I want to like this game bungie. Please don't hurt me again.

I'm surprisingly fine with no new subclass. Both times they've done that they've integrated the subclass into the story which ends up being shallow and a distraction from the actual story. The best expansion they've released, witch queen in my opinion, didn't have a new subclass and that allowed them to focus on the story. Everyone loved the story and the atmosphere and I'm glad with this expansion they're focusing on the story and not trying to shoehorn a new subclass into the last expansion.

Plus it makes sense that we'd get new light supers when we are literally inside the traveler, the being that gave us the light. It makes sense and another darkness subclass would clash with that story beat, I think.

I just hope the episodes are good.

I'm a bit concerned about the fact that they didn't mention new raids or dungeons on the post-final shape episode releases. Does that mean we will be getting less raid and dungeon releases? I was listening at work so I may have missed something, but I don't recall that being on the timeline.

Really digging this pre-show showing the entire story of the game essentially. Good for getting veterans excited and showing new people what's going on! Hopefully all this will get added to the game.

Yep, that was pretty good, my hype was below Lightfall levels after that TWID of DOOM. It's now been restored to around Witch Queen levels of hype. The 6 week mini season Episodes are going to a much needed regular content injection. Faith restored in ~~Bungo~~ Bungie.

Now that the actual showcase is over I have some thoughts:

Pros:

• New supers are always cool. Very glad Titans are getting a hybrid range/melee super.
• New Support AR looks really sick. I always want to be hard support but I don't like Lumina.
• The Pale Heart area looks incredible. I love the MC Escher type stuff Bungie does where nothing obeys the laws of physics.
• The Premise of Season of the Witch is really neat. Kind of weird that Eris can just turn into a Hive like that though.
• Nice to see some returning exotics. Looks like the solar rocket got reworked (it needed it).
• Subjugators look really cool. I want more threatening/fast enemies like this in the game.
• They brought back the hologram armor for Crota's End.
• Deck building could be cool? IDK it's not my jam but people love those games.
• The in game LFG actually looks good. I was honestly expecting just a reskin of the mobile app LFG.

Cons:

• No new subclass is a major letdown. I know it was kind of expected we wouldn't get one but this feels like a missed opportunity to go all out for the final expansion of D2.
• If we weren't getting a new subclass, then Stasis should have gotten a major overhaul. The subclass NEEDS help. Why are the Light subclasses getting another super variant?
• Warlock and Hunter supers are uninspired. Arc Hunter is just a melee version of Gathering Storm you can cast 3 times?
• I get they want to save stuff for the actual campaign but I have no investment in the story of TFS and I don't feel threatened by the Witness. It's been so behind the scenes and its goals so esoteric. Xivu is much more interesting and a direct threat IMO.
• Until we get more details. Episodes are just longer seasons IMO. Not enough to get me to keep playing the game. They did nothing to sell me on them besides "it's more stuff". I do think it's good they're switching to 3 a year instead of 4 though.

Overall I'm not super impressed. Like yeah it looks good but Bungie didn't wow me like they have since Beyond Light. It feels like they COULDN'T show enough to get me interested. The fact that nothing beyond the 3 Episodes was announced and no details about the episodes was discussed doesn't bode well.

Them bringing back some important story missions is unexpected surprise. Might reinstall to check it out at least. Sounds like a good way to get people up to speed on vaulted story.

I hope this includes (or will include at some point) important story beats from seasons so that the storyline is somewhat coherent - but won't hold my breath on this one.

Hoping someone can do a play by play for us stuck at work.

I've been practically begging for an excuse to get back into Destiny. This still ain't it, though. The content looks promising, but the cost model is remains horrible, especially for anyone who took any kind of extended break from the game.

They really need to just make all prior expansions included with the purchase of TFS. It's way, way too pricey to catch up, and a bunch of the buy-in is money wasted on content that's been removed by now.

I just want to play as my stasis hunter again, damn it!

Also, it's shocking to me that they're still going to do dungeon keys. That was a shit idea from day one and this was primed to be a great opportunity for them to correct their mistake.

I personally am very excited for this. It seems like they held back a lot of TFS info, which is good in my opinion. We know the basic premise, location, etc., and now I'm pumped to play it. I also appreciate how even though this reveal was disclosed by Joe as being for the widest audience possible, they still include the fact that the final showdown with the Witness is in the raid and not the main campaign. I think they're really pushing raids to a larger audience with that and the LFG system coming in season 23.

Also, all the new weapons are very exciting. Unique subfamilies, support/healing legendaries, Dragon's Breath!. The other returning D1 exotics are super exciting as well. The legendaries are very exciting though; I'm curious how good they'll be and how much they'll shake things up. Hopefully the healing stuff will coincide with a UI overhaul that Joe hinted at? Maybe seeing ally health bars to incentivize team healing? Please?

Jeez I'd be impatient but the music is so damn great I'm just sitting here LISTENING

Everyone just assuming they're going to make another expansion or more raids when they have always announced that there would be more expansions or raids at these showcases, are reducing content cadence, and constantly appeasing the playerbase with bandaid fixes to problems we have been talking about for 3+ years. Really suspicious to not say there will be more expansions but announce the whole next year of content.