Destiny 2 developer Bungie has implemented a new limitation on weapon-swapping as part of the latest game patch. The changes are an attempt to curb an exploit that allowed players to deal much more damage much more quickly than intended, but the new rules have caused frustration to many players.
The Shotgun Exploit
The exploit in question involved attacking a boss, swapping from one shotgun to another via the player’s inventory, and unloading the newly-equipped shotgun on the boss. Properly timed, this process could erase a boss enemy within seconds, rather than the multi-minute encounter intended by the game’s developers. The so-called “Fourth Horseman” shotgun was widely used to carry out the exploit. The existence of the exploit had been known for several weeks before Bungie took action.
The Two-Second Delay
The new patch addressed the exploit by implementing a two-second delay on the firing of newly-equipped weapons. Any player who switches to a new weapon via their inventory has to wait a full two seconds before they can fire the weapon. Bungie acknowledges that this is frustrating for legitimate players who make weapon-swaps as part of regular gameplay, not as part of the exploit. However, the developers claim it was the only way to prevent the exploit itself while not disadvantaging genuine players excessively.
Bungie’s Explanation
Speaking on Twitter, the Destiny 2 dev team explained that the firing delay was unavoidable as part of curing the exploit. They wrote, “To safely fix the underlying problem we needed to introduce a global firing delay when swapping weapons via the inventory screen, Due to the networking differences across players and environments, we couldn’t guarantee the shortest possible delay would address the exploit.” Although the delay is frustrating for some, the developers say it’s the best way to ensure that all players have a level playing field.
Modifications Coming Soon
However, Bungie has also announced plans to modify the rules again. Following feedback from players annoyed by the firing delay, Bungie says it will reduce the waiting time to one second shortly after the launch of Season 21. Season 21, called the Season of the Deep, will bring a host of other changes to the game, too.
Season of the Deep
In addition to the weapon-swapping delay and reduction, Season 21 will overhaul a range of Exotic armor to make them more powerful and beneficial to players. There will also be new ways to obtain and craft Exotic weapons, making the prize items more accessible to casual and occasional players. The expansion will feature a raft of other modifications and additions, too, including improved Strand Aspects.
The Future of Destiny 2
Although the two-second delay on weapon-swapping is unlikely to be popular among many players, Bungie is widely recognized as one of the top games developers in the world, and most Destiny 2 players are excited about what the future holds for the game. With Season 21 and the upcoming modifications, Bungie will ensure that they stay ahead of the competition, while keeping the playing field fair and equitable for all players.
