Destiny 2's competitive PvP playlists just can't seem to catch a break, as there's a seemingly massive issue with the so-called reverse boosting going on, community members have reported. Though Bungie mainly focuses on the game's PvE content, PvP has been getting a steady stream of improvements over the past couple of seasons, but it seems that some issues are particularly pervasive.
As Destiny 2 is enjoying another popularity peak following the launch of the Lightfall DLC, there's a big spotlight on most of the game's long-lasting problems. Some of these relate to relatively simple bug-fixing concerns, while others have more to do with the general sentiment from the community, and the competitive PvP portions of the game have now been brought into question.
Specifically, the issue of reverse boosting is still present and accounted for in some echelons of the Destiny 2 PvP community, it would seem. As Reddit user OrneryChart4 explained, players guilty of reverse boosting essentially have a sacrificial alternative account with extremely low stats. This poorly rated account is then used by high-ranking PvP players to queue up for matches against players that are far below their skill level. In effect, this makes it easier for the offender to win than it would've been had they queued up with players of their own skill level, and it's frowned upon by regular Destiny 2 fans.
OrneryChart4 was wondering whether Bungie was aware of the problem in the first place, though it's worth pointing out that the devs do, in fact, keep track of various competitive statistics. Late in March, a PvP-focused Destiny 2 blog post specifically highlighted Bungie's statistical analysis, which is used to discover and subsequently ban players that are abusing the system. With that in mind, it's unclear why Bungie hasn't yet cracked down on the practice of reverse boosting.
Other players have pointed out the fact that some PvP-focused YouTubers end up having suspiciously good K/D ratings and overall scores, implying that the issue may be far more widespread than most would realize. Whatever the case may be, this problem is unlikely to be resolved easily, and the upcoming mid-season Crucible changes for Destiny 2 won't have an effect on the practice of reverse boosting.
The good news, though, is that Bungie seems to be keeping a very close eye on the community's recent requests. Destiny 2's exciting new fashion Commendation is the direct result of this being the case, and it's possible that the community may end up making a difference before all is said and done.
Destiny 2 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
