This Week in Destiny - 09/07/2023

Moin moin [Hello in German], Guardians! I gotta say, what World First Race. Fireteams from across the world competed at the highest level and, in the end, it came down to a photo finish between two of the best teams around. I couldn´t believe what I saw and how close the race was. I want to say props to all of you who have encountered Crota´s End in Contest Mode because it was huge challenge—and I know that from experience, too! Before we get to today's TWID fun, let's have a look what we discussed last week and what we’re talking about this week.

Last week in Destiny:

• Crota’s End raid and Bungie Rewards.
• Iron Banner dates.
• Turtle power.
• Cabbage patch.
• But what about Stasis?
• Prime Gaming update.

Topics for this week:

• Final call for the Guardians for Maui Fundraiser.
• Update from our PvP Strike Team.
• Show us those Tessellation clips!
• New ritual armor sets.
• World First Race winner interview.
• Player Support Report.
• #Destiny2MOTW and #Destiny2AOTW picks.

Guardians for Maui – four days left

Just a few weeks ago, one of the deadliest U.S. wildfires of the past century devasted communities across Maui. Guardians from around the globe responded immediately with their support via the Bungie Foundation’s Guardians for Maui fundraising campaign. To ensure that the funds raised have immediate impact, the campaign will close at 11:59 PM PT on this Sunday, September 10.

All profits from the Mālama Maui T-shirt and Kūlike Kākou emblem will go to our partner Direct Relief and their recovery efforts already underway. Don’t miss out on your chance to own these two specially designed items, made in collaboration with Asians@Bungie and a local artist from Oahu, while lending your support to the people of Maui.

Head to https://maui.bnglove.org to help us help them.

PVP Strike Team

In case you missed it, Destiny 2’s fearless Game Director Joe Blackburn recently announced some exciting PVP news in a video a few weeks ago. During the video, Joe detailed the ongoing work of the D2 PVP Strike team which, in addition to other improvements, will be creating a brand new map pack coming next year. This team’s goal is to make Destiny 2 PVP experiences more fun for players who enjoy facing off against other Guardians in glorious combat. Our objective is not to increase player numbers by forcing players who don’t enjoy these activities to feel obligated to play them. Instead, we want to create fun experiences that entice players who have shied away from Shaxx’s calling to dip their toe in. The team has a few changes coming up in the short term and are also working on long-term plans for what other improvements we can make. For example, in today’s update we added a high chance for non-Adept Trials weapons to drop from any Trials match wins.

Our PVP Strike Team wants your input, too! We’ve collected a lot of feedback so far, and we wanted to give you all another opportunity to share your freshest ideas on how you would like to see PvP continue to improve. As a specific example of feedback that would be very helpful for us: What game modes or rulesets would you be interested in seeing in the Competitive playlist? We’ve set up some collection posts on our Bungie.net forums, Reddit, and Twitter. We value your input as we start to put together additional changes going forward, in addition to what we already have planned.

Right now, the new Relic game mode is live in the lab for testing.Another new modifier for multiple modes, Checkmate, is starting up on September 19. These mode tests in Crucible Labs are going to help us evaluate the success of these modes and how they might fit into other playlists in the future.

Speaking of other playlists, one thing we are currently working on is a complete restructuring of our current playlists to create clearer identities and purposes for each playlist. We are looking at everything from which modes and maps are in each playlist and matchmaking tuning to lobby balancing and rotation details.

In addition to the playlists themselves, the PVP Strike Team will be focused on many of the things that touch our Crucible experience, including sandbox balance, spawn issues, rewards, and the addition of quality-of-life features.As we start to solidify more of our plans, we will share details along the way. Until then, please go share your feedback!

New ritual armor set

A couple weeks ago we mentioned that we would be adding a new ritual armor set in Destiny 2 this Season. Today is the day that the following armor sets can be earned as new ritual rewards!

Introducing:

Hinterland (Hunter) | Biosphere Explorer (Titan) | Ossuary (Warlock)

You can earn these armor sets through playing Strikes, Crucible, and Gambit. So, go out there and earn these amazing armor sets!

Show us those Tessellation clips!

With the pre-order of The Final Shape + Annual Pass Edition, you can instantly obtain the new Exotic Fusion Rifle, Tessellation. And it is a juicy one! Consume your grenade, and it goes boom! Show us your best clips with Tessellation using #tessellationD2 and #Destiny2MOTW on social. In next week's TWID we will show some of the best clips we saw, and everybody who is featured will get the MOTW emblem. So get out there and shoot stuff with Tessellation!

And the winner is.....

Last weekend thousands of Guardians entered the World First Race and tried to be the first to beat Crota´s End and claim the raid belt. But there can only be one, and it was a photo finish. A lot of teams reached Crota, but the son of Oryx wasn´t going to give up easily. The first team who reached Crota was the Clan Elysium. It all looked like an easy win once more, but Crota had other ideas. Elysium tried and tried, but Crota did not fall. Finally, after 5 hours and 51 minutes, Crota was defeated, earning Elysium their fourth raid belt. Seriously, what an incredible achievement! Congratulations!

After the race, we reached out to the winning team and wanted to know how it felt to be four-time champs.

Congrats on your fourth win! How does it feel to win the Destiny 2 World First Race not one, not two, not three, but four times?

Saltagreppo: Very, very good. The moment you kill the final boss while thinking of being the winner and everyone pops off is always awesome. At times, it’s almost hard to recognize how crazy what we did is. I find myself thinking: Damn, we really won so many times? And thinking about that makes me proud of us.

What kind of preparation goes into getting your team raid ready? Clearly you all have something special with so many wins under that shiny raid belt!

Moople: I think simply being around everyone once the race gets closer is what really prepares me, mostly mentally. If we didn't have such a mutual desire to keep going for our wins, I don't think we'd be where we are. I think that’s the special string that runs between all of us, the fact that we are all so very sure that we are capable of doing it again and again.

Has your goals for winning WFR changed through the years? Do you see yourselves stopping any time soon?

Saltagreppo: No, competing and possibly winning doesn’t get old. Day-one raids are and will remain the main reason why I love and play Destiny, and no other game offers anything similar. I definitely don’t plan on stopping and really hope there are other raids planned for after The Final Shape.

Kyros: At first, my goal was to complete a day-one raid because I never completed one for Crown or Garden. Then I placed second in Deep Stone Crypt. After getting second, I knew first was definitely possible, and I wanted to get first. I don't intend on stopping anytime soon. I'll keep placing the best I can.

What's the highlight for you and your team when winning something like this? Any pitfalls?

Moople: More than anything the highlight will always be the winning pop offs. I really exploded this time around, but that aside, it's always the pop offs for any races, even the races we don't win. Nothing brings a bigger smile than hearing that pure excitement and happiness from anyone.

Cruz: The moment we finish is just... everything. It summarizes the entire feat in one singular moment of pure energy.

What's your one tip to WFR attempters to help them pursue their own goals of one day taking home that belt?

VileFate: My one tip to others trying to go for World First is always to make sure you’re playing with people you are good friends with and who have similar goals. If you listen to our World First clears, you’ll definitely hear us yelling at each other, but no one on the team takes these personally since we all know we have each other's best interests in mind. Since we’re all very close friends, nothing is taken personally and we continue focusing on the race. In my opinion, playing with people who you can have this dynamic with is very important when competing in any competition. In addition to this, always remember that the main point of these races is to have fun. This is something that only comes around twice a year, so you have to remember to enjoy yourself, even if some parts of it may be frustrating.

What was your favorite moment from the reprisal of Crota's End? Did the challenge satisfy that urge for an earned clear?

Moople: The recreation of Deathsinger is probably my favorite. It's a fantastic fit for Crota's End and keeps the pace going. I think I have a soft spot for the fully recreated encounters (like the Gatekeepers from Vault of Glass) in the reprised raids. The difficulty of this raid was so much more in line with what I want from races, in terms of encounter design, making sure everyone has to pay attention on some level, and the mechanics in tandem with the combat difficulty forcing that feeling of everyone needing to be involved.

Kyros: My favorite part of the raid was being the only person with a sword versus all the gatekeepers at the end of the Normal Mode bridge. Everyone was just yelling at me to keep going, and I'm just laughing as I'm defeating the gatekeepers one by one.

What was the hardest part of the raid for you and your team? Most frustrating, most rewarding?

Quazz: I'd say the hardest part was the bridge challenge. We took quite a long time to figure it out, and I believe we should have picked up on it sooner. By far the most frustrating part was us failing two final stands against Crota on Challenge Mode that I believe we should have been able to beat, which nearly cost us the race. And winning is the most rewarding.

Cruz: I would say the most difficult part was either figuring out the bridge challenge or finishing off Crota during his final stand on the Challenge Mode run as well. Both were frustrating, as I believe we should've solved the challenge on bridge quicker than we did, and both wipes on Crota's final stand had some bad luck to it. I'd say the most rewarding was completing the Challenge Mode run without losing the lead as it's, in my opinion, the toughest aspect of winning a reprised day-one raid.

Any final thoughts as you await the fourth belt to join that impressive collector's shelf?

Saltagreppo: Thanks to everyone on my team for allowing me to live this awesome journey, love you guys! And thanks, Bungie, for continuing to make the game we all love! After seeing this reprisal, I’m very excited for The Final Shape and looking forward to what you guys have in store!

Moople: Above all, a massive thank you to my team and to Bungie for putting the raids in the position they are. I went from never racing to now feeling like I can't experience these races without the mindset I have now. Here's to The Final Shape and finally taking on the Witness. ❤

And that’s a wrap on the latest sit-down with the World First crew. Massive congrats again, including to all of those teams that got out there and made the race for first.

PLAYER SUPPORT REPORT

Eris gets a Deck of Whispers? Shaxx needs a Deck of Yells.

Known Issues List  |  Help Forums  |  Bungie Help Twitter 

SPOILS OF CONQUEST TRIUMPH

We are currently investigating an issue with the Spoils of Conquest Triumph for Crota’s End that prevents it from being completed. This issue will be resolved in an upcoming update.

RITUAL VIOLENCE SEASONAL CHALLENGE

The description for the Week 3 Seasonal challenge Ritual Violence is incorrect. Players can complete this challenge by rapidly defeating targets in ritual playlists.

SPECIAL DELIVERIES KIOSK

Beginning with the launch of Season of the Witch, items such as pre-order rewards and secret stash bundles have been moved off the Cryptarch and to the new Special Deliveries Kiosk in the Tower. Players missing items should double check this vendor for available rewards.

New Light players will continue to be able to access these rewards from Shaw Han in the Cosmodrome.

KNOWN ISSUES

• While we continue investigating various known issues, here is a list of the latest issues that were reported to us in our #Help Forum:
• We are investigating reports of some players not receiving the Crota’s End Contest Mode emblem within the expected time frame and completion conditions.
• The Season of the Deep Sonar Station Vendor no longer offers bounties, preventing completion of the weekly Aquatic Operations Challenge.
• Players in loadout-locked activities can get kicked to orbit when attempting to swap out mods or cosmetics on their items.
• Due to an issue, the Eidolon Ally Auto Rifle can no longer be pulled from Collections.
• Some weapons from Crota’s End do not always have firing audio.
• Some players haven’t been able to progress through the New Light Tower Hangar and unlock the full Tower.
• The Round and Round We Go Seasonal challenge is not currently counting orbs generated in Gambit.
• Some players are unable to finish the Last Will and Testament mission.
• Attempting to activate elemental runes with Shotguns or Fusion Rifles can sometimes destroy the rune, temporarily blocking progress.
• The Monochromatic Maestro artifact perk does not activate with Strand.
• The Dungeon completion tracker on emblems does not function.
• The description for the Legend version of the Savathûn’s Spire activity incorrectly displays that matchmaking is available.

For a full list of emergent issues in Destiny 2, players can review our Known Issues article. Players who observe other issues should report them to our #Help forum.

The way to the Pale Heart

Bruno: How ba-a-a-ad can I be?

I'm just doing what comes naturally.

How ba-a-a-ad can I be?

I'm just choosing Movie of the Week.

Movie of the Week: Witnessing

The Witness on its way to The Pale Heart - @TheSouldTheta

Ivan: Wow, got goosebumps, what a great edit! If you have two monitors, launch the Marathon Announce Trailer on the first, this one on the second, and watch them side by side.

Movie of the Week: Marathon trailer, but it’s Destiny 2

Crota and the Gatekeeper

Hippy: Look, I’m not saying that Sparta-kicking the Gatekeeper in Crota’s End is the right move, but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t the fun one. Anyway, the Gatekeeper disagrees. Obviously.

“The woes of a Gatekeeper” by Kurikusuri via Twitter

Sam: Back in the day, Crota would point at us and do his Crotations, and then we would take him down, Traveler willing. This time around, he is just happy to hang out with us again. (But you know, don’t take it easy on him or anything.)

“They Coming To Play With Me” by “Kathi_Langley” via Twitter

So, that is it for this week. Again, thanks for making the World First Race such a great experience for all of us. and keep on grinding the new reprised raid. There are some juicy rolls to farm!

Haut rein [Let´s go in German],

Timon