The big puzzle from Season 9 of Destiny 2 has been solved, but left some Guardians disappointed. The main issue is criticized as unfavorable communication regarding the final reward; many expected something different. Bungie has now commented on it.
What is the puzzle about? On January 14, a new quest surprisingly appeared in the game, bringing a massive puzzle in the Corridors of Time. This kept the Guardians busy for almost a week until it could finally be cracked with the help and cooperation of thousands of players.
However exciting and cool many found this mammoth puzzle, many were also disappointed in the end, and there was some criticism about the big finale: Why the coolest riddle of Destiny 2 ultimately disappointed
What exactly is being criticized? At the center of the criticism was the reward for all the efforts. Essentially, it was not even the reward itself, but the way it was communicated beforehand.
In the end, the Guardians received an exotic item, which in turn launched an exotic quest. The problem was: Both the quest and the Exotic waiting at the end were already known – essentially since the beginning of Season 9.
The exotic fusion rifle Bastion had already been presented on the roadmap and on the official Bungie site, and was originally planned for January 28.
However, since such puzzles normally came with unknown rewards and the Bastion was listed with a different start date, many had the expectation that this time there would be something completely new. Something that does not appear on the roadmap. But instead, they received a weapon that was already known. At the end of the exciting unknown, something well-known was waiting. And that spoiled the finale of the otherwise praised puzzle for many players.
Many then said: If they had not communicated the Bastion so extensively in advance with a different date, but just listed “Exotic” or a question mark in January without a fixed date on the roadmap, then most people would be absolutely satisfied with the reward now.
This is what Bungie says: Bungie has now also commented on this topic. In a conversation with a disappointed fan on Twitter, the Community Manager dmg04 specifically addressed this issue and explained Bungie’s perspective.
The fan initially explained that he was tired of disappointments, such as the Immortal Ghost from Season 8. He thought the team would have learned from it. He was really engrossed in the puzzle, only to find out in the end that he was rewarded with a roadmap item. In the end, he asked if there was no one working on this content who could take a step back and think about the possibility that the community might be upset.
In response, dmg04 initially asked a counter-question: “Do you find it disappointing due to the time invested, the reward, or for other reasons when the community comes together to unlock a new unique Exotic early? Would you have preferred clear expectations for the mysterious?”
Then the Community Manager went on to explain the studio’s approach in this case: “When we design a roadmap, we aim to set expectations regarding the value (of the content). Or: What is the scope of content associated with the season pass? This allows players to justify a purchase compared to previous seasons.”
Then dmg04 specifically addressed the new Exotic Bastion: “If we had not listed the Exotic (on the roadmap), it could have led to a discussion about lack of content. Without a roadmap, it could lead to the discussion that we would be ‘obscuring’ the season and not providing enough important information for a prudent purchase.”
Finally, dmg raised the question of what the community would prefer: “In this context – would you prefer to enter a season with less expectations or with more (clear) expectations?”
That is a very narrow and challenging balance to strike. But ultimately, they want to continuously improve Destiny.
Also important: If you want to get the lore or the emblem from the puzzle location “Corridors of Time”, you need to hurry. It will soon be gone – forever: Destiny 2: Why you should visit the Corridors of Time this week
But the quest is now available for all season owners without puzzles: Destiny 2 gives everyone the quest that others worked hard for a week
What do you think of Bungie’s statement? Would you prefer to start a season with less concrete information and experience more surprises? Or would you prefer more concrete details to better assess whether a season is worth it?
