Destiny 2: What We Want from PvP
By Dalton Cooper 26 February 2016
With Destiny 2 officially announced for release in 2017, Game Rant lists what we want to see improved in terms of The Crucible and the rest of the game’s PvP content.
When one discusses what Destiny 2 needs in order to improve upon its predecessors, it’s mostly in reference to the game’s PvE experience. Some of the most common suggestions we see are to improve the game’s story and add raid matchmaking, but the PvP side of the equation could also use some improvement in Destiny 2.
To that end, we believe that if Bungie takes the following PvP suggestions to heart, Destiny 2 could reach its full potential as next year’s premiere first-person shooter.
Better Leveling Options
In its current state, the most efficient way for players to increase their light level in Destiny is by grinding through the game’s PvE content. There have been improvements made to PvP drops, but they pale in comparison to the guaranteed loot of PvE experiences like raid challenges and Nightfall Strikes. Because the game has such a devoted competitive community, it would be nice to see Destiny 2 allow equal paths to higher levels in both PvE and The Crucible.
More Diverse Game Modes
To its credit, Destiny has featured some unique match types in the past, such as the Trials of Osiris, Crimson Doubles, and even a racing match type called the Sparrow Racing League. The problem is that these diverse game modes for PvP are all temporary, so players can’t access them whenever they wish. Moreover, the PvP offerings in Destiny are fairly standard and don’t go much beyond the traditional online competitive fodder. For Destiny 2, it would be nice to see PvP modes that leverage the strengths of the gameplay.
Open World PvP Zones
Some have complained that Destiny‘s open worlds feel a bit barren, with a lack of compelling content for players to explore. One way to possibly remedy this in Destiny 2 is by implementing open world PvP Zones, not unlike The Division‘s Dark Zone. This way players will have more to do in the game’s open worlds, and it could add an interesting wrinkle to the PvP experience overall. After a point, the Patrol areas start to look a little dead, so we would like to see Destiny 2 liven them up a bit.
Private Lobbies and Custom Games
Destiny 2 could improve the PvP experience in a big way by simply giving players more options in terms of how they experience it. Among PvP fans there has been no greater request than private matches and custom games. Tournaments, 1v1s, and all manner of unique twists on PvP would be possible with private matches, but thus far Bungie has yet to agree to such a frequent request. If Destiny PvP is to stay competitive and develop a hardcore following, there will eventually need to be some considerations made towards customization.
Ranked and Non-Ranked Playlists with Dedicated Servers
Along with custom matches and private lobbies, Bungie could increase the appeal of Destiny 2 by adding ranked and non-ranked playlists, as well as dedicated servers. As it stands now, players have no choice whether or not they are matched up with players who truly want to compete or those who want a casual experience. If you’re a skilled Destiny PvP player then you are likely to face stiff competition at every turn, which is fine, provided the players sign up for the challenge.
Dedicated servers, on the other hand, will improve the quality of matches, ensuring that lag is less of an issue than it currently is now. When one considers that Activision’s own Call of Duty has dedicated servers, one has to assume Destiny 2 should use them as well.
Weapon Balancing that Impacts Gameplay
Alongside lag and skill-based matchmaking, one of the biggest complaints among the Destiny PvP community is the game’s struggle to balance weapons. No matter what Bungie does, there always seems to be a few weapons that rise to the top, and the rest fall by the way side. And while that’s not uncommon for a shooter, the choices are a lot more narrow in Destiny.
For Destiny 2, we would love to see weapon balance patches become a regular thing, not just a one-every-few-months occurrence. Bungie has done well to craft a unique arsenal of weapons, but it’s going to take significant work to make sure as many of those weapons are as viable as possible. Not just a handful. This is likely the hardest goal Bungie will work to achieve but it’s also the most important. Widening the skill gap is what helps PvP experiences stay relevant.
Hopefully Bungie takes these suggestions to heart, and delivers a PvP experience in Destiny 2 that outshines the original game in every way. With Destiny 2 not releasing until 2017, and a big new Destiny expansion set to drop before then, we probably won’t learn any concrete details as to how Bungie is going to handle The Crucible in the game for awhile. In the meantime, here’s hoping Bungie takes into consideration the wishes of the Destiny community when developing Destiny 2‘s PvP.
What would you like to see change in Destiny‘s PvP for the sequel? Do you think that Destiny 2 should make some major changes, or stick to what it delivered in the first game? Get at us in the comments below and leave us your thoughts on Destiny 2.
Destiny 2 is scheduled to release in 2017 for unspecified platforms.
