There was a lot riding on Destiny 2: The Final Shape, but it’s fair to say that the expansion lived up to its expectations upon its release earlier this year, enjoying widespread critical acclaim and seemingly also attracting players in equally large numbers. It seems, however, that the expansion may not have got off to the kind of start in terms of sales as Bungie would have been hoping for.
That’s as per journalist Stephen Totilo’s newsletter Game File, which cites an anonymous source who formerly worked at Bungie claiming that in spite of widespread critical acclaim, The Final Shape sold less at launch than last year’s critically panned Lightfall. Allegedly, however, even if the recent expansion had been a much bigger commercial hit, it would not have been able to avert Bungie’s most recent round of layoffs, which saw the studio cutting over 200 jobs.
In our review of Destiny 2: The Final Shape, we awarded it a score of 9/10, saying, “When Destiny content is bad, it can be some of the worst out there. However, when it’s good, there’s nothing quite like it. The Final Shape delivers on all its promises and then some, providing an emotional catharsis for long-time fans while paving the road ahead for the future.” Read the full review through here.
As of last November, reports suggested that pre-orders for the expansion were tracking below expectations. Whether its strong critical reception and word of mouth will lead to improved, prolonged long-term sales remains to be seen.
