Destiny Players Turn on Sony, Demand Destiny 3 Development with Petition

Destiny players have turned on Sony by launching a petition demanding that Destiny 3 begin development, and we’re with them.

Developed by the creators of the Halo series, when Bungie’s Destiny first launched in 2014, it was a bit rocky, with connection issues and a lack of story content. However, its first-person shooter gameplay was fantastic, its premise was enticing, and it looked absolutely gorgeous to boot.

Over the following months, Bungie worked tirelessly to fix Destiny’s reported issues, build its intriguing lore and keep players engaged with a plethora of new events and legendary loot drops to acquire. Then, when Destiny 2 arrived in 2017, it improved on its predecessor in almost every way.

In the years that followed, fans were eager for a Destiny 3 announcement, as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S entered the twilight years with the next-generation consoles on the horizon.

Yet in 2023, Bungie made a huge announcement, but sadly, it was not related to Destiny 3; it was for its new extraction shooter, Marathon, a reimaging of the game originally released in 1994 on PC.

Still, even with the announcement of Marathon, Bungie and its parent company, Sony Interactive Entertainment, will give us Destiny 3 at some point, right? Well, that’s not looking likely, despite Marathon becoming a colossal flop with player numbers dropping like dead flies.

Screenshot of Destiny 2, Bungie

According to SteamDB, Marathon had a somewhat respectable 88,337 concurrent players at launch. However, as I write this article, that number has dropped by a whopping 95% to just 4,247. I would imagine that the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S numbers don't look great either.

Sony Kills Destiny

Last week, Bungie announced that Destiny 2 will receive its final content update next month, on June 9, 2026. Worst still, not only were there reports of Destiny 3’s development being canned, but Bloomberg reports that Bungie could face mass redundancies by Sony.

It seems baffling that, given how popular Destiny once was and that Marathon is seemingly on a never-ending downward spiral just a few months after its launch, Sony is doubling down on the project, desperate for it to be a success. This is at the expense of the Destiny series and a potential new sequel, which could have been the best chance for Bungie to get back on track, especially following the plagiarism artwork controversy.

Disheartened Players Launch a Destiny 3 Petition

In an attempt to vent their frustrations towards Sony and to have their voices heard, passionate Destiny players have launched a petition that’s been getting a lot of traction, pleading that a new sequel go into development.

“The Destiny franchise has captivated millions of gamers around the world with its immersive universe, thrilling gameplay, and strong sense of community,” reads the petition.

“However, with the end of updates for Destiny 2, it's time to take the next step and keep this beloved series thriving. That step is the development of Destiny 3.”

“The desire for new adventures, fresh storylines, and innovative gameplay features is palpable among players everywhere. Destiny 3 would not only meet these demands but also expand the horizons of what is possible within this universe.

Our passion and commitment to the Destiny franchise drives us to reach out to Sony and express our collective voice. We believe in the potential of Destiny 3 to inspire new generations of gamers and to keep the fire of the Guardian spirit alive.”

Bungie's latest game, Marathon

When we checked the petition last night, it garnered over 50,000 signatures in just a matter of hours. Now, as I write this article, it’s over 173,00 and no doubt, that number will continue to grow in the coming days.

Will This Petition Force Sony’s Hand?

Sadly, that’s very unlikely. Sure, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Sony could take the pleas of Destiny fans to heart, but considering it seems hellbent on making Marathon some sort of success, I’d be shocked if it changed course. Even if it looks like there’s no way back for Marathon at this point.

In an ideal world, Sony would scale down support for Marathon to keep those who enjoy the game happy and announce Destiny 3, which would likely have far more global appeal and may be seen as a very consumer-friendly move.

Sadly, we rarely live in an ideal world, and unless the Destiny license is outsourced to another developer, and as likely as it is to see Marathon become a huge success, I don’t think we’ll be hearing any positive Destiny news anytime soon.

Destiny 2 and Marathon are out now on PC, PlayStation and Xbox.

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