Bungie has big plans to simplify and enhance Destiny 2 in its next phase.
In a series of blog posts, Bungie revealed sweeping changes coming in 2025 under the codename: Frontiers. These changes include two medium-sized expansions each year, which will be paid, and four major updates that will be free.
A major update is the Portal, a new menu screen that helps players find and choose activities easily. This screen will let players adjust difficulty levels and view rewards for each activity.
“The Destination map, also called the Director, is Destiny’s venerable activity browsing and selection screen. Over the years it has grown to be very unwieldy, making it harder to find specifically what’s current and worthwhile to play, and requiring ever more expert knowledge to navigate to find what you are looking for,” Bungie wrote in its Portal-focused blog post.
The Portal screen will categorize activities into various types. Familiar categories like Fireteam Ops and Pinnacle Ops will return, while new ones like Solo Ops and Flashpoint Ops will make their debut. Flashpoint Ops will include large six-player battles, and Solo Ops will cater to those who prefer playing alone.
Here’s Bungie’s rundown of the Portal’s six categories:
- Solo Ops: 1-3 player activities with low time or social commitments. Perfect for solo players but still fun with a team.
- Fireteam Ops: Three-player activities needing coordination. Includes things like Strikes and Onslaught.
- Flashpoint Ops: Six-player activities. More chaotic and set to be introduced later next year.
- Pinnacle Ops: Challenging three-player content like Dungeons and Exotic missions. Offers exclusive rewards.
- Crucible: Core playlists for solo players and teams. Test your skills against other Guardians with exclusive rewards.
We believe that organizing the game like this will make it easier and more fun.
The Portal will also feature the latest expansion and updates, making it easy to jump back into the game. It will reduce the time spent on chores like talking to vendors, allowing players to get straight to the action. Some activities like raids will remain separate from the Portal but will still be easy to find.
Additionally, the new system will highlight activities that offer bonus rewards like specific weapons or high-level materials, encouraging players to explore everything the game has to offer. These bonus rewards will change daily.
Bungie is also adding more detailed difficulty settings for core activities. Players can tweak settings to make Strikes and other activities more challenging and fresh.
However, adjusting difficulty might complicate matchmaking. If you want specific challenges, you might need your own team. Bungie’s Fireteam Finder should help with this.
Rewards will be based on performance, with both team and individual scores affecting the quality of loot. This system aims to make rewards fairer and more engaging.
Legendary weapons will now have more tiers, encouraging players to tackle harder challenges for better rewards. The same goes for armor, which will be tuned to specific stats.
New weapons and armor for each season will be marked, making it clear which items are current. This helps players focus on gear that benefits from seasonal mods and bonuses. Old gear won’t be replaced but won’t have the same perks.
Overall, these changes aim to make Destiny 2 more accessible and exciting, especially for new or returning players. Bungie hopes to mix in new gameplay genres like roguelikes and survival games, adding variety and keeping the experience fresh.
