It seems the Destiny Vanilla digital codes are no longer working even if they have not yet expired. Bungie has yet to respond and affected players are desperately looking for a workaround.

How Did It Happen

Reddit user davidg1996 explained that he bought a PS4 to replace his broken unit. His new hardware included bundled Destiny vanilla digital codes. He planned to use it and get the base game since he has all the expansions.

Unfortunately, the Destiny base game and all its expansions are no longer present in the PlayStation Store. Bungie had it removed and replaced it with Destiny: The Collection. This is a new digital package that carries the basic version and all current expansions.

This is where the problem started. It seems the digital codes handed out before The Collection no longer have any access to the main game. Their expiry date is quite near though since davidg1996's digital code is set to expire on March 31, 2017. Still, it does not seem right to take codes down before its expiry date.

An Expensive Alternative

There is another way to solve such problem but many would definitely not like it. You could simply buy The Collection, according to Gamerant. Players though will have to shell out $60 for it. This alternative seems unfair especially for players who have shelled out more than twice that amount for the game. Currently, this is the only alternative known for the Destiny vanilla digital codes brouhaha.

Bungie's Response

David1996 apparently tried to communicate to all parties concerned. This includes the PS4 network, Sony, Activision and finally Bungie. Ultimately, it's up to the game developer to settle the matter. Even if only a few Destiny players are affected by this, they still deserved to play the game. This is also highlights some of the potential downsides of using of buying and downloading digital games.