With the return of the exotic hand cannon “The Last Word,” it becomes evident once again: Players are forced into the Crucible in Destiny 2 whether they like it or not. Many Guardians do not like this at all.
What’s the problem with the quest for “The Last Word”? Anyone who wants to own the new exotic hand cannon “The Last Word” must necessarily enter the Crucible. So if you are not PvP-oriented but want to complete your collection, you’re simply out of luck.
Throughout the history of Destiny, there have been quests that forced Guardians to engage in activities that were not exactly in their wheelhouse. Pure PvE players have hated them. The reasons for this are manifold.
These three types of players exist in Destiny 2: Not every Guardian enjoys all the content Destiny 2 has to offer. Fundamentally, three player types can be defined:
- Pure PvE players love fighting against AI-controlled aliens, have completed all raids, and only set foot in the Crucible when absolutely necessary.
- Mixed players enjoy any content Destiny 2 has to offer, whether PvE or PvP.
- Pure PvP players only engage in PvE content to obtain the right tools to wipe out other Guardians in the Crucible. The Crucible is their realm and is only reluctantly left.
Especially the group of pure PvE players is not thrilled about having to go into the Crucible for exotic weapons, and even mixed players have to push themselves at times. Bungie has faced criticism for this frequently. Nevertheless, Guardians are regularly sent into the Crucible.
Players could not avoid the Crucible in these quests either: The classic example of an extremely difficult Crucible quest is still the Thorn bounty from Destiny 1. Here, Guardians had to achieve kills with Void weapons in the Crucible, and progress was reduced with their own deaths.
The quest was considered very difficult back then, as there were hardly any primary weapons with the Void element, aside from the auto rifle from the Glass Chamber and the hand cannon from the Crota raid.
What many players may have forgotten: Those starting fresh with Destiny 2 must complete milestones that also require them to play two matches in the competitive playlist of the Crucible. However, this rarely has a positive impact on their team, especially since they are usually under-equipped and, quite frankly, inexperienced.
There was particularly a lot of criticism regarding the Pikass. Here, Guardians had to achieve 25 precision kills with a hand cannon. A task that still brings tears to the eyes of some Guardians today. Having to go into the Crucible for a weapon, which is clearly tied to a story questline, was inexplicable to many.
Why does Bungie continuously send players into the Crucible? Despite the unending criticism, Bungie remains steadfast in this practice, as the quest for the last word once again proves. The reasons for this may seem understandable at first glance:
- Bungie wants to show players the full range of what Destiny 2 has to offer. This also includes the Crucible.
- Weapons like The Last Word and the Pikass are extremely powerful against other Guardians, making the requirements at least somewhat more understandable.
- Guardians who have yet to venture into the Crucible might be made curious by the quest steps.
However, these underlying considerations do not change the fact that the Crucible is a place many players never want to enter. The matchmaking is too inconsistent, the experience too frustrating when completely overwhelmed.
At its core, Destiny and Destiny 2 are clearly focused on the PvE content, the Crucible is at best “ancillary.” Guardians should not be forced to endure frustrating experiences, so the criticism goes.
How could Bungie circumvent the dilemma? The fundamental approach of incorporating the Crucible into exotic quests may be understandable. However, an alternative should be introduced for pure PvE players.
Bungie could implement a mechanic that allows a player to choose whether to achieve specific quest objectives in PvE or PvP. Those looking to test their luck in combat against other Guardians could be rewarded with faster progress.
What do you think? Should Bungie rethink their practice of luring players into the Crucible?
