Destiny 2 player numbers plummet after Final Shape’s “Endgame” finale

Destiny 2 player numbers plummet after Final Shape’s “Endgame” finale

As a long-time Destiny 2 player, I find myself saddened by the dwindling numbers of fellow Guardians traversing the cosmos alongside me. I’ve been with this game since its inception, through its highs and lows, and watched as countless friends came and went. But the latest trend is concerning – the exodus of players following the release of The Final Shape expansion.


Players have been gradually departing from Destiny 2 due to the shift in the game’s format from a standalone title to more episodic content, as suggested by Bungie’s eight-year-old MMO. Regrettably, the departure of players seems most prominent outside of its dedicated fanbase, leading to concerns about player retention. However, it’s essential to understand why Destiny 2 is experiencing a decrease in active players.

Destiny 2 player numbers keep falling

Although The Final Shape in Destiny 2 was one of the most powerful expansions in years, gamers are still choosing to depart from Bungie’s MMO. Since the game’s latest expansion is marketed as the conclusion of Destiny’s initial storyline, numerous players feel there’s little reason left to play.

According to data compiled by Reddit from Steam Charts, it appears that many players of Destiny 2 have moved on from the game following The Witch Queen expansion. While the average number of players hovered around 67,000 after the release of The Witch Queen, the player count for Lightfall reached approximately 76,000. This suggests a slight increase in players sticking with Destiny 2 despite the release of a new expansion.

Compared to the number of Destiny 2 players following The Final Shape release, there are only about 43,000 left playing. Although The Final Shape was highly praised as an expansion, Destiny’s transition from weekly logins to episodic content seems to be driving many players towards other games.

“One fan commented, ‘I’m not sure the episodic release format helped much,’ but many players probably bought it to find out how the story concluded and have since moved on. With the game being nearly a decade old, this kind of fading interest is to be expected.”

Players compared The Final Shape game to Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame movie. Over the course of ten years, many gamers followed the story and found a satisfying ending. Consequently, some players have decided they’ve had enough with Destiny.

The future of Destiny 

As I’m typing this, it’s uncertain what Bungie has in store for the entire Destiny series. A cancelled Destiny side project was recently exposed, yet as they continue to support Destiny 2, it remains undecided if or when a Destiny 3 might be launched.

As a gamer, I’m excited to share that Bungie is working on a new project called Marathon. It’s an action-packed hero shooter with an emphasis on team-based extractions, inspired by their classic 1994 Mac First-Person Shooter game of the same name.

Nevertheless, this isn’t doom and gloom for Destiny. As it stands, the MMO still has a strong core audience, and that audience spreads across more than just Steam. However, these player numbers are a good insight into the current state of Bungie’s MMO. 

Read More

2024-08-22 12:10