It's been two-and-a-half years since Bungie released Destiny, the online FPS with which it followed up the Halo franchise, and now the company has shared in a blog post some tidbits about what to expect from the game's final live event as well as some information about its upcoming sequel.
The final live event is dubbed "Age of Triumph." Bungie said it wants the event to be a "fun and memorable celebration" during which it will "look back upon the three incredible years we’ve shared as a community, and look ahead to some final challenges and rewards that await you in the weeks ahead." The company will reveal more about the event on March 8, introduce the weekly rituals on March 15, and release the sandbox update on March 22.
Bungie was a little more forthcoming about Destiny 2--or whatever the sequel will be called--and how it will relate to the first game. The company said that "power, possessions, and Eververse-related items and currency will not carry forward" between titles. This is likely to rankle some players, many of whom have sunk countless hours into collecting everything Destiny has to offer, but Bungie said it believes this approach is the best option:
We believe this is the best path forward. It allows us to introduce the major advancements and improvements that all of us expect from a sequel, ensuring it will be the best game we can create, unencumbered by the past. We’re looking forward to sharing more details with you later this year for how we will honor your legacy in the future.
Not all will be lost in the transition from Destiny to its sequel: players will be able to carry over their character's appearance between the games. That's going to save people the frustration of having to recreate their favorite character, at least in the aesthetic sense, if not in a gameplay-related fashion. Here's what the company said about bringing a character from Destiny to Destiny the Second:
We know that, just like us, you have grown fond of the Guardians you’ve created, so we do plan to preserve your character personalization. We are going to recognize the dedication and passion you’ve shown for this world. Specifically, the class, race, gender, face, hair, and marking selections for all characters that have achieved Level 20 and completed the Black Garden story mission will carry forward. We also plan to award those veteran accounts with honors that reflect your Destiny 1 accomplishments.
Many eyes will be on Bungie as Destiny's sequel nears release. The first game made $500 million on its first day; new entries in established franchises don't even sell that well. Players have spent a lot of time in Destiny since that launch day, and Bungie has released several expansions that, by all accounts, have delivered on its promises for Destiny better than the base game did. Following up on those successes won't be a walk in the park.
Bungie said in February that it plans to release the Destiny sequel at some point in 2017.
