Destiny, Bungie’s new persistent MMOFPS revealed

Halo progenitor Bungie have revealed their next game in development, Destiny. The title is a first-person shooter set in a persistent online world, with a heavy focus on co-op gameplay.

The game will require always-on internet in order to be played. It is currently pegged to hit current-gen consoles (PS3, Xbox 360), with no mention of PC support or next-gen consoles. No release window was provided either, but it is widely considered to only be hitting shelves once next-gen consoles have launched.

Activision CEO Eric Hirschberg is reported as stating that there are no plans to charge a subscription fee for the game.

Destiny concept art

Destiny setting

The game is set in a futuristic version of Earth’s own solar system. Following an epoch of peaceful civilisation spread across the planets and extending out into the galaxy, the human race is nearly wiped out by an unknown force.

Earth’s survivors take shelter under an orb that hovers over the planet (known as The Traveler), and as humans rise against extinction, they realise they are not alone.

Strange creatures attack the last bastion of mankind, and players will engage as guardians of the Earth’s last city. Powers granted by The Traveler will be used by players against the enemy as they strike out against the foe.

Players will explore the solar system, embarking on quests as one would expect. The game consists of multiple public areas, and as players enter the area, they will be matched up with other players.

Bungie promises seamless loading of areas (no menus or load screens).

Destiny concept art

Destiny game

Bungie revealed three player classes: The Hunter, The Warlock, and the Titan, each with their own look and abilities.

Destiny will use new, internally developed engines, which reportedly have been six years in the making. Interestingly, as an Nvidia research partner, Bungie has helped develop a new lighting technique known as “known as large-scale ambient inclusion.”

Engineering lead Chris Butcher said “Our engine is fully multi-threaded for performance on all platforms, both today and for the next 10 years.”

Bungie is under a 10-year publishing deal with Activision. While Bungie retains the rights to Destiny, Activision currently has the publishing rights for the duration of the 10-year deal.

Can we expect to see Destiny become the World of WarCraft of console shooters over the coming years, with constant content updates and evolution of the game over time?

This will be interesting to note as more details are revealed. Questions are also raised about how South African Internet connections and gaming service providers will be able to support such an ambitious technical undertaking.

For now, check out the concept trailer below: