Destiny 2 and Overwatch 2 are fundamentally different games. The former is an MMO and RPG hybrid where players choose one of three classes, and though there are three roles to pick from in the latter, the characters within those positions have their own lore and defined abilities. While Overwatch 2 will be getting a PvE mode soon, it will always be primarily focused on multiplayer, with Destiny 2 having the opposite priority. However, regardless of what content makes up the majority of each title, communication is key in both games.
The most obvious form of communication is voice chat, and most players will go this route if they are trying to clear a raid in Destiny 2 or climb the competitive ranks in Overwatch 2. Text chat is a secondary option, though given how players need to stop what they are doing to communicate through this format, it is too risky and usually stops them from getting messages to their group in time. As such, a quicker alternative would be ideal in Destiny 2, and Overwatch 2 holds the answer.
Overwatch 2’s Pings and Status Updates Could Make a Difference for Destiny 2
Bungie has done a good job of slowly but steadily rebuilding and expanding upon Destiny 2’s systems, and communication could be the next thing it looks at improving in the lead-up to The Final Shape. The most obvious improvement would be something like Overwatch 2’s ping system, which has become an industry standard for the FPS genre and was a huge new feature for the sequel.
A Destiny 2 ping system could be useful for those who use and do not use mics, as pointing out a chest to a fireteam member or highlighting a weak enemy to focus on could be incredibly useful. Other gamers (like kogasaka from the Destiny 2 subreddit) have already made clever suggestions about how a ping system could be made unique, like a ghost projection being used in place of a ping symbol. This way players can know who pinged what, and players could customize their ping to be accurate to the situation, like pinging a chest with a proper chest symbol.
Outside of pings, the best thing that could come to Destiny 2 is a way for players to let their teammates know if their Super is ready. Just like in Overwatch 2 where players give their allies a heads up that their Ultimates are ready for use so that abilities can be combined and situations can be planned for, a Hunter can let their group know that they have Golden Gun ready to go for the next encounter. This can be extremely useful in Crucible and PvE alike, especially in scenarios where players do not feel like talking over the mic to random people online. Essentially, it allows for effective teamwork without any extra effort needing to be put in.
The final Overwatch 2 communication feature that Destiny 2 would be wise to borrow is a command wheel. Going off the same logic that the tools would help those that are not on headsets succeed, being able to tell a team to fall back or group up at certain points during a mission would be a massive help. Similarly, warnings to not turn a certain corner in Crucible maps could help save lives and eventually win a team a match, so having these extra options is something that would undoubtedly bring a lot of joy to anyone that takes the game seriously.
Whether they are used as a way to give gamers without a mic a fast way to communicate, or simply to enhance communication for those on headsets, Overwatch 2’s communication features should come to Destiny 2. Even if players only use them to announce their Super status or to ping chests during patrols, the feature would get a good bit of use. Hopefully, Bungie eventually turns its attention to making communication easier, letting players tell each other where to go or which enemies to focus on with an instant HUD notification. This way, there will be no confusion at all when making callouts, and Destiny 2 Guardians can be even more successful in whatever activity they are partaking in.
Destiny 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
