I agree with a lot of what you have said/eluded to and a lot of the videos and "conspiracy theories" around the web also make sense. I have to wonder how much influence Bungie actually had on what made it into the final game, sure they are the developers but Activision are the paymasters as such, they bankrolled the franchise and I am curious as to how much influence they had on what did or did not make it into the final cut. Activision is a big corporation and companies such as this live for for the profit, they care less about the product they are selling and more about maximising their profit margins. I am curious as to whether Activision told Bungie to hold back some of the content intended for the original release for future DLC and perhaps even future titles. They may have said "we can make more money if we drip-feed the gamers content and charge them a premium for it". Obviously this is all wild speculation but it is not beyond the realm of possibility. Like many other gamers, I too was taken in by the marketing hype about the game and I too was left disappointed by the game we ended up getting. But like the OP I do enjoy the game and I want to see it improve but I'd also like to know where it went wrong. I want to know why the "story" (if you could call it that) is so bad, I can't recall ever playing a game that didn't have an "ending". Let's face it, that mission where you destroy the heart of the Black Garden does not feel like a finale, it feels like an end of act sequence. The Speaker himself basically says "we have done much but we have more to do". Where is the rest of the story?? When do we find the answers to all of the questions posed by the numerous plot holes in the story? I commend the OP for a well thought out and well written post and I also commend the many people who have posted constructive replies. Dead horse or not, I believe people would like to know how the horse died at least, as paying customers I believe Bungie owe us some form of explanation and it is only through posts like these that will might get that explanation.