In the current roadmap, Bungie has outlined the planned developments for the coming months. A highlight: random weapon rolls will likely return to Destiny 2. But is that enough to lure players back? No, believes our author Robert.
Those who have closely followed the discussions of the past months will have read the demand for Bungie to bring back random weapon rolls to Destiny 2 time and again.
Players are longing for the carrot they can chase – the one percent that made weapons with the perfect perk combination stronger.
The legendary hunts for the best Grip of Malok that made us endure the screams of Omnigul for hours and resulted in a full-blown tinnitus days later. Well-known streamers also dedicated hours upon hours to the hunt for the perfect imitation of the fate bringer, the fake bringer (Imago Loop).
All these moments have not been offered by Destiny 2 so far.
Even if I share the opinion of my colleague Sven that Bungie finally seems to be seizing the opportunity to develop Destiny 2 further instead of merely approaching the status quo of Destiny 1, I remain skeptical.
For the true problem of Destiny 2 is not random weapon rolls – but the quality of the perks.
With bad perks, no god rolls can be farmed
Destiny 1 offered a variety of interesting perks that together on a weapon led to that one god roll everyone wanted. Sardine can, fireball, outlaw or hidden hand still bring tears to guardians’ eyes today.
Such perks do not exist in Destiny 2. Bungie has fundamentally weakened the effects of weapon attributes. The reason is clear: The balance in the crucible should not be destroyed by a few perfect weapon combinations.
Admittedly – even Destiny 1 had its share of bad weapon attributes (who doesn’t remember “Dug up”?), but this was more than compensated for by the very good perks.
The tenth Better Devil is also uninteresting if there are simply no perk combinations with which I can perfectly roll the weapon. Bungie must succeed in creating perks or improving existing ones so that players once again feel like hunting and farming them.
Give me the chance to find a hand cannon that at least comes close to the fate bringer from Destiny 1 – and I will play the corresponding content until my fingers wither away.
By the time we actually get to enjoy collecting random weapon rolls, many guardians will have fallen from the tower – and that is a problem.
Random rolls only in September – too little, too late?
We are in April 2018 – according to Bungie’s roadmap, guardians can go back to the hunt for random weapon rolls with the presumably first major expansion in September 2018.
That is four and a half months in which player counts will presumably continue to decline. Even now, the participating players in the trials of the Nine are dropping weekly.
Even if many season pass buyers will return with the next expansion “Warmind” – whether the interim Season 3 will keep players engaged until September is questionable.
Bungie must have the courage to create overpowered perk combinations – even at the cost of balance. This would be a watershed, as the topic of “balance” has been declared a cornerstone of Destiny 2.
Whether and in what form Bungie will bring back the random rolls is unknown. If it goes badly, no one will care come September.
Do you think Bungie can bring players back with the random rolls? Or is it then too late?
