First Destiny 2 Fireteam Finder tests prove successful, but more work is needed

The first days of Destiny 2‘s Fireteam Finder seem to be going well, all things considered.

In the past, Destiny 2 players needed to use third-party sites to access end-game raids and other content if they didn’t want to join a dedicated clan. The feature was delayed twice, and while it has received serious behind-the-scenes testing, a stress test with real players was needed before the feature was declared a success. So far, Fireteam Finder-created parties are only completing missions seven minutes slower on average than pre-made teams. 42 percent of the participants successfully completed their raid of choice, solid statistics for an early run, according to Bungie.

The feature will return on Dec. 6; it was turned off on Dec. 1.

Destiny 2 is a game for the true grinders. Only those who spend exorbitant amounts of time in the game can get access to features that are meant to be enjoyed by all, and taking a season off risks falling behind. To fix these pain points, Bungie has made a serious effort to make it easier to return to the game or start the game from scratch. The Fireteam Finder is one of those initiatives.

When combined with a combined Power level feature that allows lower-level players access to endgame content, it’s never been easier for new players to get into the game and get to the truly fun portions. Now, Bungie just needs to get past its habit of vaulting content that players paid for and let Destiny 2 be the truly galaxy-spanning experience it promises to players. Or, they could simply stop releasing pricey “Starter Packs” for new players that don’t actually help them start out the game. Either one would be fine, but both changes would be better for the long run, as player counts are at all-time lows.