Destiny 2’s PvP Mode Is Getting Overhauled Later This Season

Lightfall and Season of Defiance have introduced a number of PvE changes to Destiny 2, and after several weeks of fine-tuning that experience, Bungie is looking to update the PvP side of the game. In a new blog post, Bungie explained that it plans to introduce “meaningful” changes to activities and their reward structures, including updates to matchmaking, adjustments to the Competitive Division, and introducing new game modes.

Several updates to map and game mode weighting are already live, and a mid-season update will see new connection-based matchmaking and a Crucible rotator added. Crucible Relentless Rotator will see Clash, Rift, and Zone Control rotated into play on a weekly basis, while Crucible Party Rotator will offer Mayhem, Scorched, and Momentum Control modes for players to switch between every week. As for the maps that these modes will be available on, expect to spend more time on Javelin-4, The Burnout, Rusted Lands, Midtown, and Wormhaven, as these arenas will be favored more in playlists.

As for fireteam matchmaking, Bungie says that for Control and Iron Banner, FTMM will be addressed in the mid-season patch to find more suitable matches while also improving the wait time during matchmaking. In the Competitive Division, Bungie plans to have more rewards for dedicated PvP players to chase, and after the mid-season patch, those prizes will include a new emblem for you if you are Ascendant III or higher and a stat tracker that allows you to put your current Competitive Division rank number on PvP emblems.

From Season 21, the prize pool will see the Rose hand cannon replaced by a new Competitive Division-only Sniper Rifle for participation in the playlist, a new Season 21 Ascendant emblem, and new weapons to the Competitive Division every other Season.

Bungie will add several new and returning game modes to the Crucible rotation, starting with Countdown in Season 20. A reprise of the classic Destiny 2 Elimination mode originally featured in Trials of the Nine, Countdown will also have variant modes cycled into rotation. Countdown Classic, Countdown Respawn, and Countdown Rush all offer a unique twist on the standard experience that add features like respawn and multibomb.

New modes will also be introduced to PvP in the future, and Bungie has detailed how Checkmate will shake the standard Crucible up. Checkmate is a new set of game rules that aims to create a slower-paced experience where players have more opportunity to react to encounters and where power spikes are earned rather than guaranteed. This includes changes to how special ammo is acquired, ability recharge rates, weapon TTK, and the player health settings, with Bungie describing these game rules as a “significant shift” from the core experience. The studio is targeting the Season 22 timeframe to launch Checkmate rules.

In other Destiny 2 news, Iron Banner is back this week, the Eververse store has the all-black shader that you’ve been looking for, and the mid-season patch will also be buffing several weapon archetypes.