A new State of the Game blog post for Destiny 2 has just dropped and highlights many significant changes coming to the game throughout the year. Along with changes to weapon crafting, seasonal rewards, exotic mission rotator, and tuning the challenge in-gamer, new content is also coming to the Crucible this year. As confirmed by game director Joe Blackburn, a new game mode and maps will come to Destiny 2 along with some older content.
The first new map is called Meltdown and is set to go live when Season of the Deep (Season 21) launches. There will also be a second new, currently unnamed map set to release alongside Season 22. This level is described as a “Vex Network” map, which could mean it could look like the 80s-inspired level design found in Season of the Splicer. Additionally, The Dreaming City PVP map, Citadel, will be returning in the last season before The Final Shape expansion launches.
Players can also expect a new mode called Checkmate Control to be available in the Crucible Labs sometime during Season of Defiance (Season 20). In this mode, the PVP sandbox will be “dramatically changed,” thanks to adjustments to ability cooldown, weapon damage, and the ammo economy. Countdown will also return during Season of Defiance, along with a variant of the mode called Countdown Rush which requires teams to defuse or defend both bomb points. Bungie explained that there will be more returning and new PVP game modes coming this year.
New maps and modes aren’t the only changes coming to Destiny 2, as Bungie is aiming to make the competitive side of the game more rewarding. Fans of Trials of Osiris can expect tweaks to matchmaking and loot, however, we still do not know the exact details or planned release window for these alterations. Bungie also wants users to reach the Competitive rank that “most matches their Crucible skill” faster. Given how divisive the current matchmaking system is in both Casual and Competitive game modes, it’s great to see that they are continuing to make adjustments to ensure a healthy, enjoyable experience for players.
You can expect these new game modes and maps to release throughout this year in Destiny 2.
