Although there have been many points in Destiny 2’s history (and even back during Destiny 1) that the game has reached a turning point, right now the game feels the most vulnerable. With content creators and streamers publicly voicing their decisions to step away from the game, these big voices within the community are echoing the frustrations of Destiny 2 players at large. Even looking through the Destiny 2 forums and subreddits reveals a group of people who want to enjoy Bungie’s game but are finding it difficult right now.
What went wrong? Why is Season of the Worthy now the tipping point for Destiny 2 when it comes to player dissatisfaction? There are a lot of issues within the game right now and many of them carry equal weight when it comes to explaining why Season of the Worthy is such a disappointment.
Cheating on PC
While console players likely have no idea, those Destiny 2 players on PC are well aware of the rampant cheating problem. From Classic Mix to Rumble to Iron Banner, it’s very likely to come across a cheater or a hacker, who can use anything from infinite revives to aimbots to try to get an advantage.
Since Destiny 2 went free-to-play and the barrier to entry in PvP was all-but demolished, cheaters have been very frequent in the game. Bungie says that it is working to eliminate cheaters, but there is a general sense that the developer’s anti-cheat is not as robust as it should be. In most cases, players need to report an opponent or record video of an opponent for Bungie to take action.
Trials of Osiris is a Failure
Where cheaters are having the biggest impact on Destiny 2 is in Trials of Osiris. Because the mode is structure around win streaks, many cheaters choose to use this mode to either help friends get to the Lighthouse or even offer “carries” to top tier rewards.
It’s common to watch a Trials of Osiris streamer on Twitch and see them encounter cheaters at least once per card, but those are only blatant cheaters. As many have tried to explain, there is now a growing suspicion within the PC Destiny 2 community because of the rampant cheating. There is no longer an appreciation for an opponent who can hit an incredible shot. Instead, everyone is left wondering whether they are up against cheaters.
The nature of Trials is a PvP marathon where, for many players, the only worthwhile goal is the end. But getting there requires 7 (or 8 if using a Passage of Mercy) matches that don’t have any issues. And on PC that’s become a lot more difficult. Many simply choose to stay away, and that’s a huge problem for Bungie. Since Season of the Worthy is light on content, Trials of the Osiris was supposed to prop it up with a weekly ritual. Instead, a lot of players are saying, “Why bother?”
PvE Rewards Have Grown Stale
Another key factor in the Destiny 2 exodus on the PvE side is the rewards. At this point, most players have the weapons they want and what’s out there isn’t very enticing. Difficult content is fun to try and get through, but only if the “juice is worth the squeeze.” Right now, Destiny 2 struggles to provide a compelling reason to do anything out of personal satisfaction.
When Bungie revealed the Grandmaster Nightfall Ordeal the studio echoed that concept by confirming that the ultra-difficult strikes will not offer players any special rewards. No increased loot drops like the bug last week, and no higher chance at exotics. This left many players wondering what the point of the activity is.
As a whole, that sentiment represents Season of the Worthy. Players are looking for reasons to complete activities outside of finishing their Season Pass, but there aren’t many.
Destiny 2's Other Issues
There are so many other issues that have been mounting or are in Bungie’s plans that have soured players on the experience. The idea of retiring certain weapons has players feeling like their effort is undervalued. The PvP meta has grown stale and many of the maps have very big problems. PvE content, especially new exotic quests, boil down to similar tasks done over and over again.
And then there are the errors. Beaver errors are hitting Destiny 2 at an alarming rate and causing even more problems. All things considered, the Beaver errors seem like the easiest fix for Destiny 2, but they are no less frustrating.
At this point, it’s pick your poison. There is some reason why most Destiny 2 players are growing tired of the game and usually it’s some combination of the list above. Bungie can fix these items, but with a limited staff and development on the Year 4 expansion said to be pulling a lot of developers away, there is a feeling that not a lot is going to change.
Destiny 2 is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
