For all the new content and improvements that Destiny 2 has seen after the split from Activision, PvP has been one area where fans have felt neglected. With the August 24th showcase later this month, assistant game director Joe Blackburn shared some plans on how the Crucible will be supported in the coming days. Along with “three-peaking” (aka peaking around corners by going into third person), Trials of Osiris will be receiving some revamps.
Two vaulted maps are also coming back in Season 16, which starts later this month. Blackburn noted that, “When we upgraded our engine with Beyond Light it means we had to hand port all of our Destiny 2 maps and modes. So, while it may seem from the outside like we’re just pushing a button there’s a significant lift from the team to get more of this content back in rotation.”
Season 17 will see a brand new map being introduced with Blackburn teasing a “bunch of new environments” coming to the game and the team being excited to “start bringing them into the Crucible.” Season 18 will see a remastered Destiny 1 map also coming. “All this effort is going to be done in parallel with the team looking to fund the far future with a predictable roadmap of maps in Lightfall and beyond.”
But that’s not all. Bungie is also looking into adding Rift into the game next year. Brand-new modes are also in the works for 2022, though it’s not going to spoil what these are just yet. “We’re excited to offer new twists and rules to the ways you can make Shaxx proud,” said Blackburn. Following the Trials of Osiris update in the next season, the developer will look at broad systemic improvements that the ecosystem needs, ideally offering a similar revamp each year.
Stay tuned for more details when the upcoming showcase airs. Destiny 2’s next big expansion, The Witch Queen, is out in early 2022.
Ahead of the showcase this month, I wanted to take a little time to talk about Destiny PVP.
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) August 4, 2021
Next season, you’ll continue to see this effort with not only changes to 3-peaking but also what the team has been planning for the revamp of Trials of Osiris (tune in 8/24 for more info).
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) August 4, 2021
New maps take time to get right, so to open the faucet for S16, the team is working on porting two vaulted Destiny 2 maps to be compatible with our engine updates.
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) August 4, 2021
When we upgraded our engine with Beyond Light it means we had to hand port all of our Destiny 2 maps and modes. So, while it may seem from the outside like we’re just pushing a button there’s a significant lift from the team to get more of this content back in rotation.
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) August 4, 2021
After reprised maps in season 16, season 17 will come with a brand-new map. There are a bunch of new environments in Destiny 2, and we’re excited to start bringing them into the crucible.
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) August 4, 2021
Finally, after those 3 maps are added to the rotation in 16 and 17, we will be remastering a Destiny 1 map and bringing it to Destiny 2 for the first time in season 18.
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) August 4, 2021
All this effort is going to be done in parallel with the team looking to fund the far future with a predictable roadmap of maps in Lightfall and beyond.
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) August 4, 2021
First, the team is investigating getting Rift in Destiny 2 next year. It’s been too long since we’ve dunked on some guardians. The Destiny Sandbox has sped up in Destiny 2, so right now the team is validating that the mode still holds up with our new gameplay.
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) August 4, 2021
Second, the team is working on multiple brand-new modes for 2022. We aren’t quite ready to spoil these yet, but we’re excited to offer new twists and rules to the ways you can make shaxx proud.
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) August 4, 2021
Finally, after the dust settles on the Trials update in s15, we want to look at what other broad systemic improvements the PVP ecosystem needs. We want to provide something on the scale of this trials rework to players every year.
— Joe Blackburn (@joegoroth) August 4, 2021
