Bungie Devs Once Pitched a Destiny 2 Dating Sim
If you were hoping for a more lighthearted side of Destiny 2, you aren’t alone. It turns out that a Destiny 2 dating simulator—a concept that has been a recurring topic of discussion within the community for years—was actually prototyped by developers at Bungie.
The revelation comes from former community manager Liana Ruppert, who confirmed the project's existence following a discussion sparked by streamer Chrizmo. Ruppert noted that the team behind the project took inspiration from the popular visual novel Dream Daddy, creating a tongue-in-cheek experience that featured potential romances with various characters from the Destiny universe.
The “Hard No” from Leadership
Despite the enthusiasm from the narrative team, the project never made it past the prototype stage. Ruppert explained that the idea hit a wall with Bungie leadership, who were reportedly a "Hard No" on the concept, arguing that the studio did not want romance or "silliness" within the game.
Former senior narrative designer Robert Brookes provided further context on X (formerly Twitter), clarifying that the dating sim was created during a "Carnival" event, a recurring internal initiative where developers were given a week to pitch and build experimental prototypes. Brookes shared that the narrative team, which included developers with backgrounds in romance game design, lobbied to turn the prototype into a full-fledged project every year, complete with pitch decks, cost estimates, and projected returns.
More Lost Concepts
The dating sim wasn’t the only experimental project to surface from these internal game jams. Former Bungie director Christopher Barrett revealed that the team also explored several other ambitious, albeit rough, concepts:
- A Destiny-inspired fighting game
- A Destiny-themed heavy metal concert
- A dedicated dialogue conversation system
While these projects were designed to spark creative thinking rather than serve as concrete roadmap items, they offer a glimpse into the internal experimentation at the studio. Fans have long speculated about the origins of popular modes like the Sparrow Racing League, and these reveals suggest that the studio's "Carnival" weeks were a significant hub for outside-the-box ideas.
For now, these concepts remain behind-the-scenes "what-ifs." While players will likely never get to romance the Witness or Xur in an official capacity, it serves as a reminder that even in the often-serious world of live-service shooters, there is always room for a little bit of creative chaos—even if it doesn't always make it to the final build.