Is Destiny 2 Following in Halo's Footsteps with Season 23?

Highlights

Destiny 2's Season 23 is expected to introduce a major balance patch that could shake up the meta even more than previous seasons.

Bungie, the developer responsible for Halo, is considering reintroducing the rocket jumping technique from Halo into Season 23 of Destiny 2.

In the upcoming season of Destiny 2, the Danger Zone perk will undergo significant changes. These include potential reductions in self-inflicted damage from rocket launchers and grenade launchers, as well as the exciting addition of rocket jumping.

Season of the Witch in Destiny 2 introduced numerous new features, including a unique deckbuilding mechanic tied to tarot cards and an updated Festival of the Lost. The seasonal model in Destiny 2 also involves regular balance patches that shake up the meta and alter what weapons, armor, and gear are considered effective and desirable. This was evident in Season of the Witch, and Season 23 is expected to continue this trend, possibly to an even greater extent. In a recent Dev Insights post from Bungie, all major weapon changes for the upcoming season were outlined, with one change possibly leading Destiny 2 down a similar path as the Halo series.

Although Bungie originally created the Halo series, the development responsibility was later transferred to Microsoft as part of a split deal between the two companies. However, Halo continues to serve as an inspiration for the team working on Destiny 2. In fact, Bungie included various Halo items and references in the game's 30th Anniversary Pack, released by the studio. This includes two pieces of the recognizable Energy Sword. While Halo may not have been the originator of the technique known as rocket jumping in gaming, it became a significant and well-known aspect of the series. Now, Destiny 2 may reintroduce this technique in Season 23.

Destiny 2's Danger Zone Perk Revamp COuld Mean Rocket Jumping is Coming

According to Bungie developers, players will have to discover a fun and secret change to the perk called Danger Zone in Season 23. While Destiny 2 weapon perks determine the game's god rolls, there are underrated perks that can still create niche and enjoyable builds with great potential. However, Danger Zone has never been an exceptional perk due to the issue of self-damage.

In Destiny 2, self-damage is a common occurrence, primarily caused by weapons like grenade launchers and rocket launchers. Currently, there are limited options for dealing with this issue, such as avoiding the use of guns when surrounded by enemies or on uneven terrain. To address this, Bungie introduced Danger Zone, which significantly increases a weapon's blast radius when surrounded by enemies while reducing self-damage from grenade launchers and rocket launchers. In Season 23, the perk will be reworked in two possible ways to eliminate self-damage altogether.

A rocket launcher that doesn't harm its user up close would not only be enjoyable, but it could also create interesting gameplay dynamics with perks like Surrounded. It would essentially function as a shotgun, dealing significant splash damage. Another intriguing option would be a rocket launcher that not only avoids self-inflicted damage but also enables rocket jumping, where players can gain momentum from the explosion and reach greater heights. This would be particularly useful for jumping puzzles in Destiny 2 and could serve as a valuable tool for escaping challenging situations. The inclusion of rocket jumping techniques from Halo into Destiny 2, beyond the occasional Scorch Cannon antics, would be a welcome addition in Season 23. This doesn't mean that the perk would be useless without zero self-damage from rocket launchers or grenade launchers, but rather that going the extra mile would be a strategic move by Bungie to attract even more players to the looter-shooter experience before Destiny 2's The Final Shape.

Destiny 2 is a first-person shooter game developed and published by Bungie. It was released on August 28, 2017, and is available on multiple platforms including PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia. The game utilizes the Tiger Engine and has an ESRB rating of T for TEEN, due to blood, language, and violence.

Destiny 2 offers both multiplayer online gameplay and online co-op modes. It has received several expansions, including Destiny 2: Forsaken, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, and Destiny 2: Lightfall. The game is also supported on various platforms for crossplay, including PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

In terms of gameplay, Destiny 2 allows for 1-6 players in co-op mode. Additionally, there are extra and premium features available for PS Plus subscribers. The game has received positive reviews and has a Metascore of 85.