Bungie introduced #TharsisThreads which serves as a new fashion show event for the Destiny 2 community which requires players to design Renegades Guardian costumes to receive an exclusive emblem. The official Destiny Twitter account announced the event which received numerous player submissions and faced substantial criticism from players who requested improved game updates and better developer communication. The community responds with mixed reactions because gamers enjoy the game creative features while others dislike the information blackout about upcoming game changes.
Bungie released this tweet about a fashion show. The event invites players to participate in #TharsisThreads. Players should dress their Guardians as either Praxic Order zealots or Dredgen characters to take pictures which they will tag to enter the contest for a Golden Age emblem. The event sounds entertaining but I see it as a small community gathering. The event results show different ways that players from the community reacted. The player base in Destiny exists as two separate groups which show their division through their different reactions to the event. Half the audience shows immediate interest because they share their mixed media Star Wars character combat and dark fantasy character appearances. The other half reacts with intense anger because they are looking for the game development roadmap.
The good stuff must be discussed first because these submissions show exceptional quality. Players did not come to play around. MasterJunior93 presents his complete set which includes Jedi Hunter and Sith Titan and Mandalorian Warlock. The player dedication reached heights. I swords presents a Knight Vader design which brings intense edge to his work. Soup creates a working “Praxic Shaman” through his combination of random armor elements. Fish_D2 creates a character who possesses both Taken and Praxic Titan powers which should conflict with each other yet the design appears stunning. The fashion game has become the endgame content for most players in the community. People create wild fashion designs through the transmog system which they use to create stories about their characters. The players conduct their Venus photoshoots as YeOldeApple and Muffin0490. The event creates wholesome content through its creative output which drives the live game community to function.
The area below requires urgent attention. The tone changes as fast as a Hunter executes a PvP dodge. The comment from GrantSavag86327 states “This is not what we’re asking for Bungie we want a roadmap we want to know what’s going on with destiny why are you silent”. NovaDelta1337 said The fashion is good but your team needs to provide us with information. The next update needs to be revealed to us. The user Ev3472678Chris requests the “Release the roadmap” announcement. The group sings together. The entire group of people sings together with great frustration.
The roadmap issue represents just one aspect of the situation. Additional problems drive people to express their complaints. Vex_D1 wants to know if players can create weapons from previous seasons through crafting. HeyYo_JClick wants the Eververse team to start selling old raid shaders. JoelThackery referred to the entire situation as “stupid” and “joke”. M1ller131 referred to the participants as “sheep”. TheOneAndTheAll shared an odd post which included a chart and told Sony to intervene. The replies show that most people view this fun event as a community distraction. They perceive Bungie as promoting a fashion show while their studio handles dire problems which they consider to be emergencies.
What was I saying again? The division has happened. The classic Destiny problem appears. The game exists as a collection of multiple experiences which all people can explore. The game provides players with a gun-based dress-up experience which some people enjoy. The hardcore loot grind needs next content updates and balance patches to keep players satisfied. Players feel anxious when Bungie stops providing updates about the next season because the studio has gone silent about upcoming content. The fashion contest tweet gives the impression of a face slap. The art project assignment from your teacher feels like an annoying distraction for all students who wait to receive their final exam grades.
The two groups deserve their equal share of blame. The fashion enthusiasts express their love for the game by actively playing it. The roadmap demanders? Their dedication to the game spans multiple years which leads them to fear that the game will lose its direction while their concerns remain unheard. Bungie faces multiple challenges. Community events do benefit the organization! The organization needs to establish development transparency through better communication instead of using community events as its main development transparency method. The players who scream back at the replies demonstrate their strong emotional attachment to the game. The players who stay with the game because they enjoy its content think they are being mistreated.
What is our current situation? Stylish Guardians compete for a cool emblem while everyone else remains in the dark about numerous things. The creativity in the #TharsisThreads event needed an innovative design but its execution demonstrates how players can use these tools. The community values transparency more than anything else because the roadmap remains a key demand.
