Destiny 2’s Shadowkeep expansion did a lot right in terms of narrative by bringing back the Traveler’s (and thus, the Guardian’s) greatest antagonist: the Darkness. The subsequent seasons have developed their own storyline, somewhat independent from this main storyline, but all of it geared toward the overarching narrative. Of course, the game still has its faults, with some fans unhappy about the Devil’s Ruin sidequest, but the narrative is shaping up to lead to big things.
What that turns out to be is all rumor and speculation for now, but it also serves as a big lead in to the eventual threequel, Destiny 3. And if Bungie continues on this path, it seems likely that the threequel could seize these (and other) details to be a more-than-worthwhile successor to Destiny 2. This is also saying something, given the tendency for continuous sequels to often fail to capture the magic of its predecessor, so with that in mind, here are a few ways Destiny 3 could be better than Destiny 2.
Darkness Subclasses
One of the biggest rumors swirling around about Destiny 3 is that there would be Guardian subclasses related to the Darkness. That’s a big deal for a number of reasons and opens up a ton of loaded questions, but before moving forward, it’s worth mentioning that it doesn’t sound out there. After all, Shadowkeep’s twist ending set this up quite nicely, and it would likely offer new tricks to legacy players. The very concept and what it implies - a potential struggle between the Traveler and the Darkness for the players, a mastery itself over the Darkness - sounds big, so if Bungie pulled it off right, it would already be an eye-catching fact for fans of the franchise.
Pure Bungie Development
Activision and Bungie splitting early last year was one of the biggest gaming surprises of 2019, and while the verdict is still out for many on whether this is the right call or not, there’s something that this does promise Bungie with Destiny 3: freedom. Now, that’s not to say that Activision was an overbearing publisher (Bungie has, in fact, stated that this was not the case), but this means the next game will be entirely Bungie’s visions. And if Shadowkeep was any indication of its vision, it sounds like fans could be in for a treat, even if it is some time before Destiny 3 releases.
PS5 and Xbox Series X
Perhaps this is somewhat obvious, but Destiny 3 will likely release on next-gen consoles, the PS5 and Xbox Series X. As such, there will be a ton of development and graphical boons that could theoretically make Destiny 3 stand out in the franchise, but that’s not all. While speculation for Destiny 3’s release date puts it at late 2021-2022, reports have indicated that development time for PS5 and Xbox Series X could see a major cut, as they are supposedly easier to work with. While that all remains to be seen, it’ll be nice to see Destiny in the next generation.
Destiny 2 Season and Expansions
Shadowkeep, Season of the Undying, Season of the Dawn, and the related Season Passes have set a bar for post-launch content in the Destiny franchise. Although none of this is without its own faults, the make-up and the mechanic has been mostly well-received. Ergo, Destiny 3 should only have to continue this pattern with new and better content to succeed it, but that’s not all.
These expansions have an overbranching narrative in mind, at least for Shadowkeep, so as the narrative develops in future season, it can be seen as a lead-in for Destiny 3. And, all things considered, this could mean big things (or, at least, big shoes to fill) for the threequel.
Next-Gen Competition
Competition breeds success, and while the playing field for next generation has yet to be fully established, it’s worth mentioning that Destiny 2 has had a strong showing with current competition. There are those who think Borderlands 3 is better than Destiny 2, but there’s been nothing to slow D2’s roll regardless. Even against the looter shooter threequel, other looter shooters like Division 2, or even against other service games like Fortnite and Apex Legends, D2 has held out strongly.
Destiny 3’s competition could very well not be out yet, but when 2021-2022 rolls around, there’s little doubt that there will be competition to become a de facto title on both the PS5 and Xbox Series X. One title, right now, that could prove to be competition is Godfall, which could be the next Destiny in terms of its looter-slasher mechanics and style. But that’ll come out before Destiny 3 and could slow down by its release, or Destiny 3 could go head-to-head with it and other countless games. And again, nothing breeds success like competition, a proven factor for Destiny 2 that could do great things for Destiny 3.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
