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Fan petition for Destiny 3 crosses 400,000 signatures, likely won’t change a damn thing
A fan-led petition urging Sony and Bungie to develop Destiny 3 has surpassed 400,000 signatures, drawing attention from Change.org itself, but a Destructoid columnist argues the campaign is unlikely to influence Sony's plans. The push comes after Bungie ended active development on Destiny 2, with the game's live-service updates now finished and the studio's focus shifting elsewhere, leaving many long-time players uncertain about the franchise's future.
The article notes that Sony laid off roughly half of Bungie's workforce last month, redirecting staff towards Marathon and other undisclosed projects, which the writer doubts includes a new Destiny title. This follows Sony's $3.6 billion (£2.85 billion) acquisition of Bungie in 2022, a deal reportedly hurt by slowing Destiny revenue and Marathon's troubled launch. Bungie is currently trialling a new PvE mode for Marathon, with a full release planned for September, as Sony appears to be betting on that game's turnaround rather than committing resources to a Destiny sequel.
In short
- Destiny 3 petition tops 400,000 signatures but likely won't sway Sony
- Bungie ended Destiny 2's live-service support; studio lost half its staff
- Sony is instead focusing resources on Marathon, launching fully in September
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A petition of 400,000 signatures represents tangible evidence of consumer demand and player investment that should influence strategic decisions. Player-led campaigns have occasionally shaped game development outcomes, and dismissing such organised community mobilisation risks alienating the community that made Destiny valuable to Sony. The company possesses the technical expertise and financial resources required; the limiting factor is strategic priority, which sustained player pressure can help shift.
The case against
Corporate development decisions rest on financial analysis and resource allocation, not petition signatures. The evidence here is unambiguous: Destiny 2 revenue declined, Sony deliberately redirected Bungie's workforce to Marathon, and half the studio was laid off. These reflect calculated strategic judgements based on detailed internal data about which projects can generate returns. A petition cannot create the financial viability, technical capacity, or strategic commitment necessary for a new entry; these decisions appear already determined.
Explained simply
Destiny is a long-running online multiplayer video game that has been regularly updated since launching Destiny 2 in 2017. The game's developer, Bungie, recently stopped actively updating Destiny 2, leaving many devoted players uncertain about the franchise's future.
Sony acquired Bungie in 2022 and has recently restructured the studio, laying off roughly half its workforce and redirecting staff towards a different game called Marathon. This shift suggests that Sony's priorities for Bungie do not include developing a new Destiny title.
Some fans have expressed their desire for a new Destiny game through a petition. However, commentators note that such campaigns have historically had little influence on corporate strategic decisions, particularly when a company has already committed resources in a different direction.