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Joe Blackburn, Game Director of Destiny 2, has revealed that he will be stepping down from his position at Bungie just before the release of the upcoming major expansion, The Final Shape.
Blackburn mentioned that the “end-to-end playtest” has been a routine in Destiny 2 development since 2018. It involves several days of consecutive internal playtesting. The Final Shape, releasing on June 4, will have its playtest in February, and that’s when Blackburn will “pass the torch.”
“Next month, The Final Shape will be hitting one of its most critical internal milestones: a ritual we call the End-to-End playtest. This ritual has been a key part of development since Forsaken.” Blackburn stated on X.
“It’s multiple days of consecutive internal playtesting that not only generates incredibly valuable closing feedback on everything coming this summer, but also spiritually kicks off a shift towards bug fixing and polish work. Heading into this milestone, I’ve gotten to play 100s of hours of The Final Shape, and what the world-class talent here at Bungie has created has quickly become of the things I’m most proud to have worked on throughout my career.”
The Game Director has overseen the development of the sci-fi shooter since 2020, is departing from Bungie and will pass the torch of Game Director to Tyson Green.
“This ritual will be especially meaningful to me personally, as it will also serve as a moment to pass the torch of Destiny 2 Game Director to the next era of leadership as I head on a new adventure outside the walls of Bungie. As we hit End-to-End next month, Tyson Green will take the reins as D2 Game Director.
Green, a Bungie veteran for over two decades since working on Myth II in 1998, is renowned for his contributions to the Halo series, including design credits in Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo: Reach. He also played a key role on the design team, contributing to the creation of missions and multiplayer for Halo 3, and contributed to the development of Halo: Reach’s epic Firefight mode.
Blackburn expressed his gratitude to everyone at Bungie and assured that he would continue to be a “lifelong Bungie fan.” His departure coincides with Bungie’s final testing phase to ensure everything is in order before the launch of The Final Shape expansion.
“As a deeply invested Guardian before starting here at Bungie, getting to be a part of the Destiny 2 team has been the privilege of a lifetime. I am and will forever remain a lifelong Bungie fan and believer in what the teams within its walls are capable of.”
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