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Terminally Online
This is Terminally Online: PC Gamer’s very own MMO column. Every other week, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the genre, interviewing fellow MMO-heads like me, taking a deep-dive into mechanics we’ve all taken for granted, and, occasionally, bringing in guest writers to talk about their MMO of choice. This week, I, Sean Martin, will be taking the reins since Harvey’s off (presumably grinding WoW).
As someone who writes guides for a living, I’m always hopping between different games, riding the ever-rolling wave of live service updates, DLC, and new releases that define our industry. I’ve dipped my toes into all sorts of MMOs over the years, but amidst the constant barrage of games, only one ended up sticking around for me, and that was Destiny 2.
I loved its gunplay, seasonal structure, and over the years I came to adore its dungeons and raids, sinking over 3,000 hours into grinding and playing with clan-mates. But then, it came to an end. It wasn’t a particularly graceful end—it hadn’t been in a good place for a while and it stopped midway through a narrative arc that was supposed to sustain the game for years.
At least stripped of its live service shackles, Destiny 2 retains its charm, and most of all, it is still playable. But there’s a sense that, beyond the new content added in the final update, that’s all she wrote.
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So this week I’m asking: Have you ever said goodbye to an MMO you’ve played for a huge chunk of time? The commitment that this genre necessitates fosters a special kind of investment, both in material terms and in experiences raiding and dungeoneering with clan mates. It’s well documented that people make lifelong friends (and often enemies) in MMOs and even meet marital partners—something that was definitely the case with Destiny.
How do you say farewell to a game that can mean so much? Maybe you’ve played MMOs so long that you’ve become inured to the idea of their end. Is it easy for you to find another MMO to take part in and start anew? Or is it never quite the same?
I’m partly asking out of curiosity, but also as someone who’s invested a vast quantity of time in a single MMO that doesn’t really have any truly comparable competitors. Maybe your favorite MMO ending can be a good thing? I certainly have a lot more time for other stuff now I’m not grinding power or gear I want.
For my part, at least, I’m planning to take a break and then check out Guild Wars 3 when it rolls around. We’ve got a fair few GW2 players on-site who rave about it, but the idea of being on the ground floor for a new MMO is a lot more appealing to me.
Still, a small part of me actually felt a sense of relief when Destiny 2 ended. Not all MMO partings are to do with the game ending, after all, but must also sometimes be about realising you can no longer justify the time you’re sinking into them. Either way, share your thoughts and solidarity with MMO bereavement in the comments.
