Just in time for the return of the Trials of Osiris in Destiny 2, we chatted a bit with Bungie in an interview about the most popular PvP mode in the series. Did they anticipate the success of the mode in part 1? What do the developers consider the most iconic feature of the Trials? Will the Trials evolve or remain a fixed format?
This is what many have been waiting for: On March 13, 2020, it was finally time. After a long absence, PvP in Destiny 2 now has a proper top activity with Season 10 – the Trials of Osiris are back.
For many PvP fans, this is the most popular Crucible mode of all Destiny. What the PvE elite are to the Raids, the Trials embody for PvP experts.
How this mode works exactly and what its revamped form looks like now, you can find out here: Destiny 2: Trials of Osiris explained – All you need to know for the start of the Trials
What’s the deal with the interview? Just before the start of the Trials, we had the opportunity to talk with Bungie developers in an interview about the development and history of the Trials.
As interview partners, Lars Bakken, the Creative Lead of Season 10, and Rob Adams, Associate Art Director at Bungie, offered themselves to discuss the Trials mythology. We have summarized the most interesting questions and answers for you below.
By the way, before you ask why we didn’t ask anything about X or why topic Y was completely left out: Please note that only questions about certain topics were allowed during the interview.
Bungie in Interview about the Mythology “Trials of Osiris”
Although there were no secret details about the popular mode during this cozy chat, nor tips about the meta or anything similar, we did get some interesting insights into the developers’ perspectives.
Question: When the Trials debuted in Destiny 1 – did you already think that a purely weekend PvP mode would basically develop into one of the most popular activities in the game?
Answer: Lars Bakken took over the response. As he explained, Bungie considered the Trials to be really cool and engaging internally even back then. However, something like that can never be predicted.
So, it was all the more pleasant to be surprised when they realized that players loved this mode and that it had basically become a kind of ritual for their weekend activity. The fact that they had created something like this with the Trials felt cool, according to the Creative Lead.
Question: The Trials of the Nine from Destiny 2 never achieved the popularity of the Trials from Destiny 1. What do you think was the most important thing that the Trials of the Nine lacked?
Answer: Rob Adams first responded here. The developers would try to improve the game with each new release. They wanted to experiment with a lot of new things in Destiny 2 back then.
However, while working on the new, current Trials, they reflected on what players liked most about the Trials throughout their entire lifespan. They focused on this for the redesign of the Trials in Destiny 2.
Then Lars Bakken spoke again and emphasized that the new Trials were a good opportunity for Bungie to reflect and really understand what fascinated players about the Trials in Destiny 1. They took that as a foundation and mixed it with some changes intended to provide more “Quality of Life” to the established format.
Question: From a lore perspective, how did the Trials of the Nine become the Trials of Osiris? Is there a connection?
Answer: Lars Bakken continued right away. A lot is already explained when you log in for the first time in Season 10 and talk to Saint-14 in the Tower.
It becomes clear there why it’s important to bring back the Osiris rules and why Guardians need to train and prepare for the upcoming war.
Osiris will provide the weapons and armor, and Saint-14 will basically take over the training regimen. He finds it remarkable what Osiris has accomplished with his Trials during the time when Saint was not around.
Question: What is the most iconic feature or aspect of the returned Trials of Osiris?
Answer: Here too, Lars Bakken continued straight away. To him, the most iconic thing about the Trials is the ticket, that is, the Trials Pass. Much revolves around this ticket.
It is initially important to understand what kind of ticket you are getting, for which of the special features you are choosing. Then there’s the excitement of how far you can get with the ticket, a kind of rollercoaster of emotions.
I have my team here – how far can I go? Can I make it all the way to the end? To the Lighthouse? Will I get 7 wins without losses on the ticker? The excitement of a win versus the agony of a loss – and that with every ticket. That is pretty cool and that is what makes the Trials, for him, the Trials.
Rob Adams could only nod in agreement. He said he couldn’t really add anything to Bakken’s explanation.
Question: Will the returned Trials remain a fixed format – as in Destiny 1? Or will they evolve over time to better integrate into the changing world of Destiny 2? Will there be new modes aside from elimination? Will there be further formats? For example, 2vs2?
Answer: Lars Bakken believes it is still too early to assess how or why the Trials could change. Currently, it is only important that they come back in a way that players have loved in the past, with some “Quality of Life” improvements. And then they will see.
He thinks Bungie has already proven with Destiny 2 that they are willing to change, update, and experiment. “If the Trials ever need to take a new direction, we will look into it. That will be a shared journey with our player base.”
Rob Adams then added that for Bungie, it was important to not only bring back the mode when the Trials return but also to support it in the long run. They are determined to continue working on the Trials and respond to player feedback. They are not just bringing back the mode and leaving it at that, but will also support it in the future.
Question: Lars, in the ViDoc, you said basically that the Trials are the Raids of PvP. Could you elaborate on that a bit?
Answer: In Bakken’s eyes, the Trials can be compared quite well to the Raids. There are so-called ritual core activities in the game, like Crucible, Strikes, Gambit, Open World. And then there are the high-end activities in PvE, such as Nightfall: The Ordeal and Raids.
While the Iron Banner provides top rewards in PvP, it does not pose a real challenge that requires players to excel in every area of Destiny 2 (for example, chasing higher power, deep understanding of the current meta) and ultimately culminates in a “player versus player” experience. And that is what the Trials now offer.
“So we see the Trials on the same level as Raids. They are things for people who really dive deep into Destiny 2 – not just for PvP players. It is for players who understand Destiny 2 as a whole and want an endgame goal in the Crucible as well.”
Rob Adams added that when viewing the activities as a kind of pyramid, Bungie sees the Raids as the pinnacle of the PvE activities pyramid and the Trials as the peak of the PvP pyramid.
Question: Do you have any community stories or insider stories about the Trials to conclude? Something from the development of the Trials that stands out particularly for you, that you will never forget? Something you still remember fondly today?
Answer: After some jokes, laughs, and back-and-forth on the question, Rob Adams first took the floor here and recalled something related to the “new” Trials. He mentioned the three classic PvP maps from Destiny 1 that returned for the Trials of Osiris in Season 10 – Exodus Blue, Cauldron, and Anomaly.
So the developers had long deliberated which fan favorites to bring back. After all, there were many maps to choose from. They looked at which competitive maps they had designed for Destiny that were the best. They had prepared a corresponding list.
Then they not only looked at data and player feedback but also conducted an internal survey in the studio. Many developers and staff actively played Trials themselves.
The cool thing was that when this internal survey was evaluated, it basically matched the maps on the list and the cards that were the most popular in the community. Thus, they felt strongly validated in their choice of maps.
Then Lars Bakken took the floor one last time and talked about his most memorable moment as a developer related to the Trials. For him, it was the moment when he watched the first teams reach the Lighthouse in Destiny 1 for the first time. The reactions of the players who landed there on the first Trials day and saw the intro where their Guardian first glimpsed the flaming Mercury – that was a very special moment for him.
What also sticks in his memory is the fact that the community came together during the Trials. Many content creators on Twitch and other platforms helped Guardians reach the Lighthouse, who would otherwise never have made it there on their own – week after week. This willingness to help was really cool in Bakken’s eyes and inspired him a lot.
What makes the Trials special for you? What was your most memorable moment regarding the Trials? And what do you think of the returned Trials so far?
By the way, how our Destiny author Philipp fared during the first weekend of the returned Trials after years of abstinence, you can find out here: Destiny 2: I played the Trials – Bungie, give me more of that!
