The fingerprint that Season of the Forge left on Destiny 2 will likely remain a key part of the game well into the future. Beloved by many as one of the finest seasons Bungie has put ouut, Season of the Forge introduced iconic legendary and exotic weapons, as well as mysteries surrounding the Black Armory. With this came the Niobe Labs location in Destiny 2’s European Dead Zone (EDZ).
In the EDZ, players were introduced to a challenging puzzle designed to unite the community. It resulted in fireteams spending days trying to decode messages and unlock the doors to the Bergusia Forge. With this achievement, players would be able to obtain the Jotunn exotic fusion rifle, a high-tier exotic weapon that continues to be relevant. However, like many of the events, puzzles, and activities that are subject to player opinion in Destiny 2, the Niobe Labs puzzle had its own controversy.
The Race to Open Niobe Labs
While challenging puzzles and waves of enemies gave the Destiny 2 community something to work toward, the Niobe Labs puzzle ultimately split the fanbase. Even as streamers and individual players pulled all-night marathons in the Niobe Labs area of the EDZ to unlock the Bergusia Forge, some were unsatisfied with what had been presented. There were players who felt Niobe Labs locked away content they had paid for, and as the struggle to decipher cryptic messages continued their voices grew louder.
As a result, an ultimatum was ushered in for Niobe Labs. Either the Destiny 2 community would be able to open the Bergusia Forge through the efforts of countless players, or Bungie would unlock it for them. This decision turned Niobe Labs into an infamous location for many Destiny 2 veterans. It was clear the community was racing against the clock to open the forge before it was done for them.
Despite the decision to open the Bergusia Forge to all no matter what, fireteams of dedicated Guardians worked to push their way through the Black Armory’s defenses. With each round of codes and waves of enemies, the Destiny 2 community knew it grew closer to achieving entry through sheer willpower. In the end, after over 80 hours of playtime, the doors in Niobe Labs opened to the Bergusia Forge, and a sense of accomplishment spread that can only be rivaled by a Destiny 2 world's first raid title.
Ultimately, the completion of the puzzle became a core event for the community. It included both the incredible sense of accomplishment that players can feel, as well as the frustration that comes with struggling through puzzles and sometimes glitchy or bugged mechanics. Tied into this is also the eternal discussion of money and time spent; even now players question whether content like the Bungie 30th Anniversary Bundle is worth the asking price, and Bergusia Forge being locked behind Niobe Labs stirred similar emotions.
Niobe Labs is also a beacon. The community often has Guardians compete against one another in races to complete a raid or new challenging activity, but Niobe Labs also brought players together. It showed that in-depth and complicated public events could encourage cooperation like not many other activities in Destiny 2 have been able to do. While it wasn’t one of the Grandmaster Nightfall strikes or a new dungeon, Niobe Labs still felt like a rewarding experience.
This is something that many fans would likely enjoy seeing recreated. As discussions about how to make Destiny 2’s season pass more worthwhile continue, an option could be a similar event to Niobe Labs that may even potentially span multiple seasons. It would be worth seeing the Destiny 2 community rally together again as it did to unlock the Bergusia Forge.
Destiny 2 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.