Why do so many people play so much Destiny?

You've heard about Destiny. How could you not?

Stories about Bungie's first-person shooter/massively multiplayer online role-playing game were a constant in 2015's news stream, including on Minimap. Why? Because Destiny is a fascinating and popular game that's in a constant state of evolution, and players crave information.

Popular as it may be, though, Destiny is also a game that even its most devoted players consider to be flawed in some fundamental ways.

This year was huge for Destiny, bringing changes that made the game better than it's ever been. Here at the end of 2015, Destiny is not the same game it was at the beginning of the year. And that trend shows every indication of continuing in 2016 and beyond. But it's still a work in progress.

In this episode, we've assembled our largest panel ever to discuss Destiny. Our panelists have logged nearly 2,000 hours of playtime, but it's not a discussion designed for Destiny enthusiasts. Instead, it's about figuring Destiny out. Why is the game so popular? What pulls so many in? What keeps players coming back? Our discussion answers those questions and plenty more, including those about the game's problematic past and what the future may hold.

Welcome to Polygon Minimap: Worldmap Edition, a roundtable discussion about the most interesting stories in gaming, entertainment and pop culture. Press play below to hear Jake Lear, Griffin McElroy, Mike McWhertor, Jeff Ramos, Samit Sarkar and your host Dave Tach discuss Bungie's fascinating shooter.

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Minimap also lives at its own hub on Polygon, where you can listen to months worth of episodes that cover the most interesting news of each day. If you're looking for more Worldmap Editions, don't miss our four-part Star Wars series (including a trilogy on The Force Awakens) and our discussion of the year in sports gaming with Owen Good. Keep it locked here all week for more Worldmap Editions that look back on the most interesting stories of 2015.