Lingering questions about the the lack of dedicated server support in Destiny 2 have finally been addressed by Bungie. And early criticism of the game’s network model may have been premature.
After last week’s Destiny 2 gameplay reveal, some fans took issue with the lack of dedicated server support for the next game in the series. Most Destiny fans have encountered the game’s networking shortcomings at some point and the semi-familiar terminology -- dedicated servers are pretty common for PC games -- made for good headlines during a slow news month. But Bungie says we didn’t have the entire story. And new comments from Destiny 2 engineering lead Matt Segur, published in the studio’s latest Weekly Update, explain some of the improvements the community will benefit from when Bungie’s next shared-world shooter hits PC and consoles this fall.
READ: 'Destiny 2' Needed More Content. So Why Is Bungie Only Showing Quality Of Life Improvements?
“Every activity in Destiny 2 is hosted by one of our servers. That means you will never again suffer a host migration during your Raid attempt or Trials match. This differs from Destiny 1 , where these hosting duties were performed by player consoles and only script and mission logic ran in the data center,” Segur wrote. “To understand the foundation on which we’re building, check out this Destiny 1 presentation from GDC. Using the terms from this talk, in Destiny 2 , both the Mission Host and Physics Host will run in our data centers.”
The reason Bungie disputes assertions that it’s sticking to a peer-to-peer network, or not willing to pay for dedicated servers, is because the studio apparently employs a hybrid solution for Destiny (and its upcoming sequel). The existing model relies on a combination of client-server and peer-to-peer networking but Bungie will also use cloud technology to support Destiny 2 . Segur says the smorgasbord of solutions is the “best model for all of Destiny 2 's varied cooperative and competitive experiences.” The game’s engineering lead also sought to assuage the fears of fans worried that the peer-to-peer networking would expose them to unnecessary security risks.
“The PC platform poses unique security challenges for Destiny 2 , but our security Ninjas have spent several years building a plan for how to engage with this new and vibrant community,” Segur said. “We have a variety of top-secret strategies to ensure that the life of a cheater in Destiny 2 PC will be nasty, brutish, and short. And, regardless of what platform you play on, all changes to your persistent character are communicated directly to our secure data center with no peer-to-peer interference.”
For more on Bungie’s network solution, check out the studio’s latest weekly update.
Destiny 2 is in development for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. The game hits consoles on Sept. 8; however, there’s currently no timeline for the PC release.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes and follow Scott on Twitter for more Destiny 2 news in 2017 and however long Bungie supports Destiny 2 after launch.
