There were people who expected a new IP to sell 30 million? LOLOLOLOLOL if you wanna do that if you have to be a long running, multi-platform and successful franchise such as Call of Duty or GTA.

It's already at 5.79 million.......

http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=185229&page=2
There was one 25+ prediction there, many around 15 some a few more several less

"Some People Thought Destiny Would Sell 30 Million or Even More"

I definitely saw a few people on here say that, or at least for 20 million.

Is this a scenario akin to the time when Gearbox (VGC user) said LittleBigPlanet would sell 10M copies and that claim was used as if a whole bunch of users said it?

I don't remember  anyone saying that,, For 20 million, yes, but for 30 million? No... :/

Well, Wii sports did it. And Pokemon. And those were both new and single-platform games, when they first released.

No one from Activision ever officially predicted 30 million unit sales. People on this site and elsewhere did figure on 30 million based purely on game sales without really figuring in DLC. With all the hype for the game, plenty were like "HELL YEAH 30 MILLION."  We just can't say that people never claimed or predicted it would reach 30 million unit sales though. This thread exists for a good reason.

The game has not been well-received enough to last through 10 years of support. I mean, what games from 2004 have you been continously playing for last 10 years ? Maybe WoW? Sure plenty of folks will get the expansion pass for destiny-- but it will have to be really good to get people to buy 2nd, 3rd expansion.

Let's say Destiny ends up selling 15 million total lifetime

$15 royalty * 15 million = 225 million

and half of all users buy the first expansion pass $30, round up

$30 * 8 million users = 240 million

And we're not even towards $500 million yet...

Yeah, but I expect sales to drop fast after all the lukewarm reception. They will pick up with expansions, but idk if they go over 10 mil.