Destiny 2 was always there: Farewell messages from a clan of friends

On May 21, Bungie announced that on June 9, Destiny 2 will receive its final content update. For over 12 years, the Destiny series has been a pillar within the live service section of the games industry. It’s survived immense development hardships like mass layoffs at Bungie, and even a studio acquisition through its now parent company, Sony. Yet, despite it all, Destiny 2 has been a staple in my rotating library since 2017.

I don’t know how to properly convey my emotions about one of my favorite games ending content updates. Yes, there are layers of grief, but I have also found myself often reflecting on its importance and presence throughout my life during the past decade. Destiny 2 was there for me when I graduated from undergrad and grad school. It acted as a lifeline during the death of my three grandparents. It even served as a place for me to understand my emotions about the woman who is now my partner. Yet, I never experienced any of these events alone. For me, Destiny 2’s greatness was not because of its gameplay, but rather its ability to connect people, creating lifelong bonds. And rather than write about what Destiny 2 meant to me, I wanted to explore what it meant to us by interviewing some members of my clan.

Fireteam support

We Fallen [HELP] comprises friendships spanning decades across its members. This clan of Hunters, Titans, and Warlocks has completed countless Grandmaster Nightfalls, raids, dungeons, and even unlocked the Enlightened title, a feat which only a small percentage of Destiny 2 players have achieved. I spoke with Trey “SushiSlicer,” Matthew “Ser_Enigma,” Meg “Heyyouitsme,” Emily “em_1221,” and Bill “Shiniko,” who are only a fraction of our clan, but the perspectives they shared with me represent the community-driven gameplay that is at Destiny 2’s core.

“Since I didn’t play as much as everyone else, everybody still took the time to be like ‘We’re not going to rush through different encounters so that you can experience them,’” Matthew said. “When it was [Vow of the Disciple], Shiniko said, ‘We need to go through it the right way so Matthew can see all of the stuff.’ I thought that was nice.”