Destiny 2 experienced a remarkable resurgence in player activity following its last-ever update, with over 167,000 concurrent players logging in on Steam. This surge marks the highest player count the game has seen in two years, as fans gathered to celebrate the conclusion of the live service title's nine-year journey.
Final update draws massive player turnout
Bungie released the final content update for Destiny 2 yesterday, officially ending new support for the beloved shooter. Players responded by flocking to the game in droves, with Steam recording a peak of 167,867 concurrent users. Thousands more are estimated to have joined on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S platforms.
The influx was so substantial that it overloaded the game's servers. Many players encountered error messages when attempting to log in, with prompts stating: "Destiny 2 servers are not available. Please dismiss this message and try again."
Comparing player counts
Over the past several months, Destiny 2 averaged around 10,000 concurrent players on Steam, a figure that reportedly influenced Sony's decision to cease funding. The game typically saw major spikes during expansion releases, such as The Final Shape in June 2024, which concluded the main storyline.
Interestingly, the final update's peak player count more than doubled that of Bungie's latest shooter, Marathon, which had only 19,746 concurrent players at the same time. Marathon's all-time peak of 77,358 players occurred during its launch week in March.
Community hopes for Destiny 3
The massive turnout was not only a celebration of Destiny 2's legacy but also a message to Sony. Many players hope that demonstrating continued interest might persuade the publisher to commission a third installment. A Change.org petition calling for Destiny 3 has amassed over 375,700 signatures.
However, there are currently no official plans for Destiny 3. Bungie's final statement to fans read: "Though active development may be concluding, we will ensure that Destiny 2 remains playable, just as the original Destiny is today. Many changes in this final update will aim to ensure that Destiny 2 is a welcoming place for players to return to."
Accessing Destiny 2 content
For players who missed out on earlier content, Destiny 2: The Collection is available for £24.99, bundling all major expansions and updates from the game's nine-year lifespan.
