14 DAY TRIAL // Bungie has decided to explain just why it's not offering any pre-launch review copies of Destiny to media outlets so that reviews can appear before the game's actual debut, highlighting that the game wouldn't feel the same if it didn't feature thousands of regular players populating its many worlds.
Destiny launches next week worldwide on September 9, delivering a multiplayer-only first-person shooter experience that's eagerly awaited by millions of fans from around the world.
The game has received quite a lot of hype and even an alpha and public test stages so that owners of the PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, or Xbox One can convince themselves of the game's quality.
However, reviews for Destiny won't appear until after its actual release, as Bungie has explained on its website that the game is quite a different beast than regular titles nowadays.
"Typically, games receive their report cards before they become available to the public. We don’t believe Destiny is a typical shooter. You could experience the storyline, jump into a few rounds of competitive multiplayer, and form a Fireteam of friends and take on all the Strikes and you would just be getting started. Those activities are critical components of Destiny, but they are also a foundation for so much more."
The developer believes that Destiny's experience ascends once a lot of people are inside the game and start working together or just inhabit the worlds of another player. Giving people a chance to play ahead of the game's release, however, would negate such an aspect.
"After thousands of internal playtests, an internal Alpha, and a public Beta, we’ve also learned that Destiny isn’t Destiny without the most crucial component to our living, social world: You," the studio added.
"From the beginning, we set out to make Destiny feel like more than bits on a drive. We wanted to build a place for players to visit – a place filled with luminous life. Without a vibrant population for the last safe city on Earth, and Guardians roaming the wild frontiers, Destiny is a shadow of what it should be. That’s not how we wanted to submit for review."
While Bungie tried to find a solution to allow for early reviews, it wasn't possible, as thousands of people would have to be let into the game from all around the world. As such, those waiting for reviews will have to stay content until after the game's actual launch.
Destiny debuts on September 9 for PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One around the world.
