Destiny 2: Forsaken won't be live for another week, but the Destiny 2 Update 2.0 patch notes are here right now. There's a lot to catch up on, including changes to character classes and the in-game economy, buffs and nerfs to various exotics, and of course those long-awaited weapon slot changes are finally upon us.
The details get pretty granular on that front, but highlights include tweaks to Sleeper Simulant—the magazine size is up, but base damage is down, which is unfortunate—and a change to "box breathing" that will dial down Whisper of the Worm somewhat. Which should come as no surprise because a) the change was hinted at in a developer stream, and b) the gun enables coordinated teams to spawn kill most strike bosses as is.
I'm also reliably informed that the change to Orpheus Rig is noteworthy: Where it was previously so overpowered that other Nightstalker exotics went largely unused, it "no longer grants Super energy on bloom and damage sharing" following the update, but will have an increased base Super energy intake from tethers, "to create a more consistent and less exponential experience." The maintenance period is now over, so we'll soon see just how much of a nerf that actually is.
Elsewhere, the vault has been boosted to 500 slots, which should make obsessive item collectors happy, and shaders can now be dismantled in stacks of five on Master Rahool's vendor screen, a long overdue (but, dare I say, not quite big enough) change. Alas, those of you who haven't yet bid a fond farewell to Cayde-6 have missed the opportunity: He's already gone, baby, gone. (Unless he's not.)
Bungie also posted a "Beyond Launch" update, with accompanying vidoc, discussing what players can expect in the Season of the Outlaw and beyond. The Black Armory, coming in December, could be an interesting holiday surprise—anyplace you can pick up a sniper rifle that seems to also be a sword (or is it the other way around?) is a place that's worth a second look—and the promise of heavy machine guns in the Season of the Forge is the kind of tease I can't ignore.
"The main thing we want to change with year two of Destiny 2 is that there's never a content drought," design director Justin Truman says in the video. "There's always something new happening, every month, year round."
"The Forsaken Annual Pass is different than the traditional post-launch Destiny expansions we’ve delivered in years past. Black Armory, Joker’s Wild and Penumbra will offer a range of different experiences that consist of new endgame activities and modes, discovery, and challenges that escalate, ebb, and flow over time, with each offering prestigious rewards," the update says.
"Annual Pass content will release throughout the year, working in concert with our free Seasons to help keep the world alive and fresh. Black Armory, Joker’s Wild, and Penumbra each deliver multiple beats that span the length of a given Season. We believe the overall experience will feel markedly different to Destiny players, in a really good way."
Bungie also dropped the Destiny 2: Forsaken launch trailer today—if you haven't already seen it, you can lay eyes on it here. Forsaken goes live on September 4.
