Another part of that equation looks to be the audio mix, which is tuned completely different from Destiny 2’s non-competitive modes. In those activities, like story missions, raids, and strikes, the sounds of allies take priority over enemies. But according to Bungie’s Head of Audio, Jay Weinland, that gets completely flipped in PvP:
Weinland says that the audio team works hard to design the soundscape of PvP to allow the guns in the players hands to feel and sound appropriately visceral. At the same time, the team also make the sounds of guns in the enemy’s hands sound different, which helps players gauge the type of weapon and where the shots are coming from. That also involves trying to communicate how far away the enemy may be and what environment they are firing from.
It’s no doubt a delicate balance when it comes to prioritizing exactly what gamers hear in the Crucible, but at the very least players can hope to hear their enemies more than their teammates.
Speaking of sound effects in Destiny 2, in the same video, the developers explain that the game features both the familiar and the new in terms of sound effects and music. Players will be able to test out the new mix of sound in the Beta, specifically while playing the Control and Countdown PvP modes.
Destiny 2 launches September 6 on PS4 and Xbox One, followed by a PC release on October 24.
