"Well, we're not playing it because there's no multiplayer." For some time before and during the beta's release, I'd hear something like this when I brought up Destiny in front of some of my friends. It was a bit of a downer to hear; the term "raining on my parade" comes to mind. Frankly, it's kind of a silly thing to hear said about something like Destiny anyway, one of the most avant-garde online multiplayer experiences around. And honestly? I can totally see where it was coming from. In my game-playing circle of friends, some of us do indeed have gaming consoles and the necessary online service accounts needed to play with one another in the many games nowadays where the internet is needed for multiplayer, but we still thoroughly enjoy, as well as find more convenient and fun, the experience of palling around together in front of the same TV, playing the same game, not to mention that for those of us without certain machines and/or accounts the classic way of playing together is really the only way. Hearing that it was not Bungie's initial intention to include split-screen in Destiny broke my heart a little, and disappointed some of the more devout Destiny followers in our group of friends as well, but nevertheless we remained in excited anticipation of the game and it's beta. Ultimately even one of the less excited of our friends, the same one who made the aforementioned statement about multiplayer, decided to give the beta a go. After several hours of playing, in which a bit of jovial laughter was had, many positive comments were made (as well as a new online friend or two), and in which the level 8 beta cap was almost reached in a single sitting, they had something like this to say: "This game would literally be the best game ever [i]if only it had split-screen[/i]." Funny thing is, this notion is highlighted by the fact that another friend who was present and watching as the beta was played at the time would occasionally inquire things like, "Can we do something else? Like play a game that we can play together?" The person who said this had themselves put no small amount of time into the beta prior, and has said that they, in their own words, "-blam!-ing love this game." And you know what? They were right. Both of them; On just about all counts. For all of it's flaws and rough edges, from what we've seen and played of it so far, Destiny is a truly captivating game as our friend's "-blam!-ing love," of it suggests. But the other friend of ours makes a very good point when they say that the game's experience feels incomplete without split-screen. While it may seem strange that Bungie has initially elected not to include split-screen functionality in Destiny given that they, as Bungie community manager Eric Osborne has said, "Love split-screen," (Source for this is described in the next set of parentheses) Bungie has in truth given reasonable justification for their decision to omit split-screen functionality from Destiny, citing things such as the potential interference with player freedom of movement and the lacking experience that "guest" players would have playing the game, as potential problems that split-screen could cause. (Details on Bungie's reasoning can be found in [url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2014-bungie-s-destiny-doesn-t-support-split-screen-co-op/1100-6420387/]this article[/url]. 17:45 - 19:59 in the article’s accompanying video features Eric Osborne discussing split-screen as it pertains to Destiny, and is the source of the previous quotation) But it is certainly possible to surmount these things, and I believe Bungie should make efforts to do so. To Bungie I say this: Destiny, as has yet been seen of it, is a fantastic creation with no small amount of excitement, adventure and fun involved, crafted with, I'm sure, no small amount of passion, but there is something important that it is yet missing. Many games today abandon split-screen in favor of strictly single-player-per-console forms of multiplayer; Given your pedigree of split-screen support in several of your previous projects and self-espoused love of split-screen, not to mention the very social, buddy-centric nature of the rather incredible experience you are now assembling, I feel that Destiny should not be one of them. I believe split-screen would be a great addition to Destiny's already special experience and that any current issues with it's inclusion should be somehow addressed as is convenient and effective. I also think that anyone interested in the idea of having split-screen in Destiny should help out with this by providing and/or commenting upon constructive suggestions that could be of some inspiration to the people at Bungie. Of course, even just a few positive words to show support for the idea of split-screen in Destiny and/or tellings of one's own relevant experiences would be of help to the cause, I’m sure. To those of you who, like my friends and I, would like to see split-screen in Destiny (or even those who may not be on that side of the issue but still have something to say on the subject), let's get to talking about it. With luck, our buzzing about with support and ideas may help get split-screen, one way or another, into the Destiny experience.