The Solstice, a much-awaited in-game event of Destiny 2, is finally returning with the upcoming weekly reset, bringing new weapons and unique customization options for prospective guardians. Seasonal events are commonplace in live-service games, with Destiny 2 celebrating four annual events designed around four principle seasons, complete with cosmetic and mechanical changes unique to each event.
The Solstice, previously known as Solstice of Heroes, is a Destiny 2-exclusive event that canonically began after the Red War campaign and has been celebrated in-game every year since. Initially serving as an event to reminisce and represent the guardians' accomplishments throughout the previous year, the Solstice has become synonymous with summer-related activities. The Solstice-related activities happen in the unique European Aerial Zone of Destiny 2, where players can encounter every enemy faction and participate in additional challenges. Since its introduction, the EAZ has returned with every Solstice event and, in recent years, even features a massive bonfire. Players collect special currencies to set this bonfire alight to complete activities and reap the event-exclusive rewards.
Recently, Bungie officially announced that the Solstice is making its triumphant return to the game with the upcoming weekly reset, complete with a new trailer to showcase a brief overview of the event. The short, 40-second long video showcases a fireteam of three guardians adorned in an ornate armor set, laying waste to combatants of various factions. The trailer emphasizes the new Crowning Duologue Rocket Launcher, the first in its archetype to feature the Strand element. The newest elemental subclass in Destiny 2, Strand has become a meta-defining play style since its launch and continues to scale in power with each passing season.
The trailer features voice lines from beloved in-game characters, such as Saint-14 and Lord Saladin, cheering on the guardians as they partake in the festivities. The trailer also showcases several emotes, which will no doubt be available on the Eververse storefront of Destiny 2. Something not overtly advertised in the trailer is the ornate armor sets that have become synonymous with Solstice events since its inception. Veteran players will remember that Solstice-exclusive armor sets were among the most sought-after, as the subclass of choice would be reflected via the unique cosmetic glow effects of the armor set.
It is unlikely that the developers would remove such a well-known feature from the event, however, the unceremonious omission in the official trailer might raise some eyebrows in the community. Players won't have to wait long before they can reap the rewards of the Solstice as Destiny 2 receives a new patch in hopes of ironing out persisting bugs and other issues. Players can observe the progress of the patch and the state of the server via the official Bungie Help page on Twitter.
Destiny 2 is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
