Destiny 2 is a popular online multiplayer shooter game developed by Bungie. In 2022, Destiny 2 released its sixth major expansion, The Witch Queen. It introduced a new campaign, a new Raid, new Exotic weapons and armor, and a new enemy type: Hive Lightbearers. The Witch Queen expansion was one of the most anticipated in Destiny 2, as it featured a thrilling conclusion to Savathun's arc that had been building in the background for years.

The Witch Queen era brought both positive and negative changes and additions to Destiny 2. On the positive side, Bungie delivered a compelling story that explored Savathun's motives and schemes and her connection to Osiris, one of the most interesting characters in Destiny lore. The expansion also added a new destination: Savathun's Throne World, which was an interesting departure from how the Hive's environments usually looked. The new Raid, Vow of The Disciple, challenged players with complex mechanics and puzzles and rewarded them with a glimpse into the machinations of The Witness that players would see more of in 2023's Lightfall expansion.

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Light 3.0 Were Great in Destiny 2, But Seasonal Content Wasn't

Destiny 2 Void 3.0 Warlock

Another good thing that Bungie did with Destiny 2 in 2022 was improve the Light-based subclasses' customization and progression systems. Players' Void, Solar, and Arc subclasses were overhauled to match the greater customization found in the Stasis subclass. This created a new foundation for RPG customization in Destiny 2. Bungie also added cross-play functionality, enabling players on different platforms to team up and play together seamlessly. Unfortunately, one way Bungie failed during 2022 was by relying too much on FOMO in Destiny 2's cumbersome seasonal unlock systems.

Players spent many hours grinding Destiny 2's seasonal activities and challenges to unlock seasonal rewards before they were gone forever. This created a sense of pressure and fatigue for many players who felt like they had to play constantly or miss out on valuable content, gear, and cosmetics. Another aspect of the year's poor design by Bungie was making seasonal activities feel formulaic and predictable from Season to Season. Most Seasons followed a similar pattern of introducing a new public matchmade activity that involved killing waves of enemies quickly. Adding a new Vendor that offered bounties or quests every Season that tied into that Season's story was expected and equally underwhelming.

The Highs and Lows of Destiny 2's Crucible and Gambit Content

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Another aspect of the game that fell short for many players was Crucible maps, on top of a complete lack of support for anything related to Destiny 2's Gambit mode. The Crucible did see some notable changes around Ranked and casual play, and Bungie added the very first new map in almost three years in the form of Disjunction. The earliest Destiny 2 expansions often introduced multiple new maps for players to enjoy, and it's something the game needs more of. Meanwhile, Gambit saw even less development than the Crucible did in 2022.

To make matters worse, Gambit also exhibited multiple bugs that denied players rewards and progress at the end of matches. Ultimately, Destiny 2 has had its ups and downs in The Witch Queen era. Still, it remains one of the most popular and engaging expansions the game has ever had. With Lightfall on the horizon, fans can look forward to another year of thrilling adventures, challenges, rewards, and surprises. The many changes coming with the Lightfall expansion are looking to make 2023 one of the best years for Destiny 2 in a long time.

Destiny 2 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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