Bungie Deploys Destiny Details, Plots PlayStation 3 Debut

Few other developers could make a splash on the scale that Bungie has today. After years of speculation, the Bellevue-based studio has finally raised the curtain on Destiny, a persistent online first-person shooter that promises to change the landscape of the genre forever. And it’s firing onto PlayStation 3.

Coming from the architects of the Halo franchise, the online adventure is nothing if not ambitious. You’ll step into the shoes of a Guardian, who must explore a futuristic version of our own solar system in an effort to save the world from a deadly alien race. The twist is that you won’t be alone – the universe will be made up of a community of other Guardians, each attempting to protect the galaxy in their own unique way.

And this is where it gets really interesting: Destiny is always online. You’ll be able to travel the cosmos on your own, but you’ll need to be connected to the Internet to do so. As you explore, you’ll seamlessly be cycled in and out of other people’s games, giving the adventure an MMO-esque quality – and a really awesome hook.

Unlike games such as World of Warcraft, though, there’ll be no subscription fee. The upcoming title will restrict the number of other players that you encounter, so you won’t be sifting through social hubs bombarded with bodies. But if you’re struggling out on the battlefield, there’s a good chance that another player may pass you by. Whether they decide to help you out, however, is another matter entirely.

Destiny 3

And the lofty ideas don't stop there. Bungie is aiming to extend the experience to smartphones, tablets, and other devices, allowing you to keep track of your progress on the move. The studio hopes that players will share stories as they play, with the emergent nature of the world ensuring that no two experiences will be identical.

However, that’s all that the developer is willing to share for the time being. The title’s set to release on PS3, but publisher Activision’s keeping the exact date under wraps. That means that there’s a good chance that the game could launch after the next generation has started, though there have been some reports of the shooter targeting future platforms, too.

Personally, we think it’s interesting that Bungie decided to disclose details about Destiny just three days before Sony’s set to reveal the PlayStation 4. Should we expect to learn a little more during the platform holder’s press conference next week? Stranger things have happened.

[source destinythegame.com, via joystiq.com, joystiq.com, ign.com, eurogamer.net]