Following a week full of controversy surrounding the video game Destiny, the developers at Bungie have posted an early “weekly update” apologising for recent screw-ups and promising to address players’ complaints.
The controversy, which was triggered by some tone-deaf comments from Destiny creative director Luke Smith in an interview earlier this week, revolved around the $US60 collector’s edition of Destiny that’s slated to launch this September. Veteran players (rightly) complained that in order to get the unique stuff in this collector’s edition — which includes new shaders, emotes and armour — they’d have to spend money to re-buy parts of the game they already own. (The collector’s edition includes vanilla Destiny and both current expansions.)
When a Eurogamer reporter probed Smith about this problem, he responded with some snarky comments that didn’t quite translate well in text.
Bungie, to their credit, was quick to react, addressing the controversy in a heartfelt blog post tonight complete with an apology from Smith (which you can read below). The short version is that now, instead of asking veteran players to buy what they have already bought, Bungie will sell the special collector’s edition stuff separately, for the hefty price of $US20.
Here’s what you’ll get if you buy that $US20 package, from the blog post: “The Taken King Collector’s Edition Digital Content consists of: (3) Class Specific Emotes, (3) Armour Shaders, and (3) Exotic Class Items with XP Bonuses.” More clarification:
For those looking for a little more context about Emotes and Class Items in The Taken King, we will be introducing new Class Items with stat attributes. These will provide players with another gear slot that can contribute to both your Guardian’s look and build preferences. The Class Items included in the Collector’s Edition are a welcome addition for players looking to level up newborn Guardians or fresh subclasses, but they are not the only new Class Items available in Destiny: The Taken King. This is part of our focus on making the game more rewarding and adding more variety options for players. The same goes for Emotes.
Veteran players — aka people who either own both expansions or hit at least level 30 in year one — will also get some VIP stuff, Bungie promised, although they didn’t say exactly what it will be. This is the teaser image:
And here’s the full apology from Smith:
I am Luke Smith, Creative Director on Destiny: The Taken King.
Many, many years ago, I wrote to you each week in this spot. We talked about Battle Rifles, we talked about stuff we weren’t going to talk about, and at some point I did a horrible hand-drawing of an upcoming map and teased you with it in the Weekly Update.
Anyone who knows me knows I can be sarcastic, anyone who remembers podcasts I’ve done knows that I can be pretty blunt, and anyone who’s watched me in a ViDoc knows I’m pretty unpolished.
However, most of you don’t know me.
Reading my interview with Eurogamer and imagining it came from some random developer of a game I love – that random developer looks like an Asshat.
But that Asshat was me – and those words rightfully anger you.
I’m sorry.
My words made it sound as if Bungie doesn’t care about their most loyal fans.
We do care. We are listening. And we will make it right.
Comments
36 responses to “Bungie Apologises For Destiny Screw-Ups, Offers Solutions”
Still $70AUD? No sale.
Plus an extra $35* if you want the emotes, armour shaders, and class items.
*Estimation based on the expansion converting from US$40 to AU$70.
Probably closer to $25, going by the conversion from ‘Life is Strange’ which is U$20.
No idea how things usually convert, hence why I gave a reference.
But if that’s the standard price conversion for digital content, that means The Taken King is an even bigger ripoff than I originally thought.
EDIT: And $25 is still way too expensive for what you get.
I think your original “conversation” is probably spot on.
The Taken King $40 USD = $51 AUD at today’s rate.. but we get charged $70 AUD
Therefore $20 USD = $25 AUD… add on “Australia Tax” and you’re probably right we’ll be paying $35
$25 is accurate based on the pricing of the first two expansions, $30-$35 is more accurate based on TTK price.
Yep…they are addressing their clueless bundling which is not what I’ve got issue with…as usual we get screwed on costs, along with the UK…Sony can address this but have frequently shown themselves to be even more clueless on how the world can operate with digital downloadable content these days.
Basically every non-US consumer is getting screwed with the pricing, I think it’s fair to say Bungie has pissed off half their playerbase.
An american pointed this out to me
The american minimum wage is about $11 lower than ours, so their $40 is to them what our $70 is essentially (when you factor in both the exchange rate and how many hours we vs them work for their money)
Their games are $40-$60 and ours are $70-110
If you live here or there, you think the same about $40 there as you do $70-$80 here
I agree with so many new games conning out and eso and dyeing lights botch smack to bungie I hope destiny is done.
“We care enough to charge you US$20, half the cost of the Taken King (US$40), and not much of a saving from the collectors edition anyway (and it doesn’t include the swag).”
Wow, Bungie. I feel so loved.
I am a bit surprised on the price of the expansion when purchased separately digitally and think it is too much, but as for price of the collectors edition and it containing the original content i am not that fussed – it just means i can either sell or trade my original copy of destiny
That’s not an apology, it’s a ‘fuck you, throw money at your screens now please’ order
So … $26AU for 3 shaders, emotes linked to the class rather than species and gender and class items. Eh, I’ve paid more for cosmetic items but it’d be nice to see them in action. Especially the shaders, considering how the shader icons can be different to the colour schemes or patterns on the actual shaders.
Actually don’t forget to add the $18 AUS Tax on top after you carry out the exchange rate.
I’m hoping it’s not going that way. Although considering we’re paying US$14 extra for just the dlc I think you’re onto something
Nevermind
Dear Destiny/Bungie,
Thank you for taking the time to apologize over your comments on emotes and other non-sensical aesthetic items valued at $60 USD. Now we only expect to pay for in game aesthetic content at a price tag of $20 USD. I should point out at that traditionally when games offer in game aesthetic purchases they have the decency of making the game/content free. Also thank you for ignoring all the other problems/issues/pricing items that your player base has raised from glitchy boss fights to latency issues to a lack of content.
I for one know your fairly meaningless (as you’ve already sold out on collector’s editions) and over-priced gesture has won me over. I will now happily spend close to a $100 to get access to all the content you are releasing for the Taken King. Please make sure in your next corporate PR stunt you do less and say more so I can justify “throwing my money at the screen”.
Kind Regards,
Your newly renewed ex-Bungie fan.
In case Bungie figures out tone can’t be conveyed in text the latter part of my post is satiricalThe path forward is clear;
TTK by itself
Year 2 season pass by itself
Collectors Edition with TTK and Year 2 Season Pass
Legendary Edition with TTK and all Year 1 content (inc CE digital items)
From what I’ve seen here on on Reddit this would make 90% of people happy.
I felt so much better after I decided to stop giving this company my money after TDB. These guys are about nothing more than blatantly squeezing every single penny they can out of what would’ve been an incredible franchise in the right hands. The worst thing is that they’re not even really sorry for anything, this is all just superficial damage control, and a lame attempt at that.
Bungie will have to do whole lot to win this cash-cow back.
As an Activation Blizzard Inc shareholder i have no problem with this.
Activision and Blizz have plenty of other more lucrative games/franchises, their share price is in no immediate danger. I’d be very surprised if Destiny makes up much of their profit margins at present.
What will be interesting to note is how much this PR backlash is going to end up affecting their ROI from their initial investment into Bungie. Given this is a 10 year deal, gutting the consumers in the first 2 years isn’t exactly a solid long term strategy.
Yeah based on their offerings and response so far, I’m out…
Nice try Bungie but your retard gauge is still showing FULL
Just give me a cheaper version of the collectors edition without the core game and first 2 expansions. How f*cking hard is that!? It’s what most day 1 players want.
No room for common sense here!
Clearly! They’d be avoiding this whole mess if they just did this to begin with
It’s because most people will still buy it, no matter how outraged.
I’m buying it. But only because i have no other option. Spending $90 on digital is ludicrous. I’d rather get the physical edition and just sell off my old copy + the old dlc vouchers.
Uhh your other option is not buying it at all. But no, I must get this extra map and few weapons!!
The fact that Destiny costs more than $50 AUD still blows my mind.
So they are cutting off there nose to spite there face. I’m out I’m going to wait and actually see if it’s any good otherwise destiny can suck my nuts
Yeeeea still not that psyched.
Gee thanks, Bungie. As someone else stated, my issue isn’t with the shitty meaningless collectible items. I couldn’t care less about those. Even though US$20 is retarded. $70 for just the expansion is a fucking ripoff. That’s more than I paid for the actual game.
This is utterly stupid. I rushed down to Ebgames after work the day Taken King was announced to secure my retail collectors edition. I’m forking out $120 AUS for the cool physical stuff, but I still have to deal with and pay for vanilla, expansion I and II content that I don’t need, but now every tom, dick and Harry is going to have the exclusive digital content! Why didn’t they just separate the year one content from all bundles and leave the retail and digital collectors editions ‘special’ with exclusive ingame content?
Just another attempt by bungie to blatantly scam all those who have sacrificed so much of their time grinding out the mindless repetition that is destiny. After taking three characters to lvl 33 I finally regained consciousness and dismantled all 23 exotics (starting with GHorn) and arm our etc.
Before I get started, just know that I’ve been playing since day 1…if you want to include the beta, I played that too. I’ve bought the edition that came with the season pass, metal case and art book. Honestly, I’m so glad I haven’t had to buy anything more because TDB was absolute rubbish. HoW was much better but I doubt I’d feel that way if I’d bought it separately, but regardless both DLC’s are fun. TTK looks like it’s on the level of HoW or higher (but I’m just assuming). Really, I don’t see why everyone is getting into such a fury about Bungie/Activisions marketing and money making schemes. I’m hoping they offer something like a digital TTK with the class emotes and whatnot separate from buying the game and DLC I already own. I don’t know if they’re offering something like that already…simply because they way the weekly update stated it is just confusing as dicks. Either that or I’m an idiot. A placid idiot, that hasn’t decided to bash the ‘FUCK YOU BUNGIE’ drum about meaningless cosmetic crap. Until then I’m alright with buying just TTK alone. Yeah, it’s overpriced, but I’ve had fun with the game and haven’t spent anything on it since release.
It’s money making. It’s getting people who don’t own destiny on board. That’s what they’re getting at. They haven’t forgotten the veterans, they just haven’t said much about that stuff because they’re trying to reach non-destiny players. Think about it, wouldn’t you advertise the fuck out of something that will make new customers and add in something for the existing customers on a quieter, later note?
Also, I expect to be downvoted because I’m going against the common opinion. I expect to be hated because I’m not jumping on the bandwagon. Go for it, I’ll go play Destiny.
Hey dude, as I understand it, digital TTK is $40 U.S., and the formerly exclusive collecters edition shaders, emotes and exotic class items are another $20 U.S.