“Destiny 2” gamers are throwing games as the quickest way to grind the Iron Banner

The sequel to Destiny 2’s big Hakke logo trading scandal is here. Albeit a less interesting touch than that famous “throwing game” sign from long ago. This time, it’s Iron Banner, and the games being thrown require less cues, and more… curatorial indifference.

How did we get here? Here’s the situation currently unfolding in Destiny 2:

• There is a very good shader hidden away in Iron Banner’s second reset reputation path. It turns all fabric into chain mail, and it’s one of the most unique umbrellas I’ve seen in the game so far.

• The problem is that the grind to get to #16 on the second reset is amazing The number of games, somewhere between 60-80 I think, depending on how many times you win or lose, and whether you’ve crossed your reputation multipliers.
• At maximum multipliers, wins give you around 300 reputation in Iron Banner while losses give you 220. Hence, the calculation was made that two quick losses of mercy, which might take 3-4 minutes, would give you 440 reputation compared to a game that takes nine minutes to make 300 reputation to win. And of course if you lose, you only get 220.
• Hence, players have figured out that if they want to grind rep and really get that shading, they can team up to lose as fast as they can, usually after a few minutes with a score of 65-0, this is the quickest way to grow reps. Also the most tedious method, but in terms of time efficiency, it really can’t be beat.
• As such, there are now LFGs looking for five more players to throw games by doing essentially nothing. Just emote and run so you don’t get kicked for being AFK until the other team wins the game after the first tower goes down.

This, of course, reveals some problems. The first is that the current grind is so long and cumbersome that people would rather do it than… play mode. The second is that there is no mechanism to prevent this. It’s not like you can’t do without a rep in the event of a mercy loss, as there are plenty of them Lawful Mercy losses, far more than wrongful losses, and these people still want their representative to at least try.

I don’t think there’s an easy fix here, and honestly, I don’t think there really is ought to be a solution. If people want to do these mind-blowing games to get to 19,000 reps to get to shaders, I mean, do it. It’s a quick 300 rep for the team that beats them, so it’s not like losing anyone.

The problems lie with the Iron Banner itself, which has been whittled down to just two weeks, and is at least one bit too small for the amount of grinding it requires, whether it’s weapon rolls, a full armor set, or the emblem and shaders hidden in the second reset. And with no dates in the second week’s rendezvous, players worry they might not even be able to play next time, depending on their schedule, so now they had better play.

I’m in this grind myself, but I don’t throw games. I’m zoning out and shooting DMT on the fly and picking up my hard-earned losses the old-fashioned way. Almost there now. Shader tomorrow, I’m thinking.

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