With the launch of Destiny 2’s Season of the Worthy update in March, Bungie will finally be eliminating loot boxes from the game. Bungie is only the latest company to reassess how they handle loot boxes in video games, following the path EA created after the loot box blowback in the Star Wars: Battlefront series.
Loot boxes have a shaky history in the world of video games. There are those who feel that the practice is essentially gambling, especially when players can use real world money to purchase access to these boxes. It is easy to see this comparison for games like NBA 2K20, which included a loot box slot machine in its trailer. This has led many to advocate for the removal of loot boxes from games altogether, especially loot boxes marketed towards children. So many gamers have complained, in fact, that some AAA developers have since removed the concept entirely from franchises which originally featured them.
VG247 reports that Bungie will be removing loot boxes with this newest Destiny 2 update. In Destiny 2, loot boxes are referred to as Bright Engrams and are mostly purchased with real world money. The Bright Engrams just provide players with cosmetic items, rather than items that can be used for combat. Bungie has reportedly stated they want players to know what they are spending their money on, and loot boxes don’t fit that criteria. Bright Engrams will not be going away entirely, but instead players will acquire them through the game’s season pass.
There are other big changes coming to Destiny 2 with Season of The Worthy. Players will finally get to play the Trials of Osiris mode again, which fans might remember as a massive part of the first game’s endgame content. New content will also be centered around supporting Rasputin at the new Seraph Towers, and killing enemies in the Lost Sectors. The Season Pass is also getting revamped so that players can go past level 100 and obtain new unique items.
It is probably very reassuring to fans that loot boxes will be removed from Destiny 2, but to many this decision comes very late. If Destiny 2 was free-to-play, then most players would not have been as irked by Bungie’s decision to make more money. Considering that Destiny 2 fans already have to shill out for new content every season, it felt odd that the game was presenting another opportunity to take money from players. Despite the decision coming a little late, hopefully Destiny 2 will be all the better without Bright Engrams.
Destiny 2 Shadows of the Worthy launches on March 10th.
