Destiny 2 Players Are Very Angry At How Shaders Work Now

Among the many smaller changes in Destiny 2 is one concerning shaders, the items used to re-color your gear. Many players have responded negatively to the way they function as consumables, and now Bungie has responded with an explanation of why the adjustment was made.

Whereas Destiny 1 allowed you to freely switch between any shader you had obtained (which was then applied to all of your armor), those in Destiny 2 are single-use consumables, meaning you'll need to repeatedly acquire a single shader if you want to change the look of a bunch of items. Of course, there are other changes at play here, too, like the fact that randomized rolls on items are gone, meaning you won't be dismantling them as frequently. But because shaders can be obtained by spending real-world money, players have complained that this change was motivated purely by greed. As a result, players are quite angry, as this popular thread on Reddit demonstrates.

No doubt in response to the frustration regarding the subject, Destiny 2 director Luke Smith took to Twitter today to provide some insight into why shaders now work the way they do. "Shaders are earned through gameplay: leveling, chests, engrams, vendors," he explained over a series of tweets. "We expect you'll be flush w[ith] shaders as you continue to play. When you reach Level 20, shaders will drop more often: vendor rewards, destination play, and endgame activities.

"Shaders are now an ongoing reward for playing. Customization will inspire gameplay. Each planet has unique armor and shader rewards. With D2, we want statements like, 'I want to run the Raid, Trials, or go back to Titan to get more of its Shader' to be possible."

The explanation is unlikely to convince angry players, though it remains to be seen if this is one of those changes that becomes accepted as people spend more time with the game. For more, check our Destiny 2 review diary and roundup of everything you need to know about Destiny 2.