Destiny 2’s October 8 Patch Targets Cheaters as Bungie Reverses Course on Ending Live Support
Destiny 2's October 8 Patch Targets Cheaters as Bungie Reverses Course on Ending Live Support
On October 8, Bungie released Destiny 2 Update 9.7.0.5, a narrow but telling patch. It adds no new missions, weapons, or activities. Its entire purpose is to shut down an exploit that let cheaters push unearned experience and rewards onto other players. Bungie says anyone who actively used the exploit faces enforcement action, up to and including bans, while players who received rewards through someone else’s cheating will not be punished.
Bungie's Reversal: From 'Final Update' to 'The Next Chapter'
The patch lands against a strange backdrop for Bungie. On May 21, the studio announced it would end live-service development on Destiny 2 entirely, with the June 9 Monument of Triumph update billed as the game’s final major content drop. The community response was immediate and loud: a Destiny 3 petition gathered more than 410,000 signatures, players organized two unofficial “server slam” events to show off the game’s still-active population, and boycott campaigns targeted other Bungie and PlayStation releases.
Bungie has since walked the decision back. In a statement called “The Next Chapter for Bungie,” Studio Head Poria Torkan and Josh Deane (Head of Product and General Manager of Marathon) confirmed the studio will resume supporting Destiny 2, starting by unvaulting previously removed content and making it free to all players. A full content roadmap and release dates have not been published yet. Bungie has also dismissed rumors of a studio closure or of Destiny 2 merging with Marathon, which it says remains a separate project. One piece of Bungie business is still winding down regardless: the official Bungie Store closes on October 19, with merchandise set to move to a new storefront that hasn’t been detailed.
Where to Play (and Fund) Destiny 2
For players stocking up ahead of whatever comes next, Destiny 2 is cross-platform on Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox, and in-game purchases like Silver can be funded with a Steam Wallet Code (Global), a PSN Gift Card (US), or an Xbox Live Gift Card (US) from Dragon4Deals, depending on where you play.
