Destiny 2 is still the main gaming pastime for many players, scratching the constant itch of a deep and expansive sci-fi shooter experience. All existing Destiny 2 expansions are coming to Xbox Game Pass, so now's a great time for new players to find out what the hype is all about.
Players new to Destiny 2 right now will discover the Festival of the Lost, the annual Halloween event. This year players must collect candy as a literal resource that lasts throughout the Festival as well as pages of lore and new, seasonal goodies. But players who were around for last year's festival will have a significant advantage, and for a surprising reason.
Last year, players visited the classic Festival of the Lost location Tangled Shore to receive missions from Spider. It was his final appearance, as the Tangled Shore is being vaulted, but he had a parting gift for persistent players. Those who opened 45 chests using that year's special currency were given something called an Ascendant Lens which did, well, nothing. But those who saved it will be pleased to know: the Ascendant Lens finally has a use, and it's a pretty good one.
The Ascendant Lens can be given to Mara Sov, one of the major figures in the Season of the Lost's overall story. Turns out, the Ascendant Lens is very useful to her, and in exchange she gives players an Endless Goodie Bag. It has several rolls of the newest pulse rifle, spectral pages equivalent to three missions-worth, and a whole lot of candy. This is a significant boost right at the start of the season, so players won't have to farm quite as many of Destiny 2's new Haunted Sectors to get the pages, let alone the candy currency.
Those who held the Lens no doubt feel pretty vindicated now that it has an actual use. It's also a nice bit of set up and payoff, especially for a game that takes place procedurally over such a long period. As many mourn the Tangled Shore and Spider, they can no doubt look back fondly at his final, cryptic treat.
On the other hand, holding onto a seemingly useless trinket for a full year with no explanation is a lot to ask of players. Destiny 2 is already built on FOMO (fear of missing out) to a significant degree, and if year-long payoffs are going to become a thing, it may well make players more resentful of that fact.
Destiny 2 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.