Why Destiny 3 Is Not a Given for Bungie’s Next Game

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It’s surprising to see the day arrive when Bungie stops actively developing Destiny 2. After one last update on June 9th, the game will still be playable, but it won’t receive any further content or support. Some are saying this doesn’t mean Destiny 2 is truly ending, but it feels like a technicality. When a game like this stops being updated and supported, it’s essentially no longer ‘alive,’ which is hard for long-time players – those who have been enjoying it since its launch in 2017 – to accept.

With Destiny 2 becoming less of a priority and Bungie starting to focus on new games, many assumed Destiny 3 was likely in development. However, that might not be true. Recent reports indicate further layoffs at Bungie and suggest Destiny 3 isn’t even being considered. Instead, with Destiny 2‘s ongoing development winding down, the company seems more focused on Marathon. Trying to launch a completely new online game while still maintaining and updating two existing ones feels like a huge undertaking for a company that appears to be streamlining its operations.

Destiny 2 Ending Doesn’t Automatically Mean Destiny 3 Begins

Although reports from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier suggest Bungie may be facing layoffs and isn’t currently working on Destiny 3, the studio still intends to create new games. It’s possible these reports aren’t entirely accurate, as nothing has been officially confirmed yet. This means a new Destiny game remains a possibility.

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Although Bungie is working on future games, a Destiny 3 isn’t necessarily one of them. While it seems like the logical next step, there might be more practical ways for Bungie to use its resources, especially considering potential company changes. If the studio shrinks, maintaining servers for both Destiny and Destiny 2, while also developing Marathon and a new Destiny game, would be incredibly challenging. Despite what fans might want, a Destiny 3 simply isn’t the most realistic option for Bungie right now.

Bungie Has Been Here Before With Destiny 3

Regardless of whether a third game is even feasible, Bungie has a complex history with the idea of Destiny 3, and it doesn’t suggest we’ll see it released anytime soon, if at all. Back in 2020, after announcing the Beyond Light, Witch Queen, and Lightfall expansions for Destiny 2, former game director Luke Smith stated they weren’t planning a sequel. While that was six years ago, it’s not the only indication that Destiny 3 is either a long way off or has been completely abandoned as a concept.

In 2024, after layoffs and changes at Bungie, a project called “Payback” was revealed to be a new game set in the Destiny universe, but it was ultimately canceled. This led many fans to wonder if it was actually Destiny 3. However, journalist Jason Schreier clarified that Destiny 3 wasn’t canceled because it never progressed beyond the idea stage. According to Schreier, who has a reliable track record, the game wasn’t even being developed less than two years ago.

Bungie’s past decisions make a release of Destiny 3 unlikely in the near future, and possibly ever.

In November 2025, a leak surfaced suggesting that Destiny 3 was in development. Colony Deaks, a well-known Destiny leaker and data miner, posted on X that the game was in the very early stages of production, even though Bungie had previously said there were no plans for a sequel. This creates a confusing situation, as it raises questions about who is providing accurate information.

In 2024, journalist Jeff Schreier initially stated that Destiny 3 wasn’t being developed. However, a leak soon suggested otherwise. Now, after Bungie announced the end of live support for Destiny 2 on June 9th and reported upcoming layoffs, Schreier is reaffirming his original claim and downplaying the possibility of a Destiny 3. While it’s possible the initial leak was accurate and the project has since been canceled, or even that Schreier is mistaken and development continues, the growing evidence suggests the leak was inaccurate and Destiny 3 isn’t currently planned.

Marathon Needs Bungie Right Now More Than Destiny Does

As a huge Destiny fan, I’m really starting to worry about what’s next. Everyone’s talking about Destiny 3, but honestly, Marathon is the thing keeping me up at night. If Bungie can’t launch it successfully, and pretty soon, things could get really bad for the studio. With support for Destiny 2 ending in June, Marathon is their big new hope, and early signs aren’t exactly promising. It feels like a lot is riding on it!

Although Marathon didn’t receive the overwhelmingly negative reception some predicted, the game still faces challenges. Its development was already difficult, with Bungie postponing its release after initial player feedback and stating they needed more time to align the game with player expectations. While this isn’t necessarily a failure, particularly given Bungie’s track record of improving games after launch, it means Marathon won’t likely be an immediate success. It appears to be a game that will require significant ongoing support, revisions, and effort to regain player trust before it can become the stable, reliable title Bungie and Sony are hoping for.

One major factor when discussing a potential Destiny 3 is the Marathon project. If Bungie struggles to launch it successfully and quickly, the company could face serious difficulties.

Given the current situation, creating a full-scale Destiny 3 seems like a huge undertaking that Bungie might not be prepared for yet. Right now, Marathon actually needs Bungie’s attention more than Destiny does. The success of Marathon is crucial – it needs to generate enough revenue to support the studio while they continue developing Destiny. If Marathon doesn’t succeed, it could jeopardize both the future of Destiny and the long-term health of Bungie as a company.

Destiny 3 Is Still Plausible, Just Probably Not Soon

That being said, none of this means

Destiny 3

is impossible. If anything,

Destiny

is still far too important to Bungie for the franchise to be left behind forever, especially now that

Destiny 2

is effectively being put on the shelf
. Maybe the next step is a true third entry, maybe it’s another kind of

Destiny

project entirely, but it’s hard to imagine Bungie never returning to the universe that defined it for more than a decade. The question is not really whether

Destiny

has a future but how far away that future actually is.

Currently, a third Destiny game seems unlikely in the near future. With recent layoffs, Bungie’s focus on Marathon, and the studio just beginning to plan new games, Destiny 3 feels like something much further down the line. While fans will certainly hope for it eventually, everything happening at Bungie suggests a sequel isn’t immediately following Destiny 2.

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2026-05-26 21:38