Bungie removes controversial Destiny 2 Starter Pack following “pay-to-win” concerns

Destiny 2 introduced a new “Starter Pack” microtransaction along with the latest Season of the Wish. Players called it out for being “pay-to-win,” and following much uproar from the community, Bungie has now removed it from all storefronts. 

Bungie’s MMO shooter, Destiny 2, has been surrounded by a lot of controversies these past few months. Bungie delayed The Final Shape DLC following massive layoffs, the game recorded its lowest payer count of all time, and even the latest crossover with the beloved The Witcher franchise has received a mixed reception.  

Yet another thing that caught the headlines is the “Starter Pack,” a microtransaction that players felt was pay-to-win. One of the major frustrations for Destiny 2 players is the game’s microtransactions, which many feel are already excessive, and the latest attempt by Bungie was pushed back by the community so much that they removed it.

Following the release of Season of the Wish, a new “Starter Pack” costing $15 on Steam was found by players. It included three Exotics: Traveler’s Chosen, Ruinous Effigy, and Sleeper Simulant, along with a bunch of other resources. Players quickly expressed their concerns and frustration when the news picked up. A user wrote on Reddit, “This is new low, straight up pay to win, they’re really desperate for money huh.”

$15 for this "Starter Pack" is outrageous.
You could just buy a Season, and get WAY more bang for your buck.

Any New Player who buys this is going to be told
"Yeah bud you just got ripped off"
by their veteran friends.

Do you think they would want to keep playing after that? pic.twitter.com/Lgchhk5Bul

— KackisHD (@RickKackis) November 29, 2023

Following all the complaints, Bungie decided to later remove it. They even made a statement on X (formerly Twitter) addressing the same: “Hey everyone, we launched Season of the Wish yesterday and have been monitoring the conversation around what you’ve been enjoying and what you haven’t. We’ll start things off with the Starter Pack, which is not something bringing joy. Which is why we’ve pulled it from stores.”

Many are now happy with the decision and how the community went against it. On Reddit, a user said, “That’s why it’s important to fight back on this kind of shi**. OR they coming back with a $20 price point.” Another user wrote, “We successfully bullied a corporation to be a little less sh**y, I’m proud of us all.”

For more on Destiny 2, check out all the Exotics that were added with Season of the Wish, as well as how to find all the Starcats.