Late last month, you likely saw a few articles covering a recent Destiny 2 datamine, which showed strings for a subscription option for the game. While the D2 Dataminers Discord server is usually a trusted source for these leaks, the mods of the server have now revealed that the subscription was a complete hoax.
The D2 Dataminers Discord has been a trusted source for quite some time, often revealing little details about seasonal content updates. As a trusted source, many believed them when it was claimed that evidence of a potential subscription option for Destiny 2 was found within the game's files. Given recent industry trends and a push towards subscription models, the idea of a Destiny 2 subscription that could get you access to the game and the latest content without the huge upfront fee did not seem farfetched.
UPDATE: The “datamine” about Destiny’s subscription was FAKE. Popular Destiny 2 dataminers have apologized and admitted to trolling everyone about finding “possible Destiny 2 subscription code” in the game files.
It was never in the game files and indeed fake. pic.twitter.com/emzARAMEoC
— DestinyTracker (@destinytrack) January 2, 2023
Unfortunately, the whole thing was indeed a hoax. The D2 Dataminers Discord server mods revealed today that they “trolled everyone” but apparently did not mean to do so maliciously. In the future, the mods say they will label any joke posts.
While some were worried about the addition of a subscription for Destiny 2, it is worth noting that it was never claimed that the subscription would be mandatory to play, nor was it claimed that future expansions wouldn't be sold at a premium price.
KitGuru Says: Game developers and community managers have enough to deal with when it comes to leaks and community complaints. At least in this case, the record has been set straight before Bungie returns and ramps up towards the Lightfall expansion launch.