How good is Iron Banner in Destiny 2 Ash and Iron?
Iron Banner has returned with the Ash and Iron update! There’s already plenty of drama surrounding it, so let’s break down what’s happening in this latest Edge of Fate controversy
Table of Contents
Key takeaways
- Bungie restored the original Iron Banner armor after backlash.
- Finite Impactor is the only “new” Iron Banner weapon.
- But players can now farm tier-5 versions of all featured weapons.
- Bungie admits problems and willing to fix them. But the process is slow due to limited staff.
- This Iron Banner feels average but still worth playing.
Iron Banner is live, and once again controversies are surrounding it, much like many aspects of the Edge of Fate expansion. Let’s discuss what’s happening right now, why players are upset, how Bungie is responding, and most importantly, whether you should take part in Edge of Fate Iron Banner this week.
If you want to learn or refresh your memory on what Iron Banner is in Destiny 2, and also see the current rewards, check out our Iron Banner guide.
Iron Banner armor controversy
It all began nearly a year ago, when Bungie showed us the preview for the upcoming Edge of Fate armor. That armor set had a clear Iron Banner logo on it. A lot has happened since then: the troubled Edge of Fate launch, the power leveling grind drama, and most recently the problematic Ash and Iron release. The community wasn’t happy with the state of Destiny 2, and the armor controversy became the pinnacle of it all.
With the new Iron Banner announcement, players noticed that the armor shown a year before was no longer Iron Banner gear, but an Eververse store cosmetic for purchase. Instead, the Iron Banner reward was far worse: a simple reskin of the old 2018 armor set. The community became furious about this on Bungie forums, Reddit, YouTube, and Twitch.
This part of the story has a happy ending, as Bungie quickly reacted to the outrage. By the time Iron Banner actually launched, the reskinned armor set was gone. In its place, the original armor look was returned, pulled from the Eververse store for good. Now you can earn the fancy set just by playing Iron Banner.
Iron Banner tier weapons
The next problematic point, which still hasn’t been addressed, is the lack of new featured weapons in the activity. This Iron Banner only brings one “new” weapon that can be farmed as a tier reward — Finite Impactor. The other two featured weapons, Ribbontail and Phoneutria Fera, come from Arms Week, so many players already own them.
This complaint is valid, and it’s an issue that likely won’t be fixed this week. However, there is one important difference: now you can farm tier-5 versions of all these weapons. Previously, during Arms Week, the highest available tier for Ribbontail and Phoneutria Fera was tier-4. With Ash and Iron, obtaining tier-5 gear has become easier as the developers are trying to reduce the grind and make progression faster.
So, Iron Banner is now the perfect opportunity to farm the best versions of Finite Impactor, Ribbontail, and Phoneutria Fera.
Bungie reaction
For all the criticism Bungie has taken (and deserved), one positive thing about this situation is that the developers remain open to communication and willing to make fixes. Here’s how Bungie’s Communications Manager responded to a disappointed fan on Twitter:
“It sucks that we’ve been unable to build positive momentum. Too many bumps in the road and missteps. I truly believe we are beginning to shift and head in the right direction. Roadmap to come, and I hope it helps us to rebuild trust as we move towards Renegades and beyond. Much love.”
— dmg04, Principal Communications Manager at Bungie
One downside is that fixes are coming rather slowly, likely due to the limited number of people currently working on Destiny 2 and on Edge of Fate in particular. Over the past year, many from Destiny 2 team were laid off, some devs left on their own, and many others shifted to Marathon and the Renegades expansion, leaving the current Edge of Fate expansion in a rough spot. Plenty of fixes are still needed, but they can’t all happen in just one week.
Is Iron Banner bad?
So, about the current Iron Banner. Is it the best event in Destiny 2 history? Probably not, but it isn’t bad either, especially with the armor problem resolved. Of course, in an ideal world, more new weapons or fresh features would be introduced. But given the current situation, unfortunately, even “normal” feels like a win. And this Iron Banner is exactly that: a simple, ordinary Iron Banner. Enjoy it if you’re into PvP and have missed the event since the good old pre–Edge of Fate days.
Need help with Iron Banner or other activities in the game? Our Destiny 2 boost service is here for you.
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