14 DAY TRIAL // Video game developer Bungie announces that it is been working on downloadable content for Destiny before the title is even launched, and it seems that those who pick up the new The Dark Below package will continue to meet those who are playing the main campaign, with no separation between the two.
Jonty Barnes, the director of production, has told Joystiq during Gamescom 2014 that his company wants to make sure that the new game universe remains consistent and never introduces entirely separated areas.
The developer explains, “We call it an expansion because it has one of all the activity types from Destiny, so it's story, strike and beyond – and competitive and cooperative experiences in there. As well as new gear, new armor, new weapons and everything else.”
Bungie has not yet offered any information on the areas that are introduced in The Dark Below and the story that players will be able to experience.
Barnes adds, “Some of that attaches to existing places that you're familiar to, so you might find that as you're going through new areas, that you actually collide with players who are just playing the existing Destiny content. You'll have those collisions. We always want to create spaces where people can get together and cooperate, and we feel like that is a big innovation in Destiny.”
Bungie says that the core of its new title is linked to classic first-person shooter mechanics, but there are also features taken from role-playing and from massive multiplayer experiences.
The mix is designed to appeal to a large number of gamers and to take advantage of how modern titles can create communities for their fans, allowing them to share stories and display their trophies.
Destiny will allow any player to get through the core story solo if he wants to, but there are also some in-game events that need a group in order to succeed.
An extensive beta and alpha testing period has allowed Bungie to improve the mechanics before launch, but it also means that gamers will be unable to transfer the characters they have created.
Destiny will be launched on September 9 on the Xbox One, the PlayStation 4, and last-gen consoles, and those who get it on Sony platforms will get access to some exclusive content.
The game is also rumored to have a PC version.
The Dark Below will arrive before the end of the year, but Bungie has not yet specified an exact date.
