The coveted title of "World First" in Destiny 2's latest raid, Echoes of the Collapse, has been overshadowed by a massive cheating scandal, casting a dark cloud over one of the game's most prestigious competitive events and forcing developer Bungie into damage control mode.
Initial reports from the grueling 48-hour "Contest Mode" – which dramatically increases difficulty to level the playing field – hinted at irregularities. However, the sheer scale of the problem became undeniable as data crunchers and community watchdogs analyzed the top finishing teams. Their findings were staggering: an estimated 70% of the teams that cleared the raid within the critical Contest Mode window appear to have utilized illicit third-party software or exploits.
This widespread cheating fundamentally undermines the integrity of the race. Teams invest hundreds of hours preparing strategies, optimizing gear, and practicing mechanics, all for a shot at glory and unique in-game emblems. For many legitimate contenders, seeing potentially cheating teams claim victory and rewards is a crushing blow.
How Did They Cheat? The methods reported range from sophisticated aimbots and wallhacks giving players unfair situational awareness and perfect accuracy, to more subtle but equally impactful cheats like reduced ability cooldowns, increased damage output modifiers, and even tools automating complex mechanics. Crucially, these cheats weren't just used by obscure players; they appear to have been employed by prominent streamers and well-known teams within the Destiny competitive community. A detailed breakdown of the suspected methods and the evidence can be found in Paul Tassi's investigation: 70% Of Destiny 2’s Top Contest-Mode Clearing Raid Teams Cheated.
A Security Vacuum? This scandal didn't erupt in a vacuum. Concerns about Bungie's ability to police its high-stakes PvE environments have grown steadily, particularly following significant layoffs late last year that hit the company's security and anti-cheat teams hard. As reported at the time, Destiny 2 Cheaters Rise After Bungie Player Security Team Layoffs, many feared that reduced resources would lead to exactly this kind of surge in high-level cheating. The current raid situation appears to validate those fears, suggesting cheaters feel emboldened by potentially diminished enforcement capabilities.
Community Outrage and Evidence Mounts: The Destiny community is furious. Respected players and analysts have spent days compiling damning evidence, including frame-by-frame analysis of streams, suspiciously perfect mechanic executions, and statistical anomalies in damage output or survivability. Popular community figure Aquativity summarized the feeling of many legitimate raiders in a viral post: "Seeing names I recognize from LFG cheat sites on the clear list is demoralizing. What's the point of practicing?".
Bungie Breaks Silence, Launches Investigation: Faced with overwhelming evidence and community backlash, Bungie finally broke its silence. The official Destiny 2 Team account posted a brief statement on X: "We are aware of reports regarding potential unfair advantages used during the recent Contest Mode for 'Echoes of the Collapse.' We take these reports extremely seriously and have launched a thorough investigation. We will take appropriate action against any players found to have violated our Terms of Service."
The statement, while necessary, offered little concrete reassurance to a player base demanding swift and decisive action. The lack of immediate disqualifications or bans during the race itself further fueled frustration. Players are now left wondering:
- How extensive will the investigation be? Will Bungie scrutinize only the very top teams, or delve deeper into the clear lists?
- What constitutes "appropriate action"? Will it be temporary suspensions, permanent bans, or simply stripping emblems and rewards?
- Can the damage be undone? The prestige of the World First title is already tarnished for this raid.
- What about the future? How will Bungie rebuild trust and prevent this from happening again, especially with resources seemingly stretched thin?
The Marathon Factor: Adding another layer of complexity is Bungie's focus on its upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon. A significant portion of the studio's resources is clearly directed towards this new venture. While Bungie recently outlined its commitment to Destiny 2's future in a Marathon Development Update, the timing of this massive cheating scandal raises uncomfortable questions about whether Destiny 2's ongoing security and integrity are receiving sufficient attention and investment internally.
The Fallout: The fallout from this scandal is immense. It strikes at the heart of Destiny 2's competitive PvE community, damaging trust in Bungie's ability to police its own game, and casting doubt on the legitimacy of one of its flagship events. Bungie's investigation and subsequent actions will be scrutinized like never before. Restoring faith will require more than just banning a few accounts; it demands a clear, transparent plan to bolster anti-cheat measures and demonstrate an unwavering commitment to fair play for the dedicated players who compete legitimately. The "World First" crown for Echoes of the Collapse may forever bear an asterisk in the eyes of the community.
List of The Desert Perpetual cheaters.
— tyler 🦧 (@aquativityy) July 25, 2025
DISCLAIMER: THESE PLACEMENTS WERE AT THE TIME, THE LEADERBOARD IS BEING UPDATED LIVE. USE THE PCGRS. PLACEMENT NUMBERS NO LONGER ACCURATELY REPRESENT CLEARS, BUT PCGRS ARE CORRECT.
According to @raidhubio , report the run on site. Sad.
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