Heading into Year 3 ofDestiny 2, developer Bungie promised a renewed focus on PvP in the Crucible. Unfortunately, what Bungie said and what the studio has done do not align with each other. In fact, manyDestiny 2PvP fans feel that Bungie has done very little to entice them towards venturing into Crucible.
Unrest within the PvP community is nothing new forDestiny 2, but it has sprung up again after rumors thatTrials of Osiris might returnin Season of Dawn. Some top PvPDestiny 2players (former and current) were invited out to Bungie’s studio and many of them are best known for Trials of Osiris carries. Dr. Lupo and RealKraftyy, for example, drew thousands of viewers throughout Trials weekend, as they attempted to get as many players as possible to The Lighthouse.
Unfortunately, during this week’sSeason of Dawn reveal stream, Bungie did not discuss PvP and suggested that Trials is not returning from its hiatus this season. There is still hope that the mode will return later this year, but for now it’s still on hold. And as a result, players became frustrated that there is no real reason to compete in PvP.
Missing PvP Content
It’s true that without Trials of Osiris, the PvP inDestiny 2has no real endgame experience. There is no way to earn weeklyPinnacle Power Level gearfrom Crucible outside of Iron Banner, but few consider that a challenge and it’s a monthly event.
Lately, players have suggested thatDestiny 2should add some sort of reward system that gives them something to chase - cosmetics or ornaments that unlock after completing some sort of challenge or reaching a certain rank. As it stands right now, if players haveearned the Unbroken title, there is no reason to play Competitive outside of personal enjoyment.
Crucible Balance
Then there is the question of whether Crucible is enjoyable right now, and many PvP fans say no. With the reliance on cheap abilities like Handheld Supernova and Shoulder Charge, Crucible is less about gun skill and more about exploiting whatever advantage the game is willing to give. At the top tiers of Crucible, it’s impossible to get by without seeing things like One Eyed Mask,Mountaintop/Recluse, and Thunder Coil mods.
The recent hand cannon nerfs dealt a blow to PvP players, making it so one of their favorite weapons is less viable. Plenty can get by with a Spare Rations but for the most part hand cannons have fallen to the wayside. The hand cannon changes have not been the only factor in PvP player frustration, but they are a big reason.
Skill-based matchmakinghas also been a key part of the discussion aroundDestiny 2’s PvP. While SBMM is supposed to help separate players of various skill levels it also leads to segregation that many didn’t ask for. Top tier players, for example, are put into matches with opponents of equal skill, which means that they have to bring their “A game.” Trying out different weapons or new subclasses is ill-advised with SBMM active, because it leads to death-after-death.
On top of that, when the player pool is so small at certain skill levels many are left siting through extended queue times or facing the same opponents over and over again. In theory, SBMM is a smart idea for a competitive multiplayer environment but it usually has a lot of detractors. EvenCall of Duty: Modern Warfareis dealing with a debate about SBMM.
How to Make PvP Better in Destiny 2
There is no easy solution for Bungie involvingDestiny 2’s PvP modes, but there is no question that a lot of the community is frustrated. Since the beginning,Destinyhas been a franchise that is tough to balance and a lot of problems have stemmed from that.
Modes that might have seemed fun on paper turned out to be disappointing because of howDestinyworks.Crucible Labs, which many had hoped would be a type of public test environment to see how balance changes might work, instead turned out to be a testing ground for multiplayer modes, and Bungie didn’t even use it that often.
Much like the PvE community is given a roadmap for what Bungie is working on, it may help if the studio did the same for the PvP community. Right now, Bungie’s Community Managers say that they are passing along feedback, but nothing usually happens. It’s only when a weapon completely breaks the game, like Lord of Wolves a few seasons ago, do the developers actually take action.
Right now, the PvP community is at a crossroads withDestiny 2and they don’t see any changes in the next few months. BeforeYear 3 and Shadowkeep startedthere was the claim that Bungie had a renewed focus on PvP, but right now it seems like there is no focus.
Destiny 2: Season of Dawnstarts July 30, 2025 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
