Like many online games, Destiny 2 has always had a “meta.” There was the Scout Rifle meta (which everyone hated), the Auto Rifle meta (where Hardlight reigned supreme), and the longstanding Recluse and Mountaintop meta (which nobody ever wants to go back to). But we can expect these metas to be a little less prevalent in Destiny 2 starting in future seasons.

According to associate weapons designer Mercules in an interview with the Massive Breakdowns podcast, the plan is for Destiny 2 to be less "cyclical." Previously, Destiny 2 kept its meta fresh with big changes in specific weapons or weapon classes, leading to metas that would shift from season to season. That’s changed over the past several months, with the sandbox team now looking at more considered changes to keep the sandbox a little more static.

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That’s not to say things aren’t going to change. As last week’s TWAB showed, Destiny’s sandbox is actually going to change quite a lot. High-Impact Auto Rifles, Lightweight Bows, and Heavy Grenade Launchers are all set to receive a buff next season, but the idea is to ensure that none of these buffs are so huge that they go on to define the meta for a season or three.

Lord of Wolves Ornament Destiny 2
via Bungie

As for where these buffs come from, Mercules said that Bungie considers usage statistics and overall effectiveness, but also something called "net fun," which considers both the user and the target of any particular weapon. Unfun things are liable to receive nerfs, such as Lorentz Driver, which Mercules described as a "problem child."

The problem with Lorentz Driver has always been the fact it’s a one-shot kill with a very easy-to-use and forgiving zoom. However, the changes that are expected to affect Sniper Rifles in the near future (either the middle of Season 18 or possibly Season 19) might be applied to Lorentz Driver and other Fusion Rifles if they prove to be successful.

We can expect more in next week’s TWAB and even more on August 23, when Bungie will host its Destiny 2 Showcase event. We might even get to see the rumored poison subclass.

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