Guardians rejoice, the missing Hand Cannon has arrived and can now be obtained with the launch of Season of the Deep forDestiny 2which has dredged up a boatload of new content, including the new weapon Epochal Integration. Displayed prominently during the marketing run-up for Lightfall, fans lamented the stylish Solar Hand Cannon’s absence at the expansion’s release, but as promised by Bungie, the weapon is now live inDestiny 2.
Season of the Deep’s late May arrivalheralded the first new batch of content forDestiny 2since the launch of Lightfall. The aquatic-themed update takes Guardians to the sunken depths of Titan’s ocean floor with a new dungeon to conquer, new seasonal activities to grind, and tons of new loot to earn, including a fresh 100-tier battle pass. Of course, perhaps most important of all, a fishing system has been added to the game. Reception has been positive, though many fans continue to voice their concerns over elements of balance inDestiny 2, which so far Bungie has been fairly quick to address.
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Bungie Keeping its Word is a Good Sign for Destiny’s Future
One resonantcriticism surrounding the initial launch of Lightfall was the hint of cut content. Story beats in the campaign appeared to be missing context, Neomuna felt underdeveloped, and gear prominent in the expansion’s promotional material was nowhere to be found in the game’s loot table. One notable absence was a sleek Hand Cannon with a silencer and laser sight in the Lightfall trailer that fans were eager to uncover in-game. Now, with the release of Season of the Deep, Epochal Integration is finally in as a quest reward forDestiny 2.
The quest which rewards Epochal Integration, Parting the Veil, can be picked up after completing the Nightfall campaign. It is a fairly breezy few steps to completion, closing some loose ends and capping off the story in a way that builds out Lightfall’s natural conclusion. After the uproar over its absence at launch, Bungie assured fans that the curated Solar Hand Cannon would soon make an appearance, and now the studio has made good on that promise. This marks a continuance of a trend for the studio as one of the premier examples of a live-service game done right, with otherstudios vying to emulate Bungie’s model forDestiny 2.
Bungie Should Keep Spirits High Heading Into 2024
WithDestiny 2approaching the sunset of its 10-year plan,The Final Shape trailerwas released alongside Bungie’s next big game reveal inMarathonat a recent PlayStation Showcase. As the studio approaches an important juncture, keeping its word and fostering goodwill is likely to remain high on its list of priorities going into 2024.
Releasing Epochal Integration in its assured timeline is an example of the sort of quick turnaround to feedback and criticism that will keep its fanbase loyal and more eager to get into Bungie’s next IP.Marathonis described as an extraction shooter, and while the subgenre has some overlap with looter shooters, they differ enough that allDestiny 2players giving it a shot is not a foregone conclusion.
Issues remain unsolved, but it is hard to deny that Bungie has been keeping up with its fans' demands at a great pace lately. Season of the Deep is well-received, hype for The Final Shape is high, andDestiny 2is in one of the best spots it has ever been. Getting Epochal Integration into the game is one less blemish for its image, and packaged with the Parting the Veil quest which serves as a mini epilogue for the campaign, the studio has addressed two criticisms in one blow. Bungie will want to carry momentum into 2024, whenDestiny 2’s next and possibly final expansionhas its tentative release.
Destiny 2is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
