You know, it's my job to obsessively look over release calendars and create content plans for upcoming games for our writers.
I mean this sincerely when I say - the what?
In seriousness - I feel for the devs and marketing. I'm sure everyone did their best, but it's so hard to break through the noise.
I feel like this kinda thing is a casualty of E3 + more going away. You know Will Smith would have turned up on some E3 stage to announce this.
We loved him not because he loved us, but because he was one of us. He did not need to embrace the world of Destiny so completely. It could have just been a job for a big actor in a game - but it seemed he did it because he cared. That was special. Per Audacia Ad Astra.
Byf is not just a content creator around a game. He's part of the fabric of Destiny. A rare occurance where a creator provides a genuine service to the player that without it, makes the game less comprehensible.
Any game would be lucky to have him. Thankfully it's our game.
Nearly 12,000 of you watching along.
Thank you so much for an incredible launch so far. We have a long way still to go. Almost 2 hours down.
We're about to hit the collapse.
I mean this from the bottom of my heart: I think Bungie has put out one of the best missions in a video game, ever. This moment - I don't think it could have been more perfect. I did a little cry... over Destiny 2.
This was so special. So, so special that it's hard to describe.
This is my approach to management. "Shit happens, shit will happen again" is a key understanding. The important part is trusting your team to learn from mistakes. IMO, allowing that is imperative to being a good manager, but more importantly, encourages them to be better writers.
So you're wondering if the new Warlock super Song of Flame is good in PvP in Destiny 2: The Final Shape? I dunno,
@Aztecross
was on the other team, ask him. 😇
(please ignore the scoreboard and please don't ask to see any other PvP footage involving me. Just assume I did great.)
I can't get into specifics but Overwatch reached Dex's top 2 most successful games last week.
Anyone saying the Overwatch playerbase is dying just doesn't see the numbers I'm privy to. Believe it or not, it's one of the best-managed communities in live service by the numbers.
Decided to write today since it's been a second since something I've done published. Today, it's about how everyone talking in terms of a 'console war' is out of touch with what is happening in this upcoming generation.
It's here. I was somehow allowed to interview
@pparsons
. I asked a lot, and he gave more. We covered things from Destiny during a pandemic, the culture at Bungie, crunch, the company's split from Activision, losing support studios and new projects. Enjoy.
@NYExcelsior
While mistakes happen, this is an enormous one. Being in on a visa in a foriegn country and finding out you've lost your job, and therefore your security via social media before it's been communicated to you directly is such an awful situation.
Next award:
@Dexerto
's Best Live Service game of 2023 is
@Blizzard_Ent
's
@PlayOverwatch
. This was voted on collectively by our writing team, who spend most days covering these games.
Overwatch 2 has quietly, yet impressively, been building its return. The future looks bright.
@Glinner
You should be ashamed of yourself. It feels like you live with such hate in your heart. If you had any self-awareness you'd be sickened by saying shit like this, and not seeing the actual harm this movement you are a part of does.
(Deleted Tweet for context)
The thing people get fundamentally wrong about Overwatch 2 is they lay the blame for PvE and the sequel announcement at the feet of the current devs, when they are the ones doing a hell of good a job trying to rescue it from a black hole.
NEW: Behind the scenes on Overwatch 2:
- Devs got a stunning 0% of profit-sharing bonuses this month
- No more PvE
- But there's optimism for the game's competitive future
This week's newsletter:
A couple weeks ago I went to Seattle. I can now talk about why - I played around 10 hours of Destiny 2: The Final Shape at Bungie. Here’s my preview. Since we're so close to release, I’ve approached this differently. No spoilers - instead, I’ve written a 2000-word vibe check.
The live service takeover of video games is often rightly derided. But this moment is what happens when it comes together. A story told over a long period of time that we've grown with, in a game with so many stories about the real people we met along the way.
That's special.
Just saw over 40 minutes of Alan Wake 2. Worry not - this game is a hard survival horror and the definition of spooky. It's confusing but by design and it's clear this is a game Remedy has poured itself into. The interweaving of rewriting reality is super neat. Very into it.
I'm happy to announce that
@Dexerto
's Game of the Year, as voted on by 23 of our international writers is
@larianstudios
'
@baldursgate3
.
Putting together this list of the top 10 games of the year, showcasing what our writers loved was a real joy, and I think we have a strong 10.
@EskayOW
Yeah she's actually busted.
Tell you someone who isn't busted though - Sombra. Please don't touch Sombra, Blizzard. She is fair and balanced and don't look at my win rate with her.
Having distance, I think the Overwatch 2 PvE news has been wildly overblown. I think it's a product of people catastrophizing, and think what is actually coming from PvE has been really lost in the noise.
Feel bad for devs putting out work, only to be told it doesn't matter.
Thank you so much
@Soembie
for your words.
Thank you
@overwatchleague
.
I cried. I'm so grateful for this product. I don't know what I'd be without it. Roundabout, but it gave me my career back for reigniting my passion for gaming coverage.
I owe you all the world.
#OWLForever
Evolve is having an unlikely resurgence in 2022, and it holds up great. More so, 2K Games allowing players to have peer-to-peer games for a 'dead game' could prove a road map for live-service game preservation in the future. This could be massive.
I've "finished" The Final Shape.
Just, wonderful. Easily the best story Bungie has told, full of real heartfelt moments that definitely landed for me and my fireteam.
Still have time before we can talk about it in totality, but just an exceptional expansion campaign.
Finished Legendary campaign. It's easy to say, this is the best campaign in Destiny 2's history, but that doesn't even give it justice. It's a hell of an experience, and three person legendary felt like the *chef's kiss* diffculty. Astounder work.
I wrote about Overwatch 2 canceling PvE and why this is the best direction for the game. It was a compelling idea but it didn't come together, and Blizzard should focus on the game they have instead - because what they have right now is great.
STEPHEN KING FUN FACT OF THE DAY:
In Andy Muschietti's IT: CHAPTER TWO (2019), Stephen King has a fleeting cameo as a Derry shopkeeper who overcharges James McAvoy's Bill Denbrough for a bicycle. Can you spot him in this picture?
He made everything he touched better, and he touched Destiny so much. What a gift to have so much of him tied into us. It's hard to put into words how much this universe means to so many, and Lance was such a huge part of it. It's why so many are genuinely, genuinely sad tonight.
I just found these years old clip of
@TrincaJamie
and
@SimonMiller316
losing their shit at a reply to an old VideoGamer video and it made me smile so I thought I shared it.
Man, these are Destiny 2 comms. Overwatch 2 team seems to have done an excellent job on higher difficulties with Invasion. This looks like a ton of fun.
(via
@jakeow
)
Honestly, Sony's biggest crime is convincing the entire industry that third-person, narrative-driven action RPGs are the pinnacle of gaming, and nothing else can compete when it comes to being 'great'.
Here they are.
Your six nominees for GAME OF THE YEAR at
#TheGameAwards
:
🔸 A Plague Tale: Requiem
🔸 Elden Ring
🔸 God of War Ragnarok
🔸 Horizon Forbidden West
🔸 Stray
🔸 Xenoblade Chronicles 3
🗳️ Vote Now:
Just want to add a small bit of context to the sentiment that the game is being left to die or it's "dying", when in reality, it has one of the biggest, most hungry audiences in the world.
This is how it felt to play the game. The sentiment of how I felt walking away and what I’ve sat on for a week and a half. In short, I have a lot of what defines the entire Destiny franchise - hope.
So, this has been a long time coming but we hit it, boys and girls. 100lbs down since February. 7.1 stone. I went from my heaviest ever to the lightest I've been in my 20s. It's been a weird road, but a steady one. Appreciate support out there, I hope to give it back. ♥️
@b0gur
It's honestly my favorite thing when I see content creators talking about speculation about the new hero when I know for a fact they've played them. Really get to rate their acting skills.
I don't really know how to convey this expansion to people who don't play Destiny. It's like trying to explain the wind to fish.
I wish everyone could have a moment like this with their favorite video game. For me, this might be as good as it gets.
@Rainmustfall_
@HoshizoraOW
Did someone say…peanut butter?
Did someone say…peanut butter?
Did someone say…peanut butter?
Did someone say…peanut butter?
Did someone say…peanut butter?
Did someone say…peanut butter?
*all said over each other*
@FLMayhem
Please do not feed Igunana bug. They're herbivores. They can technically eat bugs, but it should'nt be the basis of their diet. They won't get a lot out of it.
I'm sorry Iguana, but the Mayhem staff have to get you a new diet, and one with calcium sprinkled on your food.
@EeveeA
They've definitely not done a great job of giving this information. It's a big problem.
I am also convinced there is a lot of people who want the game to fail and are deliberately muddying the water and confusing people in twitter comments. I see it everywhere.
@SaltagreppoD2
I think this is the kind of developer communicaiton that a community of players isn't versed enough in to understand the context of in terms of development. They don't have developers sitting around doing nothing, but is more about the reality of complex content thresholds.
I was lucky enough to sit down with General Manager on Destiny 2,
@BobSugar
last week. It was right before the State of Destiny came out (I've provided extra context that's now available) but we went into where the game is and what's coming in the future.
One thing I will say for Hades, is no one can seem to agree on what's the best weapon in the game. I feel like everyone has wildly different opinions because of how they play and that's geniuinely interesting as someone who plays games that chase metas.
@tha_rami
"Look, I just think it's unfair that developers are accepting deals that massively benefit them and allow them to make games they wouldn't be able to and I'm expected to download a second launcher."
@LaurinofEarth
We keep having the same issue with Necrotic Grip on Warlock side. My kingdom for one Dawn Chorus ornament. We didn't even get it in the solar season -_-.
This is quite possibly, my favourite interview I've ever done and we talked on the record about a lot of stuff that basically hasn't been talked about on the record before. I'll go into more detail about what's in here after work, but go read it. There's loads in here.
@PaulTassi
@Forbes
I don't think it really has a place in the conclusion of the Light and Dark saga. Rasputin is kinda resolved, and it's hard to see how it comes into play in the war of the light vs the dark. Be cool to see an armor ornament for cosmetics, but... ehh otherwise.
The grown man sat back in his chair. He had toiled on this for days, perfecting his masterwork. He marvelled at what he'd written. What was about to be wrought. He hit send on his tweet. "The Last Jedi was bad. It ruined Star Wars."
"Yes. I am very smart" he said to no one.
Was prompted to watch Love, Death and Robots by a couple friends. I'm into it, but it feels like someone has been adapting old graphics card box art into short films.
@BadPachimari
I mean this in all sincerity. The benefits for sunsetting open queue far out weighs the mode. I think it's time to sail the mode down the stream.
The Game Awards were also ad spots ahead of awards, but they weren't always like *this*. There was a time people were allowed to talk for a couple minutes and say things that were nice, and mattered. I really feel like this is the year it really began breaking at the seams.
More than 6,000 people lost their jobs making video games this year.
My
#TheGameAwards
speech might be eight years old, but it still sums up everything I’d want to say to those who were laid off and made our games this year.
Your work is worth it. Thank you.
You know, the two party system is flawed in the States, but the Conservatives are so lucky they live in a world with two liberal leaning opponents who have to fight one another and virtually no opponent on their side of the spectrum.
@Outlaws
@danteh
no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no n
Ramattra, a familiar face to many Overwatch fans, is hero 36. He's the leader of Null Sector, a main antagonist but one with a sympathetic cause, bringing the political thrust of the lore to the forefront. He has two forms in game and it's all about managing when to transform.
@OW_SVB
This is a good take. People are theorizing what if you come up against Joats and you don't have JQ unlocked, but if you're playing in ELOs with a coordinated Joats team, you're likely invested enough to buy or are playing enough to have unlocked every hero.
The game is great right now. It gets better every season. Overwatch 2 is currently in a better state than the first game ever was when it comes to updates, releases, and community interaction. But it feels like they'll continue to pay for the crimes of those not there anymore.
@EeveeA
Was thinking about this last night. I think a lot of people forget this splash screen, but tbf, I do feel like Blizzard has stopped using it to market the game. I think they should have leaned harder into it tbh.