House of Wolves May Not Need a New Raid to Be a Great Destiny Expansion

No Raid? No Raid!?!? NO RAID?!?!?!? If that was your first reaction to the House of Wolves “no raid plan” that Bungie proudly announced yesterday, along with the release date and video trailer for the House of Wolves DLC, then you weren’t alone. Many players were left feeling the exact same.

Some fans are reeling at the idea that the latest expansion won’t include the game’s most exceptionally praiseworthy, unquestionably unique, and dynamically co-operative challenge. These are all natural first reactions, but before we give in to the primal urges of a blood-soaked spree of merciless revenge upon the mortals who have dared tempt the fates with this House of Wolves “no raid plan,” let’s just take a moment to breathe.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

It may look bad right now, but is all this commotion going to be the tremendous letdown some players are imagining? Will the community still feel angry and betrayed when they finally play the House of Wolves DLC? Should players get a petition going? Perhaps not.

Despite being a major shock to the system, the decision not to include a raid in this new DLC package might not end up hurting the series in the end. Let’s start to look at the positives.

First off, Bungie knows that there’s huge pressure on the House of Wolves DLC following discontent with the The Dark Below. As the last episode of the Destiny pre-order DLC bundle, and the last chance to convince players to continue investing in this game, House of Wolves is likely to be Bungie’s best swing at DLC yet.

One of the biggest criticisms of The Dark Below was that it failed to introduce an elaborate new storyline into the Destiny universe beyond three quick missions that could be completed in roughly thirty minutes. Perhaps, in exchange for the completed development of a new raid, Bungie has passionately woven a deep and intricate storyline in which the Queen’s betrayal, as well as our role in her vengeance, will play out beautifully and magnificently.

Additionally, Bungie hasn’t taken the raid and left players empty handed. Not at all. In fact, in lieu of the raid, players will enjoy “a new cooperative end game activity focused on variety, replayability, and skill – a new battle Arena called The Prison of Elders.”

If the name rings a bell, it’s because The Prison of Elders is where the Archon Priest was being held before he was completely demolished in the Winter’s Run strike. If this turns out to be an arena full of guys like that, things could definitely get interesting. Not to mention, Bungie’s claims of “cooperative end game activity focused on variety, replayability, and skill” reflect the very core philosophy of Bungie’s raid design. Players may not be getting a raid per se, but they will be offered an experience based on similar ideals.

At the very least, there’s hope down the tunnel for players still itching for a new raid, as Bungie confirmed they are “creating a new Raid for a release later this year.”

In the end, the House of Wolves “no raid plan” might not turn out to be the massive Destiny disappointment it initially looked like. On the other hand, it could be the exact letdown players felt upon hearing the news. At least we’ll have looked at the silver lining, and only time will tell how fans respond to playing the next expansion.

How do you feel about the “no raid” news? Let us know in the comments below!