Is the Red War Campaign Removed from Destiny 2? A Deep Dive

Yes, unfortunately, the Red War campaign has been removed from Destiny 2. This drastic decision, made by Bungie, sent ripples through the Destiny community and remains a point of contention for many players. The removal wasn’t isolated; it was part of a larger strategy known as the Destiny Content Vault (DCV), aimed at optimizing the game’s size and performance. Understanding why this happened and what it means for the game’s future requires a closer look.

Understanding the Destiny Content Vault

The Destiny Content Vault (DCV) is a system where older content, including entire campaigns, destinations, and activities, are removed from the active game world and placed in a sort of digital archive. Bungie’s justification for this was multifaceted:

• Reducing Game Size: Destiny 2 had grown to an immense size, making patching and updates cumbersome and straining console storage capabilities.

• Improving Performance: The sheer volume of content was impacting the game’s performance, leading to longer loading times and potential stability issues.

• Focusing Development: By removing older content, Bungie could concentrate their resources on developing and maintaining the current and future expansions.

While the rationale was understandable from a technical perspective, the removal of the Red War – the original campaign that introduced many players to Destiny 2 – felt like a significant loss. It meant that new players couldn’t experience the game’s story from the very beginning, and veteran players couldn’t revisit a pivotal chapter in Destiny’s lore.

The Impact of Removing the Red War

The Red War wasn’t just a campaign; it was an entry point, a foundation for the entire Destiny 2 narrative. Its removal had several key impacts:

• Loss of Onboarding Experience: New players are now thrown into the current state of Destiny 2 without a proper introduction to the core characters, factions, and overall storyline.

• Narrative Gaps: Without the Red War, there are significant gaps in understanding the history of the Guardians, the Traveler, and the ongoing conflict against the Darkness.

• Content Reduction: Regardless of the reasons, the removal of the Red War and other vaulted content meant less playable content overall.

• Community Division: The decision to vault content sparked debate within the Destiny community, with some players understanding the technical constraints and others lamenting the loss of beloved stories and destinations.

The Future of Vaulted Content

While Bungie has stated that they are no longer vaulting expansions, the fate of the Red War and other vaulted campaigns remains uncertain. There are no immediate plans to bring them back, but the possibility hasn’t been entirely ruled out. The technical challenges of reintegrating this content are considerable, and it would require significant development resources.

However, Bungie has also demonstrated a willingness to listen to community feedback and revisit past decisions. Whether the Red War will ever return is ultimately up to Bungie, but the community’s voice can certainly play a role in shaping that decision.

The Importance of Game Preservation

The removal of the Red War highlights the broader issue of game preservation in the age of live-service games. Unlike traditional single-player games, live-service games are constantly evolving, with content being added, removed, and altered over time. This raises questions about the long-term accessibility and historical significance of these games.

Discussions surrounding the Destiny Content Vault also touch on topics explored by academics and researchers involved with organizations like the Games Learning Society which studies the intersection of games, learning, and society, at GamesLearningSociety.org. Maintaining a record and accessibility to gaming experiences are key considerations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Red War and the Destiny Content Vault

Here are 15 frequently asked questions related to the Red War and the Destiny Content Vault, providing further context and information:

1. Why was the Red War removed from Destiny 2?

The Red War was removed as part of the Destiny Content Vault (DCV) to reduce game size, improve performance, and allow Bungie to focus development on current and future content.

2. What other campaigns were removed from Destiny 2?

Besides the Red War, the Curse of Osiris, Warmind, and the Forsaken campaign were also vaulted.

3. Will the Red War ever return to Destiny 2?

There are currently no plans to bring the Red War back, but Bungie hasn’t completely ruled it out.

4. Is Destiny 2 becoming too large for its own good?

The size of Destiny 2 was a significant factor in the decision to implement the DCV. Removing content helps manage the game’s overall footprint.

5. How does the Destiny Content Vault affect new players?

New players miss out on the original story campaigns and may find it difficult to understand the context of current events.

6. What is Bungie’s strategy for dealing with legacy content?

Bungie’s current strategy is to focus on developing new expansions and seasonal content, with no immediate plans to revisit vaulted content.

7. Are any expansions safe from being vaulted in the future?

Bungie has stated that they will not be vaulting any more expansions going forward. Seasonal content will remain in place for that expansion year and then move to the Destiny Content Vault at the start of the new year.

8. How long was the Red War campaign?

Playthrough times varied, but the average time to complete the Red War campaign was between 9 and 21 hours.

9. What happened in the Red War storyline?

The Red War involved a Cabal faction known as the Red Legion, led by Dominus Ghaul, attacking the Last City and severing the Guardians’ connection to the Light.

10. Who was the main villain in the Red War?

The main villain was Dominus Ghaul, the leader of the Red Legion.

11. Was the Forsaken campaign removed as well?

Yes, the Forsaken campaign and the Tangled Shore destination were removed from the game in February 2022.

12. What expansions are currently available in Destiny 2?

The expansions currently available are Shadowkeep, Beyond Light, The Witch Queen, and Lightfall.

13. Is Destiny 2 free-to-play?

Destiny 2 offers a free-to-play version, but access to most content, including expansions and seasonal activities, requires purchase.

14. Why did Bungie remove paid content from Destiny 2?

Bungie removed paid content to manage the game’s size and complexity, and to allow for more focused development.

15. What is Bungie doing to improve the new player experience?

Bungie has introduced various measures to improve the new player experience, but the loss of the original campaign remains a challenge.

Conclusion

The removal of the Red War campaign from Destiny 2 was a complex decision with significant consequences. While the reasons behind the Destiny Content Vault are understandable from a technical standpoint, the loss of this foundational content remains a sore point for many players. Whether Bungie will ever revisit this decision remains to be seen, but the discussion surrounding the DCV underscores the importance of game preservation and the challenges of maintaining live-service games over the long term.