Destiny 2 Dating Sim Prototype Rejected by Management Every Year
The revelation highlights a persistent internal push for lighthearted content in a game known for its serious tone, ultimately blocked by management.
Key Facts
- Bungie staff built a Destiny 2 dating sim prototype during the company's internal 'Carnival' game jam, a week-long event for fun projects.
- Former community manager Liana Ruppert said the team made a game in the style of Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator, but management rejected it, wanting no romance or fun elements.
- Senior narrative designer Robert Brookes said he and others pitched the dating sim prototype each year, and it was turned down annually.
- Destiny 2's final live service update deployed on June 9, ending a decade of content.
Reporting from 1 source: Automaton.
Former Bungie staff revealed that a dating sim for Destiny 2 was prototyped during internal game jams but rejected by management each year. The sim, styled after Dream Daddy, was pitched annually by developers but never approved. The disclosure comes as the game's live service concludes after a decade.
The dating sim was built during Bungie's internal "Carnival" game jam, a week-long event for fun prototypes. Former community manager Liana Ruppert said the team made a game in the style of Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator, but management wanted no romance or fun elements and firmly rejected it. Senior narrative designer Robert Brookes added that he and others pitched the prototype each year, and it was turned down annually. The disclosure follows a trend of other games-Dead by Daylight in 2022 and Palworld in 2025-getting dating sim spin-offs. Destiny 2's final live service update deployed on June 9, ending a decade of content.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.