Destiny's House of Wolves Expansion Won't Have a New Raid

[Steven Bogos]

Destiny's House of Wolves Expansion Won't Have a New Raid

House of Wolves will be low on content for end-game Destiny players.

When Bungie announced House of Wolves, the second expansion for its MMOFPS Destiny [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/tag/view/destiny], fans were excited to see what new features it would bring. Now, we have learned that a new end-game raid will not be among House of Wolves' features list, with a glorified "horde mode" being the only new addition to satisfy end-game players.

"We didn't make this decision lightly," said Bungie, promising that while House of Wolves won't have a raid, "Our team has been humbled by the reception of Raids in Destiny and we are creating a new Raid for a release later this year."

Destiny launched with one raid, the Vault of Glass, and the first expansion, The Dark Below, added a second raid called Crota's End in December. It's not yet known if this third raid Bungie is working on will be released as a free update, or paid DLC.

House of Wolves will instead feature a new cooperative battle arena, the Prison of Elders, as i's end-game content. It will be "focused on variety, replay-ability, and skill," according to Bungie, and sounds a lot like the "horde modes" - where players face off against an increasingly difficult number of enemies - made famous by titles such as Gears of War, Halo and Left 4 Dead.

House of Wolves will be released May 19 on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

Source: Bungie [http://www.bungie.net/en/News/News?aid=12764]

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[Arnoxthe1]

And absolutely nothing about the massive chunks of story missing from the game. Really, Bungie/Activision/whoever the heck is responsible for this nonsense?

 

[thehorror2]

It's fascinating how Bungie keeps finding new ways to disappoint their players. Literally every phase of owning this game lowers your expectations, which it then fails to meet with the next DLC release.

 

[Shocksplicer]

Bastards. They really just don't even care about hiding how greedy and callous they are anymore.

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

It will be "focused on variety, replay-ability, and skill," according to Bungie

Translation; Grinding the separate classes for next three months.

Whenever Destiny is talked about, my usual go-to is asking about the story, but then I remember that the game is an MMO, and can't have anything more than a threadbare plot.

 

[Jandau]

You know, I really feel Destiny will be a good game once it's finished and comes out on the PC. I'll gladly play it then...

 

[kaizen2468]

So much about Destiny is horrible. Almost everything is horrible about the business practices of the developer and publisher and how they treat their customers.

It almost makes me feel guilty about all the fun me and my friends have getting online on Tuesdays to do the reset content and hang out.

 

[Sinister Minister]

I guess I really am one of the only ones to think the Prison of Elders mode is better than just getting another Raid to cheese until Bungie fixes it. For one, I don't have to sit on an LFG site to find five people, and with this I can just grab two friends and have a ball. And besides, weren't more people clamoring for new PvE content?

 

[Riotguards]

500 million for a very lackluster game, i'm surprised that people are still playing it

 

[snekadid]

It will be "focused on variety, replay-ability, and skill," according to Bungie

Translation; Grinding the separate classes for next three months.

Whenever Destiny is talked about, my usual go-to is asking about the story, but then I remember that the game is an MMO, and can't have anything more than a threadbare plot.

Thats not fair, Wow is super lore heavy, FFXIV's story is pretty interesting, SWTOR was basically a single player game where assholes popped up in the middle of quests and screamed about someones mom. Hell, The Secret World is all about its story, weaving a tale of intrigue and schemes. Being a MMO does not excuse Destiny from being little more than grindy slop.

 

[Kahani]

House of Wolves will be low on content

For all the criticism they've had, you at least have to admit Bungie are consistent.

Thats not fair, Wow is super lore heavy

There's a difference between lore and plot though. WoW has huge amounts of lore, but there isn't really a plot at all. The player constantly jumps in and out of multiple short stories, most of which are not really connected in any way to each other. Each expansion, and sometimes smaller patches as well, has a big villain pop up, who is promptly defeated and barely mentioned again by the time the next one comes along. It's not so much a threadbare plot as a big pile of unconnected threads. I'd argue this is actually a good thing for this sort of game - trying to keep such a large and long-running game focussed on a single story is never going to work, so filling the world with lots of smaller stories builds the world up without it all feeling too contrived.

 

[Pax Romana]

I guess I really am one of the only ones to think the Prison of Elders mode is better than just getting another Raid to cheese until Bungie fixes it. For one, I don't have to sit on an LFG site to find five people, and with this I can just grab two friends and have a ball. And besides, weren't more people clamoring for new PvE content?

No not the only one. Doing raids is awkward because its hard to get six people together at once. I know that matchmaking for raids would be a disaster and would only frustrate players. I only said last night as it happens, that I would like to see something like a horde mode. Just never ending waves that vary and get more difficult. I hope there are loot drops and perhaps emblems to signify you have reached higher and higher levels, that would be cool.

 

[Lightknight]

One point of clarification, I thought it will have two new 3-person raids from what I've heard. It just won't have an end game six-person raid. Maybe they're called something different if they're just 3 person?

I wish there were more to explore and do in the tower besides running from vendor to vendor. It'd be nice to have other ports as well.

If they focused on multiplayer and the storyline a lot more then I'll be happy. Those end game raids generally only impact the few groups that can scrounge up 6 members. Of my three family members I'm really the only one still playing and even that is only because I love the graphics/mechanics and do enjoy the crucible.

But I'm reaching a point where I only show up once a week and only more if it's a special event week which they limited to only be the Iron Banner recently. Once it was a queen bit.

But I'm really disappointed. I wish I could be part of a focus group discussing these things with Bungie but I bet they already know. I'm circling the drain with nothing new to do.

 

[scotth266]

I'd argue this is actually a good thing for this sort of game - trying to keep such a large and long-running game focussed on a single story is never going to work, so filling the world with lots of smaller stories builds the world up without it all feeling too contrived.

It already HAS worked - see Final Fantasy 14 - A Realm Reborn. FF14 has a main questline that connects most of the content in the game (the only exceptions are sidequest stuff). The most recent patch sets up the connection to Heavensward, the game's first expansion, with something like 40 minutes worth of cutscenes (which you can thankfully skip if you don't play MMOs for the plot).

 

[gamegod25]

House of Wolves will be low on content

For all the criticism they've had, you at least have to admit Bungie are consistent.

Thats not fair, Wow is super lore heavy

There's a difference between lore and plot though. WoW has huge amounts of lore, but there isn't really a plot at all. The player constantly jumps in and out of multiple short stories, most of which are not really connected in any way to each other. Each expansion, and sometimes smaller patches as well, has a big villain pop up, who is promptly defeated and barely mentioned again by the time the next one comes along. It's not so much a threadbare plot as a big pile of unconnected threads. I'd argue this is actually a good thing for this sort of game - trying to keep such a large and long-running game focussed on a single story is never going to work, so filling the world with lots of smaller stories builds the world up without it all feeling too contrived.

The problem is Destiny isn't really an MMO, no more so than say Borderlands could be called one. It's hardly noticeable most the time and even then its very shallow and empty. Not to mention you can easily complete all the missions, even side ones, in one sitting which makes the lack of story/content feel all the more obvious and repetitive.

 

[Poetic Nova]

Blergh.

Good thing I bought Destiny for less than 20 euro's. Never bothered with the "expansion pack" and while I enjoyed the game for the most part I stopped playing it 20 hours in. THe time was better spend on Borderlands.

Good thing I was done early with this bull. Shame Bungie ever signed the contract with Activision.

 

[Ishigami]

Without matchmaking you can make as many raids as you want Bungie, I won't care.

 

[Elijin]

It must suck to be a big product and an easy target.

Destiny constantly gets flak for how their 'revolutionary' raids were kind of meh, and the community ate them up in days.

Bungie admit they've been humbled by this, and have taken raid 3 back to the drawing board.....and get shit for not releasing it as originally scheduled.

The only real concern is they're not being transparent about whether it will be a free update, or later DLC. Which I honestly expect it will be a free update, they're not that stupid.

 

[Pax Romana]

One point of clarification, I thought it will have two new 3-person raids from what I've heard. It just won't have an end game six-person raid. Maybe they're called something different if they're just 3 person?

I wish there were more to explore and do in the tower besides running from vendor to vendor. It'd be nice to have other ports as well.

If they focused on multiplayer and the storyline a lot more then I'll be happy. Those end game raids generally only impact the few groups that can scrounge up 6 members. Of my three family members I'm really the only one still playing and even that is only because I love the graphics/mechanics and do enjoy the crucible.

But I'm reaching a point where I only show up once a week and only more if it's a special event week which they limited to only be the Iron Banner recently. Once it was a queen bit.

But I'm really disappointed. I wish I could be part of a focus group discussing these things with Bungie but I bet they already know. I'm circling the drain with nothing new to do.

The three person missions with the boss at the end are called ''strikes'' in destiny lingo which means they are on the strike playlists (eagle, viper, wolf, tiger, roc). They will probably bring a new playlist which just means a higher level setting for enemies. Roc is the highest at level 26 right now and I can solo them with my eyes closed. You a PS4 or Xbone player? I wouldnt expect significant story advances just more bits to do and grind. Even if they added more story it would be done in a few hours, as you say its the mechanics that are the games strength.

 

[Daaaah Whoosh]

Holy shit, they're bringing back Firefight? The best version of Horde Mode ever? And the most fun I've had in a long time in a video game, playing for two hours straight trying to get the Endure achievement?

Huh friggin zah! This is great news!