Destiny players uncover an exploit with Sparrow Racing that requires emergency attention from Bungie, as it bypasses the game's most expensive microtransaction.

Destiny players have uncovered an exploit that allows them to bypass a microtransaction associated with the new Sparrow Racing League. Developer Bungie says that they are aware of the exploit and working quickly to fix it.

While most of Destiny’s microtransactions thus far have been special emotes meant to express some sort of in-game emotion, or simply to dance, the introduction of the Sparrow Racing League brought a new premium item: the SLR Record Book. With it, players could keep track of their greatest feats within Sparrow racing, and in turn earn unique cosmetic rewards like racing gear and sparrows.

However, the exploit has uncovered a way to bypass the actual purchasing of the record book (for 1,000 silver or $10) altogether. See, by inspecting the book at Tess’ trading kiosk, players have discovered that it’s possible to complete the objectives within the SLR book and collect the rewards, all without actually spending any money.

Obviously, this exploit is sure to be disappointing for Destiny players who spent money on the SLR book. Not just because the $10 purchase is the most expensive microtransaction introduced thus far, but because it means Bungie didn’t thoroughly test all angles. Exploits are a common occurrence in almost any game – there have been plenty in Destiny – but ones that bypass microtransactions are typically the most egregious.

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Given that, we wouldn’t be surprised to see an emergency patch go live for Destiny within the next 24 hours, or at the very least when Bungie pushes out the new Trials of Osiris map. We’d also hope that the emergency patch includes the auto rifle buff that was supposed to be included with the December update, but somehow did not activate. Whether that’s as simple as flipping a virtual switch is unclear, but there are some other issues that need addressing in addition to the Sparrow racing exploit.

Some are going to call into question the reasoning behind pointing out this exploit, but this is not meant to be a guide. Rather, it’s important to point out this exploit because it calls attention to the problem and ensures Bungie work on a fix sooner rather than later. Moreover, if enough players are aware of the exploit, specifically those who paid money for the record book, then they will be more likely to ask for compensation. And they deserve it.

Spending $10 on a fun piece of cosmetic content and then watching as other people use it for free does not make for happy customers. And Bungie will want to keep their customers, especially those who spend money on microtransactions, happy.

Have you noticed any other issues with the December Destiny update? What do you think of Sparrow Racing so far?

Destiny: The Taken King is out now for PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

Source: Giggle Monster - YouTube