What is Contest mode in Destiny 2?

Outside of PvP, Destiny, 2 content often prioritizes simply working together without much of a competitive edge, and for some of the more hardcore Guardians, those player-versus-player thrills aren’t quite enough. That’s where its event, Contest Mode, comes into play.

For some of the more elite community members, or even those just a little curious, here’s a breakdown of Destiny 2’s Contest Mode and how the competitive team event pits Guardians against each other in another race for the top.

What does Contest Mode do in Destiny 2?

Contest Mode is an event typically tied to the launch of a new raid in the game. For the first 48 hours after release, enemies in the activity are much more difficult as teams race to see who can complete it first. Whoever is first to clear the raid gets immortalized in legend, while anyone who completes the challenge within the first 48 hours receives a special emblem that’s only available for Contest players.

While this Mode is traditionally available for raids only, that is about to change. A few days after the launch of Episode II: Revenant (October 11), a new dungeon will be released. This dungeon will mark the first time that a dungeon gets a Contest Mode. While Bungie hasn’t released the exact details surrounding it, this will likely be very similar. However, the Dungeon Contest Mode likely won’t take a few dozen hours like some raid races have been.

Should you try out Contest mode?

If you want to try out Contest Mode for yourself, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Firstly, you should make sure that you have two other friends you trust to run the dungeon with you. You can try running it with random players, but you’re rolling the dice on how well you’ll work together. You’ll also need to make sure you grind out the content of Episode II before jumping in. Enemies in Contest Mode are very difficult to take down, so you’ll need every advantage you can get. If you end up giving it a go, then good luck!