and raids and the caps for higher level Nightfalls and such, a re-grind that sounds more intense than what we currently have if it's only limited to New Gear. The other issue I see with all this that I'm not seeing mentioned much is that the entire structure of the game changing to be about 'portals,' which will range from strikes to old season activities to new ones added every so often. It's meant to streamline the new player process of knowing what to do but simply shifting around portal activities every major update feels like a somewhat underwhelming motivation to do these grinds in the first place. All of this feels like a stab at what players wanted from a Destiny 3, a hard reset, but without getting…actual Destiny 3. Rather new content drops that are probably a tenth of what a Destiny 3 would look like if it were real. And I'm not sure hard-ish resets without an actual new game, just a new 'era,' will produce the result they hope it does. This is, of course, all a pre-judgement. Even the creators who got to play the Edge of Fate were mostly focused on things like trying out new weapons or early campaign moments. We have a month or so until we see how this works, but I am a bit concerned at this point. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Forbes
05-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
‘Destiny 2' Is Un-Nerfing ‘Edge Of Fate' Nerfs A Month Early
Destiny 2 There was a giant dump truck of Destiny 2: Edge of Fate information out this past week due to a large-scale creator event that produced an infinite number of YouTube videos on aspects of the new expansion. It was very fun to parse through as I sat in a hospital room with my newborn daughter, but on the tail end of all of it, something caught my eye. That would be a change that Bungie is making in response to creator and player feedback about a nerf they had planned for the Edge of Fate, which will now be un-nerfed a month ahead of the launch of the expansion. The idea was that Prismatic as a subclass is too strong right now, and it needed to be hammered down a bit rather than buffing five other subclasses. But those nerfs, particularly to aspects and fragments, were not well-received and said to be 'destroying' certain elements of the subclass. Now, Bungie is changing its tune. Here's what it said in a recent message: 'While we're still planning an overall tuning pass for Prismatic for a future date, featuring buffs alongside other changes, we'll be changing our approach for The Edge of Fate a bit in response to your feedback.' 'Aspects that were originally planned to be reduced to 1 fragment slot will remain at 2. We feel this is a good middle ground where some of the more potent Aspects are being tuned down, but not too much. Of course, we'll be playtesting this change internally before The Edge of Fate launch as well to make sure it's the right decision.' FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder They also listed the changes to the changes below: So, still some nerfs, but nothing is going all the way down to 1, which felt a bit extreme. Bungie goes on to explain that despite these changes, when Prismatic is combined with new stats, new gear-tiering and armor 3.0, it's going to be a strong choice for either ad-clearing or boss DPS, even with fragment slot loss. We'll see, I suppose. We have not gotten a full list of subclass tuning for the upcoming Destiny 2: Edge of Fate expansion yet which is no doubt coming, as most of the focus has been on the new systems thus far. Hopefully, we'll hear more soon. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Digital Trends
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
3 new PlayStation Plus games to play this weekend (May 30-June 1)
Under normal circumstances, we would have to wait until next week to get our drop of new PlayStation Plus games, but this is a special occasion. We're currently right at the start of the Days of Play event where Sony celebrates with tons of community events and huge discounts on PS5 games and accessories. The icing on the cake is that we're not only getting four new games for Essential members, but an additional four for Extra and two more for Premium, with several already available. That's a lot to keep up with if you weren't prepared for it, which is where I come in. We will have to wait for most of the games until Tuesday, but here are a few new games you can start playing over this weekend to start the celebrations early. Destiny 2: The Final Shape With all the talk surrounding Marathon, Bungie, and live service games as a whole, it might feel in bad form to recommend The Final Shape right now. However, for what it's worth, Bungie did manage to make what looks like its last major expansion to the Destiny universe its best yet. This feels like the true swansong of the 10+ year journey players have been on since launch in all the right ways. The story is as complex as ever overall, but the micro moments with characters and the buildup to missions and major battles are thrilling. Gunplay, as always, is a joy with even more ways to break open the game. If you're overly pessimistic about Bungie right now, this might help remind you that it can still deliver. Recommended Videos Destiny 2: The Final Shape is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Another Crab's Treasure Don't be fooled by the tone or presentation of this game. Another Crab's Treasure is a deep (pun intended) soulslike with a style all its own that is way more than just a fun parody. Sure, you will see deliberate jabs here and there, like how the game takes place in the Sands Between, but the gameplay is dead serious. Besides its underwater setting, what sets this game apart is its shell mechanic. Depending on what shell your crab is wearing, you have access to a different ability. If even the mention of the word soulslike turns you off, fear not. This game is meant to be beginner-friendly and has plenty of accessibility and assist options. Another Crab's Treasure is available now on PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC. Alone in the Dark 2 I'm taking you way back with this pick, but stick with me because I have a reason. Sadly, I can't put the very first game on the list since it isn't on PS Plus, so Alone in the Dark 2 will have to do. This is the sequel to the game that essentially inspired all survival horror games after. It is a bit rough on the eyes now, and just as clunky as it was in the '90s, but just as creepy and astounding when you consider the era it came out in. But beyond being a classic I think anyone should try, next week we are getting the 2024 reboot that sadly went overlooked by most. There's no need to play this first to understand the modern entry, but it is always a fun exercise to see where a series started compared to where it is now. Alone in the Dark 2 is available now on PS4, PS5, and PC.
