There should be a pathway to unlock past season-pass content after the season is over. It would be a win-win situation for both players and Bungie, with no real downsides. Many fans agree, and it's something we've been asking about for years at this point. Here's an [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/259186429?sort=0&page=0&path=1]excerpt[/url] from a reply to a thread on the topic 2 years ago:
[quote]Bungie should just let players earn the incomplete levels of old season passes by using the excess levels of current and future season passes.
Like, if I get to 130 in this current season pass, those extra 30 levels should translate in some kind of currency or points that would allow me to get rewards from older season passes that I didn't unlock.
This approach would get rid of FOMO and would give meaning to those extra ranks we get. It would even make more people buy the season passes, imo.
It goes without saying that this "feature" should only be allowed for those who bought the old season passes.[/quote]
Imagine paying full price for something you couldn't take full advantage of due to any particular set of circumstances. Essentially being shorted out of what was promised in the transaction.
Lastly, I want to adress the most common criticism of this idea: that Bungie wants players to have a level of "FOMO" and that this feature would defeat that.
I'd argue that the fear of missing out used this way is basically a bluff, which we buy by relenting to level purchases, and call by being patient enough work through the season manually. The bluff fails when it's implication is carried out, and the season is taken away. At that point there is no fear of missing out - only that which has been missed. How many players have been left unmotivated by this set of circumstances? Bungie would have more success if they allowed these disenfranchised types of players the ability to re-engage with what they felt estranged by in the game, and reintroduce the ability to unlock past seasonal rewards. Plus, those who use the level purchasing system to simply save time (which I assume is most of them) would be entirely unaffected by this change, because unlocking past rewards wouldn't be a time-saver anyhow - remember it's the patient players choice.
In other words, FOMO as a player-motivator is less effective than when it is combined with the "fear of what has already been missed".
And Bungie wouldn't lose-out financially with this implementation because the kinds of players that make use of level purchases are seperate from the kinds of players that would take advantage of past-seasons.
Thank you for reading. Bungie, please consider this. I would personally spend so many more hours playing your game if this feature were available. Moreover, I would have less reason to stop playing your game.
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I've wondered the same thing. Not that it matters much anymore but yes, it does seem like an odd business practice.