The upcoming Destiny game, codenamed “Payback,” was reportedly canceled by Bungie. According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Payback was intended to be a spin-off rather than a direct sequel, but the project was only in its early stages before being shelved. Schreier clarified that while there was no development of “Destiny 3,” the cancellation of Payback does not reflect the abandonment of the Destiny franchise as a whole.
Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb reported that Bungie had referred to Payback as “the next Destiny” rather than Destiny 3, but the game is no longer in development. Grubb emphasized that neither a Destiny 3 nor any major new Destiny title is currently planned, suggesting a shift in focus away from these large-scale projects for the time being.
For the foreseeable future, Bungie will continue to support Destiny 2, but the nature of upcoming content will change. The studio plans to release smaller content updates, described internally as “content packs,” rather than the expansive expansions like the recent “The Final Shape.” This shift indicates a move towards more incremental updates for Destiny 2.
Recent developments at Bungie include a significant staff reduction, with over 200 employees laid off. Some of these individuals are transitioning to roles within Sony, Bungie’s parent company, while a new studio is being formed to develop a new action game. Despite these changes, Bungie is still aiming to release its extraction shooter, Marathon, within its targeted 2025 timeframe.
