The Destiny 2 PC version had been the subject of much speculation, but once confirmed by Bungie, focus turned to a new aspect. What will Destiny launch from? PC Gaming exists in a diverse ecosystem, occupied by Steam, the Windows Store, Origin, Uplay, GOG and even games that launch straight from the execute file. Even further, many “platform” games such as Grand Theft Auto V or EVE have their own dedicated launchers. So what was Destiny going to exist on?
Speculation favored three options: Steam, as the default option of PC gaming, The Windows Store, to utilize crossplay between Xbox/PC, or a dedicated launcher, to get the full potential from Destiny as an MMORPG platform. As it turns out, none of these are correct.
Activision CEO Eric Hirschberg took to the Destiny 2 reveal stage to close the proceedings with a cryptic monologue. Destiny 2, he said, was coming to PC. He elaborated for quite some time as I thought to myself, “That’s quite a belabored way to say it’s coming to Steam.”
He then announced that Destiny 2 is coming to Battle.net.
This is surprising, and also a surprisingly great idea. While it is odd that an Activision game would sit in Blizzard’s launcher, It also shows both companies’ dedication to providing the absolute best possible experience for Destiny PC players. Blizzard has an excellent record in multiplayer games, and their recent success with Overwatch gives me great hope that Destiny 2 will excel on this platform.
My most prevalent complaint of the original Destiny was Activision’s servers. Things that were tolerably annoying in Call of Duty were significantly worse in Destiny. The Crucible—while one its most mechanically excellent gameplay areas—has a rough history. Bungie’s attempts to balance connection preferences while maintaining the game’s skill gap have highlighted a serious struggle. The game’s always had consistent lag that regularly flares into weeks of unplayable multiplayer. I’ve failed to finish multiple Iron Banners—my favorite element of Destiny multiplayer—simply because lag and teleportation sucked the game of all fun. If Blizzard is involved, massive improvements come with them. Bungie can manage weapon/gear balances to make the game more fun, while Blizzard maintains a proper battleground.
Why are you adding a non-Blizzard game to Blizzard's platform?
We loved Destiny and think Destiny 2 is going to be a great game. Blizzard has an established and successful global internet infrastructure we’ve used for years to support our own games. Creating a new network client for Destiny 2, which is bringing the franchise to PC for the first time, would needlessly extend the development period for the game. We want to get our hands on Destiny 2 as soon as possible like everybody else, so we offered to share our PC platform with our sister companies for this release.
Does this mean other games are going to come to the Blizzard platform too?
Our focus in terms of supporting non-Blizzard games is solely around Destiny 2. Aside from potentially evaluating needs or opportunities for future Activision games, we don’t have any short- or long-term plans to support third-party games with Battle.net. It’s important to us to maintain our quality standards for any experience or service we’re putting in front of our players, which represents a big investment of time and effort on our part, so this is not something we’re jumping into lightly.
Does this mean I'll be able to use my Blizzard Balance to purchase Destiny 2?
Yes!
Will Destiny 2 offer the same cross-game social features that Blizzard titles currently have?
Destiny 2 will be integrated into many of Blizzard’s existing social features—you’ll be able to chat with friends playing Destiny 2 the same way you already can for Blizzard games. Players will also be able to add friends and form parties the same way Blizzard gamers can. And, you’ll see a Destiny 2 status icon by your friends who are playing Destiny 2 the same way you do for friends playing StarCraft II, Diablo III, WoW, Heroes of the Storm, Hearthstone, and Overwatch.
Where and when will Destiny 2 on PC be available?
We’re excited to work with Bungie to bring the PC version of Destiny 2 to every region Blizzard currently operates in. Bungie is actively working through the global details. We look forward to sharing additional information later this year.
Who will be operating Destiny 2’s servers?
Bungie will maintain Destiny 2’s servers; Blizzard’s servers will be used for features related to the Blizzard platform, such as login and social functionality.
And what about customer service?
Destiny 2’s gameplay customer service will be handled by Bungie; Blizzard will handle customer service for platform and shop issues specific to our service.
For the latest on Destiny 2, follow us on Twitter @DstreeMag
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