DESTINY 2: Ranked PVP, Private PVP Matches And More Promised By Bungie

New, customizable weapons, ranked PVP, private PVP matches and more are coming to Destiny 2 as detailed in the latest blog post from Bungie.  The update came after weeks of fans complaining of a lack of meaningful activities to do in the game after completing the Campaign and The Raid.  The boiling point was reached when it was discovered that Bungie was throttling XP gains in an effort to increase incentive for gamers to spend real-world money on  Eververse Bright Engrams. 

Though these Engrams are cosmetic in nature, and several other MMO games have similar XP throttling mechanics, players cited Bungie's lack of transparency as the source of their ire.  Gamers around the globe quickly took to social media and YouTube to complain about the practice and declare that Destiny 2 was "dead".  Some influential gamers even organized their followers to return to Destiny 1. 

However, the blog post below appears to have assuaged Destiny 2's angry playerbase, though many state that the updates and changes are just the "first step" in many necessary overhauls.

Hey everyone,

With Destiny 2’s console and PC launches behind us, we want to take some time to talk with you about Destiny 2 – specifically where it’s at today, and where it’s going. Our team has been reading feedback and working on updates to improve the game. We’ve also been reading some tough criticism about our lack of communication, and we agree we need to be more open.

Going forward, Destiny 2’s post-launch game systems, features, and updates are being designed specifically to focus on and support players who want Destiny to be their hobby – the game they return to, and a game where friendships are made. We want Destiny to be a game that fits into your life, providing you with reasons to log in and play with your friends, clans, and families. We want Destiny to be a world you want to be a part of.

A month ago, we published a list of improvements on the blog. Today, we’re going to revisit that list and update its status, and share some of the work the team is readying for December, January, and beyond.

We know it’s frustrating when there isn’t enough of a dialog with the development team. You have our commitment that we’re going to do a better job going forward.

- Luke Smith & Chris Barrett

Here's a rundown of what changes are being made to Destiny 2 and when they're being implemented:

DECEMBER 05 (CURSE OF OSIRIS Release Date)

• Armor ornaments will be implemented for more unique customization that doesn't require Shaders. Armor ornaments will be available on Vanguard Faction Armor, Crucible Faction Armor, Trials of the Nine Armor, Iron Banner Armor, Dead Orbit Armor, Future War Cult Armor, New Monarchy Armor and Eater of Worlds Raid Lair Armor
• Banshee-44 will begin directly selling select Legendary Mods. His selection will rotate
• Cryptarch Master Rahool will begin selling Legendary Engrams. Legendary Shards will be the currency used to purchase Engrams

DECEMBER 12

• No More Vendor Engrams - Players will be able to purchase specific weapons and armor from Vendors instead of turning in Tokens for Engrams 
• Masterwork Weapons - New Legendary weapons from The Curse of Osiris will drop as or be upgraded to become Masterworks versions---
  • which will track the total number of kills. Gamers will toggle whether the kill count will be for PVP + PVE or PVP only. 
  • Masterwork weapons will also drop Orbs of Light on multi-kills
  • weapon stat bonuses will be randomly selected from a small pool (i.e. getting the same gun will result in different stats) and these stats will be re-rollable
  • dismantling Masterworks will result in a new material that can be used to upgrade pre-existing Legendary weapons to Masterworks
• Xur will begin selling Fated Engrams - Exotic Engrams guaranteed to provide an Exotic Weapon or Armor not already in your collection
• Players will only be able to earn 1 Fated Engram per week and purchases will be made using Legendary Shards
• Xur will begin selling Three of Coins, an item that increases the chances of an Exotic Engram drop during select activities
• Commander Zavala and Lord Shaxx will begin selling Gifts; a consumable item that grants rewards for completing certain activities.  Everyone involved will receive the same reward (i.e. everyone in a Crucible Match may receive an Exotic Engram or Faction Tokens)
• The marker to turn in Reputation Tokens and Items will only show up on your Map when you have enough to actually earn a reward

JANUARY

• Better incentives to complete Prestige activities

PROMISED BUT NO SET IMPLEMENTATION DATE

• Display player kill count on Crucible Wait Screen
• Further tweaks to how XP is earned in Destiny 2
• Greater communication from the Bungie Development Team
• Better rewards for Adventures and Lost Sectors
• Private PVP matches
• Ranked PVP
• A "Quitter Penalty" system for players who leave a Crucible match early
• Additional changes to how players can acquire Gunsmith Mods
• An emote interface that allows players to equip Salty, Spicy Ramen, Six Shooter, and Flip Out all at the same time