Tomorrow, the most anticipated game of the new generation, and arguably one of the most anticipated productions in all of video game history, launches.
Destiny is going to be an absolute powerhouse, no question about it. But where will this game ultimately rank in the minds of gamers everywhere? Will it be considered revolutionary, or at least evolutionary for the first-person shooter genre? As Activision has claimed numerous times, the game may have a ten-year lifespan, which means the name “Destiny” could become downright legendary.
There’s a chance it could also become the highest-grossing game ever, which wouldn’t be too surprising if the experience does indeed continue for years and years. There’s no doubt that the accumulated hype for Destiny is absolutely insane and provided the developers keep supporting the heck out of it, gamers will be happy.
How big a role will hype play in “Destiny’s destiny?”
That hype has a profound effect, all the more so now that gaming is officially a mainstream industry. The question is whether or not this hype will have an enduring effect upon our opinions; hype tends to wear off pretty quickly after a game arrives. While this industry can maintain an immense amount of hype, and produce ridiculously high expectations for extended periods of time, consumers always prove fickle. Once the game is here, everything immediately begins to trail off.
However, again, we’re looking at an MMO-type game that could feasibly stay in the limelight for a very long time. In fact, Bungie says you may never actually finish it. Granted, it will never have the same impact again as it’ll have at launch, but if it can retain at least some of its appeal, it will continue to be talked about for years to come. When we look back at big games, we do remember the lead-up to its release. But for the most part, we remember the quality of the production and the number of entertainment hours we received. That’s where Destiny will prove itself.
Sales don’t entirely dictate a game’s position in history
Sure, it’s the most pre-ordered new IP in history. Huge, no?
While it definitely helps, having crazy high sales doesn’t necessarily mean the game will always be looked upon with fond eyes. One only has to examine the blockbuster Call of Duty franchise to understand what I mean. It’s also important to note that a lot of people – the minority, but a very vocal minority – who aren’t that enamored with Destiny essentially call it a glorified CoD. Perhaps it’s more accurate to describe the game as a blend of Halo and Borderlands but either way, the naysayers do have a point: It’s really just a shooter. Gameplay-wise, it’s not offering anything new.
The construct might feel fresh, though. While the basic gameplay mechanics are hardly revolutionary, the combination of multiplayer, shared-world freedom, and added role-playing-like depth within a FPS formula could be viewed as “evolutionary.” And maybe it is. The sales are a given; what interests me more is what sort of credit we’ll give Destiny a decade from now. The same credit we give to iconic trailblazers like Wolfenstein and Doom? Perhaps.
Whatever happens, it’ll be very interesting to see how everything unfolds.
