Despite the current lull in content for Destiny 2, the game is still gearing up for a strong end to the year, and an even stronger beginning to 2022. December brings the Bungie 30th anniversary event, and releasing on December 7 is the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack. The contents of the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack feature a new dungeon and cosmetics, but quite possibly the creme de la creme will be Gjallarhorn making its arrival in Destiny 2. The exotic rocket launcher has been a fan favorite and was easily one of the most coveted weapons of the first Destiny game.
During its tenure, Xur sold Gjallarhorn only a handful of times in the first Destiny game, and many fans spent countless hours trying to farm the exotic rocket launcher. While Gjallarhorn might not answer the question of whether or not the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack is worth the price, it is still a major selling point for a lot of fans. Along with fond memories of being able to wield the rocket launcher, it will likely pack a strong punch. Gjallarhorn’s iconic Wolf Pack Rounds were no joke in the first Destiny game, and should be just as strong in Destiny 2.
Gjallarhorn in Destiny 2
Even though it’s not likely that Gjallarhorn will be the exact same as it was in the first Destiny, if it is as strong or impactful as it was in the past, it could become a big problem. Many of the memories people have about Gjallarhorn are fond. Fans loved the weapon and it felt like one of the most unique items that a player could use. The design of the gun: from its mechanics to how it looked made it stand out. As a world drop, Gjallarhorn lived a luxurious life with high demand but as a piece of purchasable Destiny 2 content, it could become a thorn in the side of many players.
The way Gjallarhorn dominated in PvE spaces is something that not every gun can do. While it was satisfying to burst down Nightfall bosses and make the Crota’s End raid feel like a dungeon, it had a far-reaching and negative impact on the Destiny community as well. Many LFG postings turned into players requiring others to have Gjallarhorn in order to participate in endgame content. For Destiny, a title so geared towards its community being able to build itself up and Guardians interacting with one another, this is somewhat of an ugly period in the franchise’s history.
This isn’t the game or the developers’ fault, but it's something that persisted for a noticeable amount of time nonetheless. Even after nerfs, Gjallarhorn was still able to dominate LFG spaces, and it could make looking for a raid team into a chore. This was while Gjallarhorn was accessible to everyone, and while it sucked trying to farm the rocket launcher, the ability to get it without a paywall was there. In contrast, when Gjallarhorn returns, it will be exclusively part of paid content for the foreseeable future. The rocket launcher’s absence from the world pool could leave players even more unhappy than the recent Hunter PvP and PvE changes.
Unfortunately, with the way Gjallarhorn has been advertised so far, it will likely be a while before fans can expect this to change and for it to be accessible outside of the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack, if ever. The DLC has a lot of content that does look cool, and the new dungeon should match up to the experience players get with the Prophecy Dungeon and the Pit of Heresy activities, but Gjallarhorn is still a major part of it. With the exotic rocket launcher, Gjallarhorn’s exotic catalyst, a weapon ornament, and the Gjallarhorn-themed sparrow, it feels that it was intended to carry the pack more than much of the other content.
This is understandable from a business perspective, but it is also something that could be setting up a problem for the community in the near future. The Vex Mythoclast’s super low drop rate has already made it a problem in PvP, and it’s not locked behind something like the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack. That being said, everything that releases with the DLC on December 7 could help to persuade more players to buy it.
Gjallarhorn's Future in Destiny 2
There are other aspects to think about as well when it comes to Gjallarhorn returning. The next few months will likely be some of the most memorable since Cayde-6 was killed off in Forsaken. The Light and Darkness story in Destiny 2 is on a clear path to completion and The Witch Queen will kick that off in a major way. With the next season starting with the release of The Witch Queen, many fans suspect that rocket launchers will get the same focus that fusion rifles have for this season of the game.
Season of the Lost has finally given fusion rifles their due in Destiny 2, which is a good thing, and rocket launchers could benefit just as much next year. However Gjallarhorn has the potential to be an outlier. If the buffs and mods are too strong, the same “Must have Gally” postings that fans saw with LFGs in the first Destiny could come back. This doesn’t mean that the rocket launcher should be weak, but it is worth considering when looking at how paid content like weapons could affect the community.
Similarly, the possibility that Destiny 2 could bring back classic exotics in the future should be considered as well. With the Harbinger mission Hawkmoon was brought back, and while it didn’t tear the community apart it also didn’t feel nearly as potent as other weapons like Gjallarhorn, Icebreaker, and Invective did in the first Destiny game. There are a lot of positives to reprising past weapons, and in truth, every exotic from the first game should be able to find a home in Destiny 2. However, it is just as important that they’re accessible to players as they are iconic additions to the game.
Destiny 2 is now available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.