Unveiling the Secrets of Destiny 1: Inside the Original ‘Staten Cut’ Story Before the 2013 Reboot

A recent breakdown of a scrapped version of Destiny 1’s story, often called the “Staten Cut,” has come to light. This version features different characters, factions, and a unique storyline devised by Bungie before a significant rewrite in 2013.

When Destiny launched in 2014, many players were puzzled by its story. While the gameplay was engaging, the narrative felt incomplete. A 2015 report by Jason Schreier revealed that the game was not as initially intended. Instead, the story underwent a reboot in mid-2013, just before release, scrapping a more character-focused narrative crafted by Joseph Staten.

A community member, Breshii, recently shared a deep dive on the subreddit r/DestinyTheGame, revealing insights from a leaked Alpha build of the game. This Early version still contained remnants of Staten’s original vision, showing a campaign structured like a book series.

The original campaign had five main destinations:

• Earth (Cosmodrome)
• Venus (Ishtar Highlands)
• Mars (Olympus Dunes)
• Moon (Ocean of Storms)
• Dreadnaught (Rings of Saturn)

This Dreadnaught would later appear in The Taken King expansion. There were also three social hubs: the Tower on Earth, the Reef, and the Lighthouse on Mercury. In terms of factions, the proposed names included Osiris, Queen’s Wrath, and the Seven Seraphs, alongside PvP factions like New Monarchy, Dead Orbit, and Future War Cult.

Interestingly, the main characters in this version were quite different. The original cast included:

• Ghost
• Crow
• Osiris
• Hecate
• Rasputin
• The Mask (later known as the Speaker)
• The Queen

The journey began humorously with Ghost locating a Hunter named Crow, who later evolved into Uldren Sov. Alongside were Osiris and Rasputin, initially depicted as an Exo controlled by a Warmind. The plot spanned from Earth to Venus, then Mars, with pivotal missions leading to confrontations against formidable foes.

Book 1 had structured chapters like:

• Chapter 1: Intro mission on Earth
• Chapter 2: Exploring Venus
• Chapter 3: Retrieving a key on Mars
• Chapter 4: Infiltrating the Moon
• Chapter 5: Returning to Venus for a trade
• Chapter 6: Discovering Rasputin’s fate
• Chapter 7: Rescuing Rasputin from the Dreadnaught

Book 2’s focus shifted toward entering the Black Garden, culminating in a thrilling battle against the Vex. Here are some key missions from Book 2:

• Chapter 1: Entering the Mars subway
• Chapter 2: Events on Venus
• Chapter 3: A cabal warbase on Mars
• Chapter 4: A boss fight
• Chapter 5: Entering the Black Garden

Acutely intriguing is the early PvP plan, and several maps were identified. Some eventually made it to the final game, such as The Twilight Gap and Exodus Blue.

One of the boldest ideas was a Hive “mega raid” intended for the Dreadnaught. This was eventually abandoned for the Vault of Glass, which introduced a more time-travel-focused narrative. However, this original raid had rich ties to Hive lore.

Datamined information revealed various enemies that would have appeared. The files included a multitude of Major and Ultra enemies, most of whom never made the final cut.

Interestingly, a location known as the European Dead Zone was meant for an unlaunched Destiny 1 DLC, hinting at a broader story continuation.

While not all details from the original Staten Cut are clear, major plot points and characters emerge consistently from the leaks. For those who experienced Destiny 1, the question remains: Would this original version have been a more satisfying experience than what was ultimately released? Let us know your thoughts!

For more insights on gaming narratives, read additional reports from sources like Kotaku and GameSpot.

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