Bungie apologizes for Taken King controversy, CE items to be sold separate

L

LiK

Member
https://www.bungie.net/en/News/News?aid=13090

This week at Bungie, we’re working hard to fix what’s wrong with the Collector’s Editions for The Taken King. You’ve voiced your objections. We agree wholeheartedly. Now, our attention is focused on creating solutions. These things take time, so pardon our silence these past few days. In moments like these, actions speak louder than words.

In developing The Taken King, one of our goals has been to celebrate you and your triumphs. E3 was a place to reveal the new adventures we hope to send you on, but our conversations there didn’t do justice to our plans to honor your legacy.

Don’t take it from me. Here are some words from Luke Smith:

I am Luke Smith, Creative Director on Destiny: The Taken King.

Many, many years ago, I wrote to you each week in this spot. We talked about Battle Rifles, we talked about stuff we weren't going to talk about, and at some point I did a horrible hand-drawing of an upcoming map and teased you with it in the Weekly Update.

Anyone who knows me knows I can be sarcastic, anyone who remembers podcasts I've done knows that I can be pretty blunt, and anyone who’s watched me in a ViDoc knows I'm pretty unpolished.

However, most of you don't know me.

Reading my interview with Eurogamer and imagining it came from some random developer of a game I love - that random developer looks like an Asshat.

But that Asshat was me - and those words rightfully anger you.

I'm sorry.

My words made it sound as if Bungie doesn't care about their most loyal fans.

We do care. We are listening. And we will make it right.

Here's what we're doing about the Collector's Edition of Destiny: The Taken King...

We’re actively working to make the digital content from the Collector’s Edition available in a $20 upgrade bundle (suggested retail price), available on 9/15/2015. If you purchase a stand-alone version of Destiny: The Taken King, or already have, you'll be able to pick up the digital items as soon as they are available.

If you have decided to pick up the Legendary Edition of Destiny: The Taken King at retail, you can also elect to pick this up if you want to upgrade into a Collector’s Edition.

If you purchased the existing Digital Collector’s Edition, and you already owned Destiny and both expansion packs, we’ll have some additional information for you soon.

If you want to get caught up on all of the options available for Destiny: The Taken King, you can view the details here. (Note: You won’t see the Collector’s Edition Upgrade we described above, yet. We’re working on it.)

For those looking for a little more context about Emotes and Class Items in The Taken King, we will be introducing new Class Items with stat attributes. These will provide players with another gear slot that can contribute to both your Guardian’s look and build preferences. The Class Items included in the Collector’s Edition are a welcome addition for players looking to level up newborn Guardians or fresh subclasses, but they are not the only new Class Items available in Destiny: The Taken King. This is part of our focus on making the game more rewarding and adding more variety options for players. The same goes for Emotes.

So, that’s what we’re doing about the Collector’s Edition. Here are some other questions, and answers, about some other topics many of you care about.


“Hey, I have Destiny and all its expansions. Do I really have to buy stuff I already own to play The Taken King?”

The Digital Download is for existing players who already own Destiny and both expansion packs, and are ready to jump straight into The Taken King this September.


“Hey, I’ve been here since day one. What do I get?”

If you already have a Light Level 30 Guardian, or if you’ve picked up and played both The Dark Below and House of Wolves, then you’re a VIP in The Tower’s book. They’ll reward you accordingly with a victory lap that will include a permanently exclusive set of items.


When you stride through the Tower, people are going to ask you where you got those wonderful toys. You’ll nod and let them know you earned them. It’s a Year One thing, and they just wouldn’t understand. And they won’t ever be able to get their hands on their own set.

And we’ll have more fun stuff for you to announce in the very short term future, just for you.

Thanks for caring enough to sound off. We heard the feedback, loud and clear. We’ll talk more soon.


To be continued…

This is part 1 of 2 of the Bungie Weekly Update. Tune in tomorrow for the usual fanfare, including a report from our friends on the Destiny Player Support team, the Movie of the Week, and more.
Click to expand...
 
W

Wolves Evolve

Member
We’re actively working to make the digital content from the Collector’s Edition available in a $20 upgrade bundle (suggested retail price), available on 9/15/2015. If you purchase a stand-alone version of Destiny: The Taken King, or already have, you'll be able to pick up the digital items as soon as they are available.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, what? This is them... *fixing*? This is their option? This will likely cost 35 in AUD given the current conversion since Taken King is listing now at 70 for a digital download. So I'm paying full premium price again.

Couldn't they have rolled all these items into the VIP package and given all the cool physical things to the CE owners? the DCE owners get the extra value already, of, you know, everything.

All we wanted was a clear option to upgrade to the new content and not miss out. The answer isn't 20 more bucks.
 
G

-griffy-

Banned
So they just want people who already own Destiny and the two expansions to pay $60 instead of $80. The $40 digital version of Taken King that is for people who already own all the content still doesn't come with the extra shit. Unless you pay $20 more. Is that correct?
 
T

TheBaronOfNA

Banned
-griffy- said:
So they just want people who already own Destiny and the two expansion to pay $60 instead of $80. The $40 digital version of Taken King that is for people who already own all the content still doesn't come with the extra shit. Unless you pay $20 more. Is that correct?
Click to expand...

That was my initial impression. Thought they said the have an alternative solution but coming soon or something.
 
S

SwiftDeath

Member
Wait so what does this mean now?

Assume you already owned Destiny and say the first season pass.

Are they saying you have to buy the Taken King DLC at $40 and then another $20 for the shaders and emotes locked in the physical CE [where you would have to pay for the base game and intial dlc content as well]?
 
K

kittens

Unconfirmed Member
-griffy- said:
So they just want people who already own Destiny and the two expansion to pay $60 instead of $80. The $40 digital version of Taken King that is for people who already own all the content still doesn't come with the extra shit. Unless you pay $20 more. Is that correct?
Click to expand...
Sounds like it.

I'm literally shaking my head over here.
 
J

Jarmel

Banned
Seems like they're shifting the blame to Activision, which is probably fair.

"Actively working" is interesting, I wonder what the blowback would be if they failed to actually get that price point.
 
L

Lil'DigiOp

Member
Interesting times we live in. Activision really had to pull back. It shows internet backlash truly can change situations and add pressure on a companies business plan on a regular everyday basis. This news about Taken king broke out a week ago?
 
Z

Zaheer

Member
"In developing The Taken King, one of our goals has been to celebrate you and your triumphs. E3 was a place to reveal the new adventures we hope to send you on, but our conversations there didn’t do justice to our plans to honor your legacy."

LMAO
 
X

XANDER CAGE

Member
So... the "something better" DeeJ mentioned while putting his foot in his mouth about eBay was the VIP shader/sparrow/emblem that we already knew about from the reveal?
 
N

NullPointer

Member
Yeah, I'm confused. What does the $20 pay for?

Looking at the digital content from TKK LE I see this:

The Taken King Collector's Edition Digital Content: Includes three Exotic Guardian Class items featuring XP bonuses, three class-specific emotes, and three armor shaders to customize every Guardian class.
Click to expand...
So they'll sell this collection of stuff for $20?
 
jediyoshi

jediyoshi

Member
WhoaIsThatMars said:
you think they would have added a ship or mount. $20 for emotes and shaders isn't worth it in my opinion
Click to expand...

And class items

Digital_Items.jpg


Curious what their stats will be

NullPointer said:
Yeah, I'm confused. What does the $20 pay for?
Click to expand...

The things originally exclusive to the collector's edition
 
P

pizzacat

Banned
I don't care about how I look like in terms of color. I can barely tell the colors apart but I at least know dead orbit still looks better than anything they'll give me



And AW one
 
R

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
On first read I thought this meant that Taken King with these extras was $20 for current owners but it's $20 for just the items? Jesus Christ, Bungie.
 
T

Toa TAK

Banned
Damn, and they had me in my good graces with House of Wolves, too. =\

Ah well, at least I'll be busy with other games this fall. But still, you know?
 
S

Styles

Member
$20? I could stomach 10 or even 15. 20 is too much. They should've just sold an emote bundle for $7. I don't care for the other fluff.
 
F

Fury451

Banned
"We agree wholeheartedly."

You didn't as of the interview a few days back.

I guess it's something, but $20? You've learned nothing.
 
N

Nipo

Member
I"m glad they're doing something but jeez $20?

Each day I'm becoming more convince that Destiny is a big experiment seeing how much they can charge for how little content.
 
K

Keby

Member
$20 for nothing more than emotes and shaders?
HAHAHA

Omg. They're genius. Pure genius. People are going to pay that 20 dollar upgrade. Amazing!
/sarcasm
 
M

Madness

Member
Poor Luke. He's solid guy, a genuine gamer like us. People who didn't know him, didn't speak to him were insulting him personally, wishing horrible stuff to happen to him and for what? He's blunt and gives it to you straight. That's what we should all want instead of the flowery prose of PR.

Additionally, Publishers always set content price. Bungie wanted ODST to be a cheap expansion. Microsoft turned it into a full retail release. I imagine Activision is no different for Destiny.
 
E

Einchy

semen stains the mountaintops
I can't wait for their next apology where they give players more options to give Bungie money.
 
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