If there is one part of Destiny 2 in particular that many players feel has not received the amount of attention it deserves, it is likely PvP. But with Destiny 2's tenth season, the name of which was recently datamined and now know to be called Season of the Worthy, it may very well be PvP's turn to get some special attention. The game has never had a heavily-focused PvP season or DLC before, but doing so with Season 10 could satisfy the segment of players that have been hoping for more focus on PvP.
In light of some leaks and revelations about Destiny 2 Season 10, it is looking like the perfect time for developer Bungie to take a heavy-handed PvP approach to a season. If there was ever a time that Bungie would take that risk, Season 10 seems like the most likely period.
Trials of Osiris Coming Back
Trials of Osiris returning to Destiny 2 is all but officially confirmed. A string of leaks including Trials of Osiris cards showing up as glitched/in-development features in the game, datamined text strings, and more have shown that Trials will be coming back in Season of the Worthy.
Trials of Osiris will no doubt be a major feature of the next season, and considering how seasons have functioned previously by adding one new activity and source of gear, Season of the Undying's Vex Offensive and Season of Dawn's Sundial. Destiny 2 could lean into that in Season 10 making Trials of Osiris that main seasonal activity. It would be a bold move considering that in the past, Trials of Osiris in Destiny 1 locked its full loot pool behind the Lighthouse, which required players to go Flawless in Trials.
However, players could still get gear from the mode by hitting win milestones at 5 and 7 wins, so if Trials of Osiris in Destiny 2 implemented a similar system, that could still give all players access to that new loot pool albeit still reward those who can truly go Flawless.
"A Renewed PvP Focus" in Destiny 2
In the ViDoc for the Shadowkeep expansion and Year 3, Bungie developers talked about having a renewed focus on PvP in the coming year, admitting that PvP was mostly left stagnant in terms of new content and special attention in Year 2. In most players' eyes (just take a look at the Destiny subreddit), Bungie has yet to accomplish what they would consider a renewed focus on PvP, leaving those players frustrated.
The Shadowkeep expansion brought one new map and two old maps with Season of the Undying adding the new Momentum Control mode, Season of Dawn returned the Rusted Lands map and moved Elimination (the Trials of Osiris game type) out of Crucible Labs and made it its own playlist. But for many, these are incremental steps to improving PvP, not making it a big focus of the game.
So, this may be Bungie's chance to make good on their promise of a renewed PvP focus and have some small updates to the PvE side but mainly focus on PvP content, playlists, balance, and quests.
A Destiny 2 Seasonal Shake-Up
The risk of alienating a large segment of players who mainly play the PvE side of Destiny 2 has to be a major concern for Bungie, and it is likely the reason the developer has never put all its eggs in the PvP basket before. But, after two seasons of this new Year 3 seasonal model, players are already getting burnt out on the predictable and repetitious seasonal grind. Season 8 and 9 both gave players 6-player PvE modes that were impossible-to-fail, horde-like arena modes with weapon farming mechanics. While these had their time, players are starting to wonder what's next.
Bungie said recently that not all seasons would follow this same structure. There is likely no better time to prove that than in Season of the Worthy. Undoubtedly, the season pass will return with its rewards, but when it comes to the new content, this is a great time when players are starting to tire of the current state of the game to shake things up and throw players into PvP.
To be honest, it's only a small step further than Season of the Drifter, which was entirely centered around Gambit Prime and the Reckoning. While the negative feedback about that very season may be giving Bungie pause to committing to a PvP-focused season, Season of the Worthy would be the best time to shake things up and try it out.
But with a pinnacle mode like Trials of Osiris coming back and there being a large number of weapons, armor, and abilities many players deem "cheesy" or broken, it may be beneficial to have an entire season where Bungie can put its efforts into fine-tuning the PvP experience of the game.
A 'Worthy' Name
The name alone of Season 10, mentioning "the Worthy," seems like fitting nomenclature for a season focused on the competition in PvP. It fits in well with Destiny 2's PvP side, where players earn Glory in the Competitive playlist and claim the Unbroken title for achieving great feats in the Crucible. It's just a small hint but when taken in context of everything else, it seems like a worthy name for a season focused on the competitive side of Destiny 2.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.