Destiny 2 is a game where diversity between game modes helps keep all players involved to a certain degree, as there is something to potentially appease every kind of player. This includes everything from Gambit to Strikes and Nightfalls to Raids, with seasonal activities and challenges also keeping players hooked. The Crucible also provides a different kind of gameplay, though it has often been a sore spot for Bungie and Destiny 2 players alike. It is either a place that determines big changes for popular builds and weapons, such as the Stasis nerf that ended up affecting PVE as well, or something that Bungie constantly tries to improve in many ways.
Such is the case for the Trials of Osiris, previously known as Trials of the Nine. This PVP mode has always been troublesome in a way, as it often felt like a system designed to cater to players who were already very good in the Crucible rather than a more inclusive place to get everyone started despite their skill level. Then, the Trials of Osiris became somewhat toxic due to player behavior, but mostly it was a realm where cheaters and people who sold or bought carry services thrived. As a result, Trials is something a lot of Destiny 2 fans have never even tried. And yet, Bungie managed to change all that in Season of the Lost thanks to a well-thought rework that rewards players for their time, rather than their victories, while also making the game safer thanks to Bungie's partnership with BattleEye. Sadly, this newfound positivity around Trials is already fading.
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Why Destiny 2 Players Are Upset About Trials of Osiris Matchmaking Changes
Thanks to the Trials Report Twitter account, and also Bungie's latest TWAB, players can see just how well the rework did for Destiny 2's Trials of Osiris in the past weekend. Over 750.000 players engaged the PVP mode, and an overall total of over 2.8 million hours was devoted to Trials of Osiris over the weekend, making it the most successful weekend ever in the history of the franchise. However, Bungie knows there is always room for improvement, and that's why new changes are coming this weekend - even though the community doesn't seem to be very happy about them.
In the TWAB and on Twitter, Bungie stated that the matchmaking for Trials of Osiris will change for those players who reach Flawless for the first time in the week, and this is not character-based, but rather account-based. The change means that players who get to the Lighthouse, no matter if they went Flawless for the first time in their lives or if they were carried by someone else, will match up against other Flawless players in future matches. This is not too bad for players who are naturally skilled in the Crucible, but it can be problematic for those who get Flawless without necessarily being on that same level, thus punishing average players.
Bungie's intent was probably that of diluting the pool of possible matches for players who don't get Flawless cards, so as to avoid that they encounter very skilled players. And yet, if these players do manage to get to Flawless, it's likely that their ability to do well in Trials for the weekend is immediately hindered by the new matchmaking system. Essentially, it ends up rewarding those who are very good regardless of all these changes.
Still, Bungie said that it will be monitoring how things go from there and will be listening to players' feedback, meaning that there is hope for better changes in the weeks to come. Hopefully, the many complaints regarding this new matchmaking setup will be heard.
Destiny 2 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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