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Destiny 2 Player Count Hits Record Lows After Edge of Fate

Destiny 2 Player Count Drops Significantly

Bungie's Destiny 2 faces record low player counts following the Edge of Fate expansion.

  • Lowest player count ever
  • Major decline after Edge of Fate
  • Recent reviews are overwhelmingly negative
  • Players express distrust in Bungie
  • Top creators leaving the game
  • Upcoming expansion may revive interest

Destiny 2’s player count on Steam has fallen to its lowest level since the game launched. Factors include changes from the Edge of Fate expansion, ongoing controversies, and a growing lack of trust in Bungie by long-time fans.

Record Low Player Counts for Destiny 2

Destiny 2 has reached its lowest player counts on Steam since launching in 2019. As of early October 2025, the daily peak concurrent player count dropped to 16,067, the lowest in the game’s history on Steam, beating the previous low of 18,023.[1][2]

The average player count for the 30 days leading to early October is around 18,054, down steeply from 41,220 in July 2025, the month Edge of Fate was released.[3][1]

Edge of Fate Expansion Launch and Player Reception

  • Edge of Fate peaked at only 98,211 concurrent players on launch day, a fraction of previous expansions like The Final Shape, which reached over 314,000 players on day one.[4][1]
  • The expansion introduced The Portal, a new gameplay system aimed at increasing replayability and diversity of experiences. However, many players find it overly complicated and discouraging.[5][6]
  • Bungie initially nerfed aspects of The Portal but reversed those changes after heavy community backlash, acknowledging their approach was “too conservative” and the wrong call.[7]
Month Average Players Peak Players
July 2025 41,220 108,362
August 2025 ~34,700 ~75,000
September 2025 ~19,300 ~54,000
October 2025* ~18,054 16,067 (daily peak)

This represents a near 56% drop in average players from July to September 2025, revealing waning engagement following Edge of Fate’s release.[2][1][4]

Community Frustration and Bungie’s Response

  • The Portal system has been widely criticized as frustrating, restrictive, and punishing, rather than a welcomed evolution of Destiny 2’s gameplay.[8][5]
  • Players report difficulty returning or staying engaged due to fragmented content vaulting and an overwhelming onboarding experience for both new and returning players.[9]
  • Bungie has promised a new roadmap with two expansions planned for 2025—Codename Apollo in summer and Codename Behemoth in winter—plus seasonal updates aimed at rekindling player interest.[10]
  • Despite apologies and commitments to “rebuild trust,” player confidence remains fragile amid the sharp decline in user base.[1][7]

Destiny 2’s player count data and community feedback suggest Bungie faces a critical moment. The Edge of Fate expansion and The Portal system have failed to sustain player interest or community goodwill, triggering the lowest engagement levels since Steam launch. Bungie’s future success depends on how well it can address player concerns, improve gameplay systems, and restore trust through upcoming expansions and updates.[4][2][8][1]

Luca Fischer

Luca Fischer

Senior Technology Journalist

United States – New York Tech

Luca Fischer is a senior technology journalist with more than twelve years of professional experience specializing in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and consumer electronics. He earned his M.S. in Computer Science from Columbia University in 2011, where he developed a strong foundation in data science and network security before transitioning into tech media. Throughout his career, Luca has been recognized for his clear, analytical approach to explaining complex technologies. His in-depth articles explore how AI innovations, privacy frameworks, and next-generation devices impact both industry and society. Luca’s work has appeared across leading digital publications, where he delivers detailed reviews, investigative reports, and feature analyses on major players such as Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, AMD, Intel, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity AI. Beyond writing, he mentors young journalists entering the AI-tech field and advocates for transparent, ethical technology communication. His goal is to make the future of technology understandable and responsible for everyone.

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Elena Voren

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Elena Voren is a senior journalist and Tech Section Editor with 8 years of experience focusing on AI ethics, social media impact, and consumer software. She is recognized for interviewing industry leaders and academic experts while clearly distinguishing opinion from evidence-based reporting. She earned her B.A. in Cognitive Science from the University of California, Berkeley (2016), where she studied human-computer interaction, AI, and digital behavior. Elena’s work emphasizes the societal implications of technology, ensuring readers understand both the practical and ethical dimensions of emerging tools. She leads the Tech Section at Faharas NET, supervising coverage on AI, consumer software, digital society, and privacy technologies, while maintaining rigorous editorial standards. Based in Berlin, Germany, Elena provides insightful analyses on technology trends, ethical AI deployment, and the influence of social platforms on modern life.

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Editorial Timeline

Revisions
— by Elena Voren
Add SEO improvements
— by Kamar Mahmoud
Featured image added.
— by Kamar Mahmoud
Edit title
— by Kamar Mahmoud
Added new relevant secondary sources
— by Kamar Mahmoud
Initial publication.

Correction Record

Accountability
— by Kamar Mahmoud
  1. - Added latest Steam player count data from October 2025
  2. - Included exact Edge of Fate launch peak numbers
  3. - Incorporated detailed monthly player count trends
  4. - Highlighted community backlash against The Portal system
  5. - Reported Bungie's reversal on Portal nerfs
  6. - Included upcoming expansion roadmap from Bungie
  7. - Added player sentiment from top streamers leaving
  8. - Incorporated Steam review statistics and negative ratings
  9. - Mentioned drop from 300K+ to under 100K players launch
  10. - Provided comparative historical peak player counts
  11. - Clearly emphasized community trust issues with Bungie
  12. - Used concise headings and bullet tables for clarity
  13. - Added research references to Steam Charts and news sites
  14. - Focused on factual, direct data with no long paragraphs

FAQ

Why is the player count declining?

Changes in gameplay and loss of trust in Bungie.

How have players reacted to changes?

Many players feel overwhelmed and frustrated.

When is the next expansion releasing?

The Renegades expansion is scheduled for December.