With 40,000 concurrent players, why is Destiny 2's player count in steady decline halfway through Lightfall?

Destiny 2's concurrent player count has been in steady decline ever since the launch of the new expansion. The unclear narration and mediocre writing did not help Bungie sell its live-service title to new players and veterans alike. However, even with every scope of improvement, things seem to be the same six months later, as the company and its community are disconnected from each other.

Since Destiny 2 is an active title known to always be in the top 10 player count per week, the current numbers are bad news for the future. From similar seasonal models to a confusing State of the Game article ahead of a season release, the community feels betrayed, tired, and disappointed.

Hence, with almost six more months left until Lightfall's chapter ends with four seasons, the steady decline in player count is tied to multiple slip-ups from Bungie.

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Destiny 2's current player count has been recorded to be the lowest since last year

For Destiny 2, periods like these have always been a common occurrence per expansion. The player base often gets burnt out after indulging in the same activities for hours, leading them to hate certain aspects of the game. However, this is true for any live-service games in the market.

The Destiny 2 community, however, has recently been struggling to get their words across to the developer's ears, therefore causing outrage among veterans. While the Lightfall expansion and the following grindy seasonal models are not helping players improve their review of the in-game system, the recently released State of the Game has sealed the deal for many.

Interestingly, the active player count seems to have reduced even more since the State of the Game article's launch. While the game used to have an average of 45,000 active players in-game in its driest period, that number has been pushed down to 35,000. Even taking the final days of a season into account, several factors have led to these numbers.

A few primary reasons for the player count's decline are as follows:

• The main story and writing of the Lightfall expansion heavily disappointed players who care for the narrative.
• Following Raid was disappointing in terms of content, length, and overall loot.
• Game-breaking bugs with each season, server error codes, and extended downtimes.
• Bugs that benefited players were prioritized heavily, leading players to tag Bungie as "fun police."
• Chore seasonal model for both Season 20 and 21.
• Actual revelations of Lightfall's Veil are hidden behind voice recordings and additional missions.
• Annual events are nothing more than checklists and ornament shops for players.
• Recent call-outs by renowned content creators and veterans of the game have influenced others to log out.
• State of the Game confirming no updates for Gambit's future.
• Poorly constructed State of the Game article, which could have just been multiple weekly TWIDs.

A player's dislike for a live-service game can be tied to a lot of personal reasons. However, when it comes to Destiny 2's recent decline, the majority of the community is trying to stand up and protest against the current system, further hinting at the company's fault more than the players themselves.