Announcing video game sequels can be tricky. Unless the game belongs to an established yearly franchise, like Call of Duty (where people expect frequent releases), announcing a sequel just after release isn't always the best option. Fans will typically assume the worst: studios are rushing to finish the new game or that the developers are simply abandoning the previous game - regardless of how inaccurate those claims are, gamers tend to react poorly to such news. In most situations, complaints of companies making cash-grabs and lying to customers begin to form.
For Destiny, a game that's already had quite a bit of trouble post-launch, announcing a sequel at this point definitely isn't a good choice. Fans have already complained about a lack of content and problems with the game's mechanics, and announcing that a sequel is already in development would only make those players even more upset, regardless of what said announcement actually meant.
Unfortunately for Bungie, the studio behind the game, it's not up to them. As part of a financial call yesterday morning released through Polygon, Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg confirmed that Destiny 2 was in development.
Understandably, there is next to no information about a sequel, just that development on the next game in the Destiny franchise had begun. The game has had an extremely successful launch so far, regardless of criticism, and players already knew that a sequel was inevitable. For Activision, Destiny is an absolutely massive investment: the publisher has planned out a decade's worth of franchise content, even before the first game was a success. On top of that, Bungie has a massive story to tell - all things considered, Destiny was never going to be a one-game franchise.
However, it is important to note that 'in development' means that the game is being worked on, not that the game is anywhere near completion. 'In development' likely means that Bungie has just begun looking at making changes to the gameplay or different story leads to follow, not finalizing character models and environments for a release next year. It's just not the studio's style: during the studio's run with Halo, Bungie would typically release one game every three years. Even if the studio used Destiny's engine as a jumping off point, it's crazy to expect a sequel getting made in less than two years. So, until a full announcement is made, don't expect the game to ship before 2016.
For players who are still worried about the game's content, Bungie is aiming to fix that: Destiny's first expansion, The Dark Below, is on its way. Players should expect to download the expansion on Dec. 9.
Photo: Bungie
