Is Destiny 3 Confirmed? No – But Destiny 2 Has a Bright Future

Despite some speculation among the gaming community, there have been no official confirmations of a Destiny 3 release by developer Bungie at this time. Instead, statements and actions indicate plans to continue expanding on Destiny 2 as an evolving platform for the next 2-3 years at minimum. What does this exciting franchise outlook mean for hardcore series fans eagerly anticipating what comes next after 2024’s The Final Shape?

Bungie Commits to Destiny 2 Through at Least 2024

In 2020 amidst the ongoing success of the Shadowkeep expansion, Bungie officially announced intentions to support Destiny 2 as an actively updated title through 2022. Later messaging reinforced not just 2022 but 2024 as a future target, name-checking the upcoming Lightfall and The Final Shape major releases [1].

Crucially, this indicated a strategic shift by Bungie towards an evolving platform structure versus discrete numbered sequels. Destiny 2 expansions and seasons consistently drive strong player engagement and lucrative revenue, incentivizing ongoing investment [2]. Just this August 2022, studio leadership called Destiny 2 “a living active world that will carry on for many years to come”, seeming to poured cold water on Destiny 3 speculation [3].

The Quest for an Evolving Shared World Shooter

Stepping back, we can spot key motives behind Bungie’s choice to continually expand Destiny 2 rather than rush another sequel. Primarily, it allows near-total retention of existing player activities, gear, and progress. This respects hardcore fan investments of hundreds or even thousands of hours building elaborate Guardian loadouts and Masterworking exotic equipment [4].

Secondly, the live service approach plays into Destiny strengths as a best-in-class shared world shooter built around community, customization, and aspirational endgame grinds. Compared to cinematic single player games, Destiny draws heavily on engagement-extending “games as service” elements like seasonal releases, battle passes, and microtransactions.

As a franchise, Halo pioneered gripping shooter campaigns but did not focus as heavily on multiplayer persistence. Destiny 2 in 2024 already boasts vastly greater breadth and playtime potential than any prior Bungie or Halo title thanks to years of accumulated content and systems refinement [5].

What Comes After The Light and Dark Saga?

Assuming Bungie makes good on commitments to continued Destiny 2 support, what might come after 2024’s climactic The Final Shape expansion that promises to end the current overarching Light and Darkness saga? While purely speculative, based on industry analysis we can envision several likely scenarios:

• More Expansions: Bungie kicks off a new narrative arc driving 2+ years of additional Destiny 2 content releases and seasons
• Engine Overhaul: Major Destiny 2 update refreshes technical capabilities and gameplay systems without resetting world state or characters
• True Sequel: With cross-generational support and cutting-edge features, Destiny 3 launches as the next evolution retaining Destiny 2 cosmology

Truly, the doors seem wide open for Bungie to keep building on the Destiny universe across games, media, and experiences limited only by imagination and resources. Expect more strange tales yet to come!

The Verdict: Forget Destiny 3, Commit to Destiny 2!

While the gaming community continues to speculate and theorize regarding the release of a possible Destiny 3, Bungie’s official decisions and commentary indicate no such sequel plans are in motion. They instead are doubling down on Destiny 2 as platform primed for regular expansions through at least 2024.

And honestly, that works to franchise strengths in terms of respecting veterans with deeply forged Guardian legacies while allowing the shared world shooter gameplay loop and canon to continue evolving. We may one day see a Destiny 3 when the timing makes sense. But with so much yet undiscovered across the cosmos of Destiny 2, why rush a good thing? RPG fans, MMO enthusiasts, and hardcore loot grinders alike will find their fill of mystery and adventure for years still to come!