Amidst the launch of a $15 microtransaction pack accompanying Season of the Wish in Destiny 2, Bungie faced backlash from its community.
Acknowledging the situation, Bungie has taken steps to address the issue by completely removing the controversial pack. This period has been challenging for Bungie, marked by layoffs impacting numerous employees, including long-standing individuals like Destiny 2 composer Michael Salvatori. Additionally, the highly anticipated The Final Shape expansion faced a four-month delay, pushing its release from February to June 2024 and extending the ongoing season.
With the community already feeling disheartened by recent events, including a decline in Destiny 2 player numbers, the introduction of a new controversy only added to the turmoil. As a free-to-play game, Bungie often relies on microtransactions, typically offering cosmetic items. However, in tandem with Season of the Wish, Bungie introduced a Starter Pack featuring three less popular exotic guns, a Sparrow, Ghost Shell, Ship, and various in-game resources like glimmer and ascendant shards.
The Destiny 2 community responded with strong disapproval, including criticism from notable figures like Datto and Rick Kackis. The bundle aimed at newer players was heavily criticized for being unnecessary, especially given its $15 price tag, which nearly matched the cost of the Forsaken Pack offering access to the Shattered Throne Dungeon, Last Wish Raid, and around 20 meta-relevant exotic weapons. Moreover, it was pricier than the current pass for Season of the Wish, which included the new Dragon’s Breath exotic rocket launcher upon purchase.
In response to the severe backlash, Bungie released a statement acknowledging the community’s concerns, admitting that the Starter Pack did not bring joy to players. Consequently, the studio promptly removed the pack from online stores like Steam, acknowledging that newer players should prioritize other aspects of Destiny 2 before pursuing exotic weapons, cosmetics, and upgrade materials.
While some in the community advocate for these items to be freely accessible to new players as a gesture of goodwill, the situation remains unresolved. Bungie recently announced a new collaboration for Season of the Wish with CD Projekt RED’s popular Witcher video game franchise, introducing a set of armor for each class inspired by the various Witcher Houses, along with emotes and other cosmetic items.