In the days following the announcement that 220 roles were being made redundant at Destiny 2 developer Bungie, some details of a recently canceled project set in that universe have been revealed. While this was never going to be Destiny 3, it would have seen the world of the Traveler, Guardians, and the Witness be expanded in a new way. That’s not happening anymore, with Bungie’s resources being devoted to updating Destiny 2 and working on the upcoming Marathon relaunch instead.
A report has revealed that the Destiny 2 spinoff, titled Payback, was intended to be a completely new adventure set in the game’s universe. It would see familiar characters from the FPS game be controlled by players to solve puzzles, face down foes, and explore the game’s world. The two titles targeted as inspiration were Genshin Impact and Warframe, the latter being a surprise given how intertwined Destiny 2 and Warframe have often become in the gaming world’s mind.
This spinoff wasn’t intended to be an FPS like its parent – instead it would allow players to switch between first-and-third person perspectives. This wouldn’t be entirely new to the Destiny 2 universe, as riding Sparrow vehicles and performing emotes is how most players most often see their own characters, though the bulk of the game is experienced as an FPS.
Though the Bloomberg report confirms that Bungie bet heavily on Payback being one of its big hitters, helping it follow up on the Destiny universe now the game’s main plotlines are being tied up, it was recently canceled a few months ago. The staff working on the project have reportedly been transferred to Marathon, which should launch sometime in 2025. The report also mentions that it looks like Destiny 2’s days of paid expansions is behind it, with the game moving to content arriving more regularly, but in smaller chunks.
Should you be looking for something else to fill your Destiny 2 void, our guide to the best multiplayer games will find you something great. You can also take a peek into the future with our picks for the best upcoming PC games coming soon.
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