Along with features like character level boosts and the highly replayable Gambit PvE/PvP mode, Destiny 2’s upcoming Forsaken expansion will add a brand new weapon type to the game: the bow and arrow. In a new developer insights video, Bungie talked about how Destiny 2’s version of the bow and arrow came to be and how it’s aiming to make the new weapon type feel as fun to use as possible.
The below video features several different Bungie developers talking about the process of constructing Destiny 2’s bow and arrow along with plenty of in-game footage showing the new weapon in action. According to Destiny 2 sandbox design lead Josh Hamrick, Bungie has wanted to bring bows to the world of Destiny as far back as 2011 when it was working on the first Destiny game. While the original Destiny *sort of* got a usable bow courtesy of the new Hunter Nightstalker subclass that was introduced in the game’s Taken King expansion, Destiny 2’s bows will be proper weapons that any player can use, and that means that nailing their feel was essential.
Senior sandbox designer Greg Peng talks about how the entire weapons design team actually met with real-life professional archers and got to try out a variety of different bows themselves. This hands-on knowledge allowed them to craft in-game bows which handle in a realistic manner and yet are still incredibly fun to use. Hamrick also teases towards the end of the video that there will be some Exotic tier bows which will be equipped with some appropriately exotic-feeling properties.
Destiny 2’s Forsaken expansion will launch for all platforms (Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC) on September 4. Along with the bow and arrow, the expansion will include a new story campaign, new outdoor zones to explore, and new class-specific supers for players to use.