After 8 years, Destiny 2 loses one of its most communicative community managers. Dylan Gafner, better known as dmg04, is leaving Bungie at the end of 2022. His message spread like wildfire in the community and Guardians from all over the world thank him personally for his strong commitment over the years.
Normally, the messages from Bungie’s community manager Dylan “dmg04” Gafner have always contained interesting or important details about the well-known loot shooter Destiny 2 for many years. Accordingly, they are closely followed by many guardians. But on December 15 everything was different.
The community manager said: Instead of game news, dmg04 announced via Twitter that he would be stepping down from his position as senior community manager at Bungie by the end of the year, December 30, 2022. After DeeJ in 2020, Destiny 2 loses another well-known and popular face whose signature features are a yellow cap, a friendly smile and a golden heart.
This is how dmg04 informed the Guardians that he was stopping.
Dylan said he doesn’t yet know where his future will take him, but he’s excited for “new opportunities and new challenges.”
I think I could write a mega TWAB blog post about the amazing experiences I’ve had during my time here at Bungie. […] I can’t think of any other position where I would have the pleasure of working with so many great people and so many great teams.
writes dmg04 in the statement announcing his upcoming departure from the developer
It’s the end of an era: Since May 2015, dmg04 has been an integral part of the community team and thus also the first contact for the keepers. He then represented the Bungie and Destiny 2 company to the community for almost 8 years, which is not always an easy job.
However, he was not only a contact, but also a dedicated Guardian. Dmg04 didn’t just stand in the middle of the community. He also always had an open ear for players’ problems, especially when the news he had to break was bad. His heart was still loyal to Destiny 2 even when he wasn’t supposed to be working. For example, before the start of the Shadowkeep DLC, dmg04 had to take a break due to a heart problem.
At the time, according to gamebizz, he posted:
Until I get back to the office, if you see me commenting on bugs or problems, feel free to tell me to put my phone down and stop working. But you can bet I’ll dip my toe for a few games in between too, even when I’m seeing doctors and spending time with family.
shared dmg04 during his health break
In addition, Bungie’s social projects were always important to him, and he wants to continue to be involved in them.
2022 was the toughest year for dmg04 in Destiny 2
Many Guardians have wondered what led dmg04 to make this decision, as it was not clear from his official farewell message. But after the turbulent community year 2022 that lies behind the senior community manager, many still have a strong suspicion.
Overt threats from players may have influenced the decision: Since the beginning of 2022, Destiny 2 players have repeatedly made open and sometimes frightening threats – especially against the Senior Community Manager dmg04. He and his family were actively threatened “that if you move near him – and then it’s no longer safe for him”.
This led to Bungie drastically reducing its communication with players at first. The Senior Community Manager himself then had to go on longer rehabilitation leave and seek help from a doctor and therapist. At the time, he openly shared with fans that he had started taking anti-depressants.
Referring to this, one player commented via reddit:
[…] He’s too kind to say in his statement, but [diese toxischen Spieler] are the reason he took a break from his mental health this year, and I wouldn’t be shocked at all if that’s also why he decided to leave Bungie entirely.”
Guardians around the world say thank you
Whatever the reasons for dmg04, it is clear that he was a reliable contact person for many players with questions about Destiny 2. So it’s not surprising that after the announcement, Guardians around the world responded to his post with messages and videos.
Just as his communications have always been communicative and honest, the Guardians bow with honor to his many years of commitment. Just like his colleagues at Bungie.
So far, his tweet has garnered 36,910 hearts and almost 4,000 replies on Twitter, where Guardians would like to thank him. Cozmo, Global Community Lead at Bungie, also shared a photo with dmg04 on Twitter and wrote:
We had a hell of a ride together. Working together over the past seven years has been a great time. It has been a privilege to see you grow into one of the best community managers in our industry. I wish you all the best for your next adventures!
Cozmo, teammate of dmg04 and Global Community Lead at Bungie
Also in the “This Week at Bungie” blog they said goodbye with the words: “When you’re great you never really go away, so this isn’t a goodbye, it’s a thank you. and thats the way it is. Thanks, dmg04.”
However, a particularly successful farewell comes from guardians from the British Destiny 2 community, around lore expert “My Name is Byf”. He shared this emotional video on the dmg04 with the words “A bit chilly in Seattle but feeling the warmth. Lots of love to all Keepers in the UK! Thanks everyone!” responded.
Who will follow in his footsteps? This question has not yet been answered. In addition to dmg04, the two best-known names for community management are Chris “Cozmo” Shannon, “best buddy” of dmg04 for many years, and newcomer Liana “Hippie” Ruppert.
She has already played a present role in Bungie’s recent announcement previews of the upcoming Lightfall DLC and has also been writing the “This Week at Bungie” blogs for some time, where she likes to hide secret messages.
Destiny 2 is now giving you a badge – the code is hidden so cleverly
What do you think about the departure of dmg04? Was he a good contact for you at Bungie for Destiny 2 or won’t you miss him? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments.