Destiny 2's Guardian Games Are Back: Here's What You Need To Know

Warlocks, look alive, because the Guardian Games are back in Destiny 2, and this time we have to win. Destiny 2's own Olympics-like event has formally kicked off and will be running till May 24, which places it very close to the ostensible end of the season. This year, Bungie has changed some of how the Guardian Games work in order to make the event a lot more competitive, so here's what you should know to stay ahead of the competition.

What are the Guardian Games?

You'll notice that the Tower is now decked out with a fancy new podium, a never-ending stream of confetti and some new interactable elements and vendors. This is all part of the Guardian Games, which are a celebration of sorts. While Destiny 2 players routinely engage in friendly (Crucible) and not-friendly (Iron Banner and Trials) competition, the Guardian Games are a more wholesome thing altogether. Teams in the Guardian Games are distinguished by class, so all Hunters are going against all the Titans and both are competing against all Warlocks.

The Guardian Games are also about bragging rights. The point of them is to assert which class is the best class in the game, and along the way you'll be able to earn or buy gear and weapons that'll help you stand out, but first you need to compete to make it to the top.

What's new during these Guardian Games

In order to spice things up, Bungie have added a strike scoring to the Guardian Games playlists. Strike scoring, which comes from high-end PVE content, will score players based on their performance within the activity. There are score thresholds teams must meet in order to be ranked bronze, silver, gold, or platinum and they are typically reached through kill streaks, the use of abilities, and doing activities on higher difficulties. While the two playlists currently in rotation (Recreational and Training) do offer strike scoring, they will only provide you buffs based on your score. The real deal will be the Competitive playlist that'll go live every Friday for the event's duration, where whichever team that nets the highest scores and medallions by the end of the ceremony on Monday is the week's champion.

As well as strike scoring, Bungie has, as usual, prepared new loot for this year's Guardian Games. The prize jewel of the new collection is the new Legendary SMG The Title, which fits in players' energy weapon slot and comes with its own Origin Trait, Classy Contender. Classy Contender allows The Title to grant class ability energy on final blows.

How to compete in the Guardian Games

To gain access to the meat of the Guardian Games event, you'll first need to complete the Best In Class quest that you'll receive from Eva Levante at the Tower. The quest will walk you through the basics of the event:

• Taking part in activities around the game and earning Laurels. Laurels can be earned by defeating opponents with class abilities or defeating powerful opponents (yellow bars) with your Guardian Games class item equipped. They will drop from virtually every enemy across all activities as long as these conditions are met.
• Laurels will not drop in Crucible or Gambit, only because they will be rewarded at the end of the activity.
• Use these Laurels to buy Contender Cards and earn medallions playing activities. Higher-tier medallions are earned in tougher playlist activities.
• Cash in medallions earned from cards and playing in Guardian Games playlists at the podium in the Tower to make your team's score go higher. The classes' standing in the competition are marked by the positioning of their banners around the podium.
• Practice in the Training playlist from Tuesday-Thursday and rack up high scores for your team, then launch into the Competitive playlist from Friday-Monday in order to see which team will come out on top every week.

Guardian Games loot: Heir Apparent, The Title, and more

During this year's Guardian Games, players will be able to roll for The Title and can also earn a sweet new emblem if they place in the top 10% of scoring players. Additionally you'll be able to earn rewards from Eva, buy some Exotic Ghost shells for your classes, as well as get the Exotic ship Unauthorized Departure. It wouldn't be a Guardian Games event if Bungie didn't let players once again have a chance at getting the Exotic machine gun Heir Apparent in a quest you can pick up; you can earn the catalyst for it by banking Gold or Platinum medallions. New armor ornaments are also available at the Eververse shop if you're looking for some Guardian Games-specific styles. Suffice to say, there's plenty to earn.

So what are you waiting for, Guardians? It's time to find out which Destiny 2 class is really the best.