Reports following Bungie’s layoffs reveal canceled Destiny projects, including a third-person game, a PvP spinoff, and a mobile game with NetEase.
Earlier this week, Bungie announced the company-wide layoffs of 17% of its workforce, amounting to over 220 staff members.
In the wake of this unsettling news, reports began to surface from journalists and insiders detailing the future plans for the Destiny franchise and shedding light on the numerous projects that have been canceled over the years.
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In this article, we have compiled a list of all the canceled Destiny projects, according to different reports over the last week.
Destiny Payback
One of the most intriguing canceled projects was Payback. Designed as a third-person spinoff game set in the Destiny universe, Payback was set to be an adventure game akin to Genshin Impact or Warframe, according to a new report from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier.
The project was overseen by Luke Smith, the executive creative director, and Mark Noseworthy, the vice president of Destiny at the time. Both of them have since left Bungie. The project was apparently in development for just over a year before it was canceled.
According to Bloomberg, Payback was canceled around two months ago, “to prioritize games that were more imminent, moving the bulk of its team to Marathon, which is targeting a release in 2025.”
Related: Destiny 2 The Final Shape Reportedly Sold Fewer Copies Than Lightfall
Destiny Sunspot
Another spinoff title, Sunspot, was reportedly canceled in 2023, according to Jeff Grubb, another credible insider. Little is known about the specifics of this project, but it was part of Bungie’s broader strategy to expand the Destiny universe beyond the core first-person shooter experience.
This is not the first time we’ve heard about Project Sunspot. Back in 2021, a rumor surfaced mentioning the development of Sunspot, which many believed to be the codename for post-Lightfall expansion, The Final Shape. However, it was later revealed that “Warp” was the actual codename for The Final Shape.
Related: Destiny 2 The Final Shape’s Ending Was Significantly Different Pre-Delay, Cut Cinematic Revealed
Destiny PvP Game
Bungie also had plans for a dedicated PvP game that was a “3v3 Crucible game channeling Trials [of Osiris]” set in the Destiny universe, according to Forbes’ Paul Tassi who published a new report going over the future of Destiny and Bungie. Despite Destiny 2’s Crucible offering competitive multiplayer experiences, there has been notable feedback from the PvP community regarding the lack of content, maps, and modes.
A standalone PvP game could have offered a more focused and perhaps more balanced environment. The project, however, never saw the light of day. It’s possible that this supposed PvP game may have been Project Sunspot mentioned by Grubb.
Related: The Final Shape Becomes Destiny 2’s Highest-Rated Expansion On Steam
Destiny Mobile Game
In 2022, The Game Post reported that Bungie is working on a Destiny mobile game in partnership with the Chinese gaming giant NetEase. This has now been corroborated by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier and Forbes’ Paul Tassi that a Destiny mobile game was indeed in development with NetEase at some point.
However, the project was also shelved.
Related: Destiny 2 Voice Actor For Every Character: From Destiny 1 To The Final Shape
Destiny Netflix Series
While this report may be dated and not from this week, it is worth including in the list of all canceled Destiny projects. This was reported by Forbes’ Paul Tassi earlier this year, where he talked about a potential Destiny animated series in partnership with the streaming platform, Netflix.
“I heard a long time ago that there was a Destiny Netflix show being tossed around, like an animated one,” said Tassi. “But, ultimately it just didn’t really come together. I’m not sure how far it got, I think it was in [the] scripting phase or something. This was a long time ago. I think it was before the Sony acquisition, I’m pretty sure.”
No Destiny 3
For years, there has been speculation and hope among fans that Destiny 3 would be the next major installment to reinvigorate the franchise. The community anticipated a new game that could offer fresh experiences and innovations, potentially reigniting interest for both new and returning players.
However, according to reports from Schreier, and Grubb, Destiny 3 was never in development at Bungie. Tassi reports that a project like Destiny 3 “was and is considered too big of a risk in the current market,” likely due to the complexities and how resource-heavy Destiny 2 already is.
The cancellation of these projects reflects the challenges and uncertainties Bungie has faced in navigating the Destiny franchise’s future. Recent layoffs and project cancellations have cast a shadow over the studio’s current state, with the main focus primarily being on Marathon, Bungie’s upcoming live service PvP extraction shooter.
As for Destiny 2, the future remains uncertain as the game is reportedly moving away from annual expansions, in favor of smaller “content packs“.
