Oh, you know you saw THIS post coming...LOL. XD
[b]Source Article:[/b] http://venturebeat.com/2015/09/04/ex-bungie-composer-marty-odonnell-wins-epic-legal-fight-with-former-bosses/
[b]Published Court Case Files:[/b] http://www.scribd.com/doc/278601628/Marty-O-Donnell-v-Bungie-Harold-Ryan
I have no intention of rehashing what is written there, especially when numerous others have already quite thoroughly spoken on the details about it all. That isn't the point of this post. As always, my objective is to provide feedback to Bungie for the sake of bettering the game, the community and Bungie themselves.
That being said? Really, the big take away from all this is it provides undeniable proof of what myself and others have been saying for a long time now.
[b]1: Activision has been consistently ruining the development of this game.
2: Bungie has been greatly impacted and influenced by Activision.
3: The game we got at release was NOT the original version we were seeing back in 2013.[/b]
These are now proven facts. They cannot be disputed.
Likewise, this also supports everything else that has been said as well. NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) have been in full effect preventing much of the truth from coming out. People were able to argue that there was no proof that what others were claiming about cut content or missing features was actually true. However, now there is. The fact alone that we have confirmed that the narrative was changed, which in turn gives more insight as to the reasons surrounding Joseph Staten leaving the company, also gives more weight to the rest of the argument as well.
Player Trading.
Gambling.
Sparrow Races.
Cut Content. (Dark Below and House of Wolves, likely some of the Taken King expansion as well)
Reddit Posts. (The AMA Controversy and the Closed Door Game Tester)
All of these topics must now be acknowledged to be actual probabilities, not mere Tin Foil Hat conspiracies. Its not just mere speculation anymore.
This also takes me back to a previous post I made before on this subject: https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/143082212/0/0
Now, at this point... With the way the community has been handled lately, I'm finding it real difficult to be sympathetic towards Bungie in this situation. I'm sure there's plenty of good people working there who have misgivings about all of this, but ultimately it won't really mean anything because the people in charge are clearly not taking a stand to secure their rights and freedoms. I mean, at first Harold Ryan was supporting Marty, and yet despite those efforts Activision basically said "screw you guys" and did what they wanted to anyways. I'm sure there's all manner of other things that happened in relation to that behind the scenes that were even more dubious.
Where are Bungie's priorities? Has Destiny transformed into nothing more than a simple cash cow where the game only needs to be just "good enough" to appease Activision? Is this game simply a stepping stone, a means to an end for you guys?
I've read the contract. I know you're also working on a new [b]Marathon[/b] game as well which is free from Activision's influence. Is the plan to use Destiny to essentially support that project?
Its fine. I'm not really expecting an answer, I realize these are the kinds of questions that responding to them could result in more threats from the Overlord of potentially breaching your agreement with them. I have to ask, though. Was being with Microsoft really worse than this? Or did greed get the better of you? I'm sure Activision was making all sorts of tempting offers, but if you knew back then that this is how things would end up, would you still have signed that contract and made a deal with the devil?
Curious thoughts indeed...
My advice? Bungie needs to dig their heels in the ground and start correcting things. I've said this before, there are still plenty of things that should be well within your power to do on your own. Increasing your communication with us is one such thing. Not being afraid to come out and actually have a two-way conversation or debate with your community regarding the game or decisions that are being made.
You would be surprised what doing something so simple as that can actually accomplish.
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