This is no joke! Activision and Bungie have teamed up with Amazon to bring the Ghost Skill within any Alexa device to the gaming world and applied it to Destiny 2! On top of this, it isn't platform exclusive nor does it have a lot of requirements in order to use. So, if you already have Destiny 2 and your own Amazon Alexa device, it is a free update for you to initiate and start using today! Check out the announcement trailer:
One of the coolest aspects is the quick change load outs that can be stored and updated at any moment within game. It is going to save a lot of time and will come in handy when you are in the middle of a raid and wished you had your Rocket Launcher equipped instead of your Pistol, or any other mix! On top of this, it only requires:
- Destiny 2 Ghost skill for Amazon Alexa
- Destiny 2 game, Alexa app
- Internet connection
- Alexa device
- Bungie.net account
This incredibly innovative update is one of the next big steps in the game industry. I can see this being implemented into more games and likely to become an available asset for other developers to also take advantage of. The multitude of commands will be the hardest part to learn in all of these, but at least they all start with "Alexa, ask Ghost to…" before going on to being any number of things. Easy to say, aside from the auto-load outs, my favorite command is "…what should I do next?" which means you will never be lost again!
But it brings the question, where is this innovation taking us? Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision stated,
"The Destiny 2 Ghost skill is the first of its kind and the most innovative and immersive gaming experience to date on Alexa. We're excited to give our community of players, who are among the most-dedicated fans in the world, new ways to play Destiny 2 with the Ghost skill and Limited-Edition Destiny 2 Ghost. The lines between in-game and out-of-game have been blurred in an incredible new way."
And that is the simplified version of what they have done, to say the least. With this new adaptation we are easily going to start seeing voice activated sections within games, more unique command lists, the Alexa Ghost skill brought to other genres, and a multitude of concepts that I can't even reach myself. Just like when VR was introduced, it expanded into so many elements that it is now used in the business world and within education. I don't think the voice commands are going to stopping in the game industry, but it is amazing to see what innovation within the game industry does to help multiple aspects of the real world!
But, for those interested in having this interesting idea added to their Destiny 2 experience with a little more personal touch, they also announced the Limited-Edition Destiny 2 Ghost, a WiFi enabled Ghost speaker which is compatible with Alexa devices to bring the look and sound of the Ghost from inside the game into the real world. It's available for pre-order now for $89.99, and can be purchased separately as a companion to Alexa devices. The physical Ghost is not needed to use the free Destiny 2 Ghost skill, but the game and an Alexa device are required. The Destiny 2 Ghost will be available on December 19, 2017.
How excited are you about this innovative upgrade? Are you going to simply activate it on your Alexa device or upgrade to the limited edition Destiny 2 Ghost device?
