Activision proudly announced today that Destiny is officially the most pre-ordered new video game IP in gaming history. Inherently, this means it’s going to sell millions upon millions of units, and be a hot topic of discussion for the foreseeable future. But why?
There have been and will be a ton of great games that release this year, but Destiny stands as the most hyped of the bunch. That’s particularly surprising given it’s a new IP.
Also See: Destiny Review – Star Bores
We’ve dived in to not only figure out why gamers are so excited for Destiny, but what makes a game popular. Below you can find out how it’s managed to become the top dog of 2014 before being released.
Destiny Popularity: A Look at Why it's the Most Pre-Ordered New IP Ever
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Courageously ambitious
When was the last time you saw an MMOFPS on a console? Okay, so Destiny's MMO qualities are a half-step, but the point remains that you get to explore the Solar System in open-world lobbies with strangers and friends.
Speaking of the Solar System, Destiny allows you to explore Earth and several celestial bodies including Venus and Europa, Jupiter's Moon. Bungie even crafted a website called Planet View where you can travel to these real-world locations and view what they look like in Destiny.
Point being, Destiny isn't a game like any other. It's available on consoles, has a huge world to explore, and surprisingly has no subscription fee. This alone earned the interest of many when the game was announced.
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One word: Bungie
Bungie has one of the best track records in the industry. Some would say that anything it touches turns to gold. That's probably going a little far, but it did make the Halo games, including the legendary Halo: Combat Evolved. Bungie knows how to make a compelling narrative experience, cohesive shooting mechanics, and captivating online experiences.
The best part is that Destiny is a brand-new IP with no limits for design. Bungie has spent the past four years using its two decades of experience to build its dream game.
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A fantastic sci-fi presentation with 1080p visuals
Unsurprising for anyone who has played a Bungie game, Destiny is beautiful. On next-gen consoles you can explore the Solar System in full 1080p. There's variety, and an incredible level of detail that only a AAA game with a lengthy development cycle like Destiny can provide.
Though, the presentation doesn't just end with its graphics. Destiny has a captivating score composed by The Beatles legend Paul McCartney, Halo Audio Director Martin O'Donnell, and veteran video game composer Michael Salvatori. This is a game that does everything in its power to immerse players.
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Alpha/Beta won the heart of gamers
Destiny is by no means a rushed game, unlike some of the other high-potential titles we've seen on next-gen during the last 10 months. It had a long development cycle, and even allowed players to play it early and give feedback during Alpha and Beta periods.
Speaking of Alpha and Beta, some gamers had already invested over 100 hours in the game prior to release. Although it didn't woo everyone, the general consensus after these testing periods was that it's a great game, perhaps even the biggest of 2014. Alpha and Beta only sampled a limited taste of the full experience, too.
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Long-term play value
Destiny is a pseudo-MMOFPS. Just as you would expect from a AAA game from the genre, it has all the elements that keep players invested in massively online games. Yes, the narrative experience where you can play with others in open-world environments is the core focus of the game, but there's much more to it than that. There's a heavy dose of exploration, and player interaction in hubs. There's farming for gear, buying new weapons, and even killing other players in competitive matches.
Bungie says that Destiny will have a 10 year life cycle. In order to accomplish that it will be pushing new content to the game on a regular basis.
Basically, this is a game that packs tremendous value.
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The first true next-gen multiplatform online game
We're 10 months into a new generation of consoles, and we still haven't seen that big new multiplatform IP that gamers can really dig into. While Titanfall did a stellar job, it was limited to non-PlayStation platforms, and didn't have the long term staying power that Destiny likely has.
PlayStation 4 owners in particular are itching for a big game to call home for a few months, and Destiny is exactly what they're looking for. It's stylish, pushes next-gen hardware, and packs tremendous value to keep them coming back for the foreseeable future. Even Sony is sold on its concepts, investing millions in a partnership to bring exclusive content and a PS4 bundle to the PlayStation family.
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A new IP is exactly what gamers are looking for
Toward the tail-end of the last generation we saw a flood of arguably unnecessary additions to popular franchises, God of War: Ascension and Gears of War: Judgment just to name a couple. It's become clear that making games is all about money, and milking franchises is one of the most efficient ways to make dough in the industry.
With that in mind, it's no surprise that gamers are attracted to new IPs. In most cases, they offer something fresh, especially in the case of Destiny. Really, Destiny is what the video game industry has needed for a couple of years. Thankfully, it's finally here.
