Following the surprise layoffs of many beloved veterans earlier this week, Destiny studio Bungie released a statement acknowledging that it has "lost a lot of trust" but that it remains "focused on exceeding your expectations" with the upcoming Destiny 2 expansion, The Final Shape. The Final Shape," the upcoming Destiny 2 expansion.

"This has been one of the most difficult weeks in our studio's history. We have had to say goodbye to some of our most respected people. We have spent the past week supporting one another, both those in the studio and our friends and colleagues who are no longer with us."

The statement also addresses the negative sentiment in the Destiny community. The mood surrounding the game has reached a new low this year, with the game director apologizing in a video for the way he handled communication. The first wave of negativity to hit the game came with the release of the "Lightfall" expansion last February, which was a significant step backward from the quality of the previous game, "Witch Queen." Criticism snowballed from that point on, largely due to player burnout of the seasonal model and its monetization methods.

"I would like to acknowledge your comments and concerns about 'Lightfall' and the recent season, as well as your reaction to the release of 'Final Shape'. We know we have lost a lot of credibility, and Destiny needs to surprise and delight. We haven't done this enough, but we intend to change that."

Somewhat surprisingly, no mention was made of a delay in the release of Final Shape. After the layoffs, rumors surfaced that the expansion had been pushed back to June: Bloomberg reports that "Final Shape" has been well received internally but "not very good," combined with the reported poor reception of the previous expansion "Lightfall" and a sharp decline in player numbers management decided to delay the release.

"We are committed to exceeding your expectations for 'Final Shape,'" Bungie wrote. Destiny 2 has over 650 dedicated teammates who are pouring all their energy and expertise into delivering this epic moment and the episodes that follow."

"In the coming weeks, you will hear more from us about what's next in the short term, beginning with the next season in late November. Then we will begin to describe the team's bigger, bolder, brighter vision for The Final Shape and the bridges we plan to build to bring us all out of this darkness and into the light."

Early reactions to Bungie's statement, allegedly from the "Destiny 2 development team," were less than positive. Fans have been critical of the surprising lack of information about the expansion, as well as the fact that the post itself, while very polished, is almost empty.

This sentiment echoes the reaction to a tweet from Bungie CEO Pete Parsons shortly after the confirmed layoffs: Parsons' reluctance angered many Destiny fans, he is still the head of the company he is employed by, and the whole pointed out that he is not a mere bystander who feels very bad about the whole thing.

I am honestly surprised that there has been no comment about a release date for The Final Shape. This expansion will conclude the "light and dark" saga that has provided the narrative framework for Destiny since the release of the first game, and the remaining players are naturally eager to see it come to a grand close. For Bungie, it may be unwilling to delay this expansion, given the already reported decline in player numbers.

Fixing a new release date at this point may also be unwise: changing from February to June may not be enough time to make significant changes to the expansion, and could mean further delays as the new release date approaches, or harsh pressure on developers, or It could mean both. However, fans were expecting something in the form of a status update, and to leave it like this with nothing at all does not seem particularly considerate.

As of now, the pre-order page for Destiny 2: The Final Shape lists February 27, 2024 as the release date. We have contacted Bungie for more information about the delay report and will update if we hear back.