Like a fine wine, Destiny is a game that many would agree improved with age. As Bungie incorporated lessons learned into expansion packs and DLC, the sci-fi saga built bigger and better things on some already solid foundations.
Despite those improvements, Bungie openly admits it never quite figured out how to ensure the game felt inviting to new players further down the line. And when you’re building a game designed to endure, that’s a fairly critical lesson. Fortunately, the studio says it’s finally landed on a solution.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Destiny 2 project lead Mark Noseworthy explained the sequel will be more “generous,” offering the same sense of satisfaction irrespective of whether your a gunslinging veteran or fresh faced Guardian stepping into the unknown.
“[The original] was a game that became difficult to recommend,” commented Noseworthy. “It got to this point where, you know, your brother-in-law or someone would ask you: ‘Hey, should I be playing this Destiny game?’ And my first instinct would be like, ‘Mmm, I don’t know if I’ve got enough time to carry you for that period of time, where I’m gonna have to explain everything.’
“One of the biggest aims for the sequel is to make sure that the treasure-hunting aspect, where you slay some big monster from outer space and then the game rewards you with loot (e.g., a gun or piece of armor), feels satisfying for every type of player. We’re trying to make the game more generous and more clear about cause and effect.”
To hear more from Noseworthy, be sure to check out the full interview over on Rolling Stone.