The facts, I dont know if its fact per-se. However, the experiences I have had show that the younger generation of gamers (the COD scrubs) just want simplistic games. Thats why COD is pushing on its what like CODMW999? They dont want content. They want a shooter. They want a small boxed room with explosions and guns. Most of them joined the Destiny scene with this expectation. Bungie dumbed it down for them. I have no proof other than my experiences...qualitative experiential private research you could say. But, then again, you dont have proof that casuals arent younger gamers. Do you? Or, "Or do just prefer to spout untruths because it helps your cause"?

As a 42 year old that plays with a group ranging from the mid 30's to mid 50's I feel pretty secure in saying the 'casual' gamer is NOT limited to any one age group. My perspective on this is that the 'pro's' and Bungie created this situation by making the skill curve at end game so steep that the non-pro feels there is no other option than to attempt to glitch. Seriously it goes from feeling Godlike on patrol to oh look I got one shotted by a thrull again. Most of the adults I play with have jobs, wives, and kids, which translates to limited play time. They are just now hitting the 27-28 lvl range and looking at Nightfall and VoG but when as a group of three a nightfall run takes over an hour to get past the first real room due to repeated wipes they tend to give up or look for alternatives because they can't spend more time than that in one chunk on 'just a game'. Like the original poster we'd all like to actively play the game and not just exploit or glitch our way into better gear, but the game design is set up to make that a very tempting path in the hopes that MAYBE that next gun or piece of armor means we wont wipe when the 3 wizards start spamming buffed arc bombs on us.

I would say my "facts" come from the forums where I see hundreds of posts about guys and gals with jobs and kids and thus forcing them to be casuals. I see where you would think that cod kids are the main reason but I wouldn't just blame the casuals as a whole. Blame the cod kids if that is what you really think.

You dont have to tell me about people complaining about time. Im a doctoral student, balancing a job, school, a gf, and other responsibilities. Yet, I understand and know... if I want to watch a movie... but have no time... I make time... or catch it in pieces. I dont expect the movie to be made into a 20 minute episode. SO yes, I blame them.

I guess my point is it's fairly safe to assume MOST gamers are not 24/7 hardcore pro's, while they are the ones you see on the forums because they eat sleep and probably pleasure themselves while thinking about 'the game'. Destiny has a lot of flaws not the least of which being that the substitute creative problem solving with bigger ammo sponges. Why make a boss smarter when you can just move the decimal on it's health over a few spots and up it's damage and fire rate. I've seen worse, heck I've been in 'raids' on MMO's that had 12+ hour boss fights, but to my thinking that does NOT appeal to the majority of gamers. So you're right we are not asking for the mechanics to be changed but that does not mean we are happy with what we got either.

The title "gamer" has been dished out everywhere. Look at the wii... that system got destroyed, because they appeal to casuals with party games. So, Im not sure if "most gamers" are or arent casuals. However, hardcore gamers arent 24/7 player only. I like to think they are gamers who are into a game for the challenge. One which has been robbed of us so many times...and Destiny is an example of another. The point, even as someone who is busy myself (doc student, gf, work, and other stuff)...I dont find myself getting on every day, but my experience has been robbed. I feel as if this game has moved from a deeply rich mechanics game with a deep story into just a shooter...might as well be a hack slash.

LOL this was never a deeply rich mechanics based game, nothing much has been altered except a couple weapons that were tweaked for balance. It's a PvP frag fest (a poor one at that) with a sorry attempt at a MMORPG tacked on. The only thing you've been robbed of was a fantasy that never existed.

There was supposed to be, but over time I think they changed it. Case in point: the strikes initially didnt have guaranteed drops.