Destiny

Destiny is a role-playing first person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Activision for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One consoles. It was released on September 9, 2014 everywhere outside Japan, where it will be released on September 11, 2014 and only for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4.

Pre-Reveal
The Destiny trademark was registered on July 20, 2009 by Podophobia Entertainment, a privately held company thought to be a Bungie affiliate (the company's registration documents with the state of Washington name Harold Ryan and Martin O'Donnell as its owners). The trademark has since been assigned to Bungie. The Destiny logo's trademark description refers to it as the logo for "computer game software downloadable from a global computer network," and was extended by Bungie in March 2011 and April 2013.

Within Bungie, the project's codename prior to reveal was "Tiger." For months, Bungie itself was silent as to the title of its new project, but on February 10, 2013, confirmed the name "Destiny" via a news post on its front page.

On February 17, 2013, in coordination with a media blitz, Bungie and Activision officially revealed Destiny through a video documentary and reveal trailer entitled Pathways Out of Darkness.

Destiny Launch
Destiny launched simultaneously on September 9, 2014 on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One consoles worldwide, except for in Japan, where Destiny will be exclusively released on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 consoles. At Sony's PlayStation 4 reveal event in February 2013, Bungie and Activision also announced that Destiny will launch with "exclusive playable content" for Sony platforms. Destiny has not been announced for any other platform, and Bungie has stated that developing the game for other platforms would spread the company too thin (though the developer has not ruled out the possibility of a launch on PC at some point in the future).

Though the launch date was originally expected to be in Q3/Q4 2013, the launch was delayed. Bungie launched limited alpha and public beta tests during the summer of 2014 and confirmed Destiny's launch date to be 9 September 2014.

Limited Editions
In addition to the standard edition, consumers also have the option of purchasing any of several special editions of Destiny, designed for collectors and including additional items:
 * Destiny Limited Edition (US $99.99 Estimated Retail Price (ERP))
 * Limited Edition SteelBook Case and Game Disc
 * Guardian Folio, containing:
 * “Arms and Armament” Field Guide: Many believe the weapons and armor featured in this record are a myth. You will learn the truth.
 * Postcards from the Golden Age: Our worlds have been claimed by our enemies. Now, it’s time to take them back.
 * Antique Star Chart: Explore the wild frontiers of our solar system. Discover all that we have lost.
 * Collector’s Edition Digital Content: The City has provided you with a cache of items to start you on your journey, including:
 * A Unique Ghost Casing
 * An Exclusive Player Emblem
 * An Exclusive Player Ship Skin
 * Includes the Destiny Expansion Pass (a season pass for two future Destiny expansion packs, including The Dark Below and House of Wolves)
 * Destiny Ghost Edition (US $149.99 ERP)
 * Limited Edition SteelBook™ Case and Game Disc
 * Ghost Replica: This is your motion-sensing Ghost, featuring lights and audio from the game. May it lead you through the Darkness.
 * Letter of Introduction: These worlds were once ours. If you accept your destiny, you will be asked to do the impossible.
 * Golden Age Relics, which include a Patch, Sticker, and two Chrome slides of the Traveler
 * Guardian Folio, containing:
 * “Arms and Armament” Field Guide: Many believe the weapons and armor featured in this record are a myth. You will learn the truth.
 * Postcards from the Golden Age: Our worlds have been claimed by our enemies. Now, it’s time to take them back.
 * Antique Star Chart: Explore the wild frontiers of our solar system. Discover all that we have lost.
 * Collector’s Edition Digital Content: The City has provided you with a cache of items to start you on your journey, including:
 * A Unique Ghost Casing
 * An Exclusive Player Emblem
 * An Exclusive Player Ship Skin
 * Includes the Destiny Expansion Pass (a season pass for two future Destiny expansion packs, including The Dark Below and House of Wolves)
 * Destiny Digital Guardian Edition (US $89.99 ERP) (Digital Download Only)
 * Digital download of Destiny
 * Pre-order bonus of early access to several pieces of Vanguard armor and weapons and Vanguard player emblem
 * Collector’s Edition Digital Content: The City has provided you with a cache of items to start you on your journey, including:
 * A Unique Ghost Casing
 * An Exclusive Player Emblem
 * An Exclusive Player Ship Skin
 * Includes the Destiny Expansion Pass (a season pass for two future Destiny expansion packs, including The Dark Below and House of Wolves)

PlayStation Timed Exclusives
Destiny will launch with several timed exclusive items for PlayStation users. There has been no confirmation as to how long these items will remain exclusive to PlayStation, but for major game franchises that have timed exclusive content, the typical exclusivity period is one to four weeks.

An Activision press release additionally stated that exclusive content for the two Destiny expansion packs (The Dark Below and House of Wolves) will remain exclusive until at least Fall 2015 (there was no mention as to how long exclusive launch items will remain exclusive).

The following are the timed launch exclusives for PlayStation:
 * Argus Hunter armor set
 * Manifold Seeker Warlock armor set
 * Vanir Titan armor set
 * Monte Carlo, an exotic auto rifle
 * Hawkmoon, an exotic hand cannon
 * Dust Palace Strike mission
 * Exodus Blue Crucible map
 * Aurora Wake jumpship
 * Crypt Hammer jumpship
 * Outrageous Fortune jumpship

Subscription Fees and Microtransactions
Despite being a persistent world game with MMO elements, both Bungie and Activision have stated that, unlike a typical MMO game, there will be no subscription fee for Destiny. There has been no confirmation either way about the presence of microtransactions in-game, but Bungie has stated that even if microtransactions are present, they will not be "pay-for-power" or "nickel and dime" schemes that confer an advantage upon players that pay extra.

Destiny's Story and Universe
"The stories tell of a golden age long ago, when our civilization spanned the system. It was a bright and hopeful time. But it didn't last.

Something hit us. Knocked us down and tried to stamp us out. No one knows exactly what, but we do know this: very few of us survived, and those that did owe their lives to the The Traveler.

Legends say The Traveler sacrificed itself to save us. The mysterious sphere still hangs where it made its last stand, low above the Earth, keeping silent watch.

The years that followed the collapse of the golden age were hard, but slowly we joined together to build a city beneath The Traveler. And now we've begun to venture back into the wild, only to find that we're not alone. Strange and deadly creatures have occupied our old worlds. And they're pressing hard against The City, probing for a weakness, trying to stamp us out for good.

Your story begins at this moment of great adventure and peril. You are a Guardian of The City; a soldier able to wield some of The Traveler's incredible power. If you can find a way to save The City -- to reclaim all that we have lost -- you will become legend. If you fail, the last light of civilization will go out."

For more information, please visit our article on  Destiny' s Story.

Style and Genre

 * Bungie and Activision describe Destiny as a "shared world shooter," stating that the game really does not fit squarely into other genres such as FPS, RPG, or MMO. "Shared world shooter" means that the game can be played solo or in small groups, and player advancement does not necessarily rely on other players.
 * Destiny will feature a persistent, dynamic, online world that includes realistic changes of light and weather.
 *  Destiny' s story will unfold like a series of books and chapters.
 * Destiny will have several game modes. Bounty resembles a "raid" in a traditional MMO and successful bounties can result in rewards of weapons, armor, and items. Competitive multiplayer will occur as well, though players will have to voluntarily enter into it.
 * Music will be by Martin O'Donnell in collaboration with Michael Salvatori and Paul McCartney.
 * Bungie describes Destiny as resting on seven "pillars" essential to creating a great video game:
 * A world players want to be in.
 * A bunch of fun things to do.
 * Rewards players care about.
 * A new experience every night.
 * Shared with other people.
 * Enjoyable by all skill levels.
 * Enjoyable by the impatient and distracted.



Gameplay Mechanics
Please view our main article on Gameplay.



Character Organizations
Please view the following articles for more information:
 * Species
 * Classes
 * Factions

Locations
Please view the following articles for more information:
 * Locations



Vehicles, Weapons, and Armor
Please view the following articles for more information:
 * Vehicles
 * Weapons
 * Armor

Achievements and Trophies
For a list of achievements and trophies that can be earned in Destiny, please view the following article:
 * List of Achievements and Trophies in Destiny

Pre-Announcement Information from Third Parties
Please view our disambiguation page for pre-announcement information from third parties.

Trivia

 * Destiny was teased in Bungie's 2009 video game Halo 3: ODST, over three years before Destiny ' s official announcement. Former Bungie employee Vic DeLeon responded that it has "finally been found" when a screenshot of the teaser surfaced online.
 * Destiny is not connected to Bungie's independent publishing venture Bungie Aerospace.
 * As of August 12, 2014, Destiny has set a video game industry record as the most pre-ordered new franchise.