Almost every week brings something new to Destiny 2, whether it’s story beats, new activities, or interesting new item combinations that allow players to destroy one another in the Crucible. Iron Banter is our weekly look at what’s happening in the world of Destiny, and a roundup of what’s grabbing our attention across the solar system.
Phil Hornshaw, a good friend and clanmate of mine, lit the braziers of GameSpot’s Iron Banter for a while before moving on to the next chapter of his journey. For those who might not know, this is unfamiliar territory for me as I spend most of my time on the video side of things. So to say I’m nervous about taking over from Iron Banter is a huge understatement. Although I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I am very excited that I can now be your liaison in the Tower, the chat, and Destiny 2.
The world of Bungie has consumed me and my time in video games for years. I have seen all the colors and shades these games have taken on and have forgotten countless eras of what the game used to be. From my first exotic release (Patience and Time) to my first Broken Crucible meta (Thorn and The Last Word), I’ve lived through Destiny’s extreme lows and manic highs and watched Destiny 2 stumble and regain its footing in eerily similar ways. .
However, there’s a bigger reason I wanted to resurrect Iron Banter – at this point, we’re in that phase of the content cycle that any Destiny player is familiar with. Going into February, you can hear the rumble of Destiny’s content machine gradually becoming a distant roar, can’t you? The publicity machine is coming back to life and I’m here for it. I’ll have plenty of hot takes and ramblings to share with everyone as the weeks go by, especially in the early days of Lightfall, but right now all I can feel is this overwhelming sense of anticipation. It’s enough to make me tremble with excitement. It’s not often that a video game can give me this kind of emotion.
It’s hard for me to remember when I went from casual to obsessed, but there was a clear shift in the way I viewed the game very early in Destiny’s lifecycle thanks to a prominent memory. It was the flavor text on the exotic from The Last Word: “Yours, not mine.” – renegade hunter shin malphur to Dredgen Yor. Suddenly, Destiny became more than just an excuse to drink a beer after school and run blind in the Crucible. I could tell he was fascinated by the story and all the complex relationships woven between characters, factions and enemies, especially names of enemies we had never seen at the time or the urban legends of characters and mentors we had yet to meet.
For those who don’t remember, Destiny and Destiny 2 were empty at first, but offered a ridiculous amount of mystery and potential. We all had no choice but to put our trust and faith in Bungie to develop the sequel into what we all felt was the original goal and vision. Many friends I know have left the game with each expansion, or have simply refused to return for one reason or another. However, just as many have started for the first time or come back and are hooked, just like me.
Of course, it hasn’t been a smooth ride, not even close. I’m probably one of the more skeptical players, especially as time goes by between expansions and exhaustion and fatigue creep in. I’ve often had debates with my clanmates where I’m accused of sounding like another Reddit post complaining. Anyway, I’ve had many times of being what I call a “Bungie apologist”. Trying to convince disillusioned friends to come back, even if the state of the game left a lot to be desired.
It’s not easy to collect over eight years of Destiny playing into a brief introduction here. How do I sum up the years of living through the (various) ups and downs of Destiny and Destiny 2? Hilarious, different, or frustrating months of Crucible goals? Weeks of seasonal fatigue or awesome “blink and you’ll miss it” missions and events? I felt like a blueberry waking up for the first time in the Cosmodrome, but in 2023, where there’s no linear line, I’m just looking at all the possibilities to discuss things and thinking, “Where do I start?”
All I can do is reiterate how I feel: it’s a very It’s a great time to be a Destiny fan, and I’m thrilled to share this journey with you.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may earn a share of the revenue if you purchase something featured on our site.
