Destiny 2 dev says it can't make more PvP maps because it can't spare the resources

Destiny 2
(Image credit: Bungie)

Destiny 2 has one new PvP map debuting soon, but developer Bungie says you shouldn't expect the frequency of new PvP maps to increase because the studio can't spare the resources.

"Our studio structure is built to support more overarching updates to PvP like the ones above, rather than focusing exclusively on maps," the devs say in the latest State of the Game blog. "When we do focus our resources on building new Crucible maps, it comes with the tradeoff of multiple teams' bandwidth on work that contributes to a variety of experiences that players also hold dear, such as new story or Exotic mission content, core activities that make up the foundation of each Season, or new destinations."

In other words, it sounds like new PvP maps aren't dead, but we shouldn't expect them to land with any more frequency than they have in the past, which was... not often. Like, not even once a year. 

Next season, we're getting a new Vex Network-themed map called Multiplex, with a reprised Destiny 1 map coming in Season 23. That's not a ton of new content, and Bungie says even bringing back older content is currently more work than PvP is justifying. The devs add that "bringing back reprised maps also involves extensive porting to the latest version of Destiny 2, which requires additional resources to ensure the maps work correctly for multiple game modes and play styles for years to come."

Even if you prefer your Destiny 2 PvP in a different form, it looks like Gambit is on an even more extreme form of life support. Bungie says that despite recent updates to the mode, it's still not particularly popular among the player base. Seemingly throwing up their hands, the devs are now "making Gambit entirely optional to maximize your rewards unless you’re looking for a piece of gear that’s specific to the mode."

Remember how a years-long wait for a buff in Destiny 2 turned out to also be a nerf? 

Dustin Bailey
Staff Writer

Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.