Bungie says it’s banning Destiny 2 players who teamed up with cheaters during the Desert Perpetual Contest mode raid, including those who just benefited.
It’s been nearly two weeks since the release of the new Desert Perpetual raid in Destiny 2. This raid was part of the Edge of Fate expansion, which kicked off the multi-year Fate saga for the game. Similar to previous raids, the Desert Perpetual kicked off with a 48-hour Contest mode raid race, which allowed players to get an exclusive emblem and guaranteed an exotic drop at completion.
But after the leaderboard data became available, analysis showed that over 60% of the top 100 completions had likely used cheats or exploits to clear the raid. Bungie’s first response was straightforward: yes, it was aware of what happened, and yes, the team was actively investigating.
In a statement shared shortly after the raid’s launch, the studio warned that cheating during Contest mode is a “bannable offense.” But players still wondered if this ban wave would also include those who intentionally teamed up with cheaters to complete the Contest mode clear, just to get the exclusive raid emblem and guaranteed exotic reward.
Now, we have a new update, and it’s even more direct.
Bungie Says Even Teammates of Cheaters Will Face Bans in Destiny 2
The latest update comes straight from the official Destiny 2 Team account on X (formerly Twitter). In a reply to a player asking about cheater punishment for the Desert Perpetual raid Contest mode, Bungie confirmed that bans are indeed happening, saying:
“And before folks ask if we’re banning cheaters from the contest mode leaderboards, yep! In progress…”
But it didn’t stop there. When someone asked whether that includes players who played alongside cheaters, Bungie pointed to its official Account Restrictions and Banning Policy. The policy clearly states: “Intentionally deriving gameplay benefit from another user’s behavior in the above categories.”
So even if a player didn’t directly use cheats or exploits, being part of a team that did, and knowingly sticking around for the clear, could still put them at risk and lead to an account ban. To really hammer it home, Bungie’s Principal Communications Manager Dylan Gafner quote-posted the update and added: “Don’t play with cheaters.”
That message doesn’t leave much room for interpretation. As for what counts as cheating or a bannable offense, Bungie’s policy outlines several examples, including:
- Connecting to the Destiny game service with any of the following:
- Modified game software
- Modified game assets
- Modified hardware
- Modified console firmware
- Modified operating system files, including emulators and virtual machines
- Using an external program to modify or analyze Destiny’s software, such as:
- Trainers, mods, cheats, aimbots, or autofire tools
- User-mode or kernel debuggers
- Graphics hacks
- Sending malicious network traffic to Destiny servers or other players
- Using external programs or devices to automate gameplay or bypass idle detection
- Modifying or interrupting Destiny’s network traffic with the intent to disrupt other players or gain an in-game advantage
As of right now, Bungie hasn’t confirmed exactly how many accounts have been, or will be, banned in connection with these Desert Perpetual clears. But based on how public and serious this message has been, it’s safe to say they’re not taking this lightly.
In the meantime, Destiny 2’s Solstice 2025 event is just around the corner. The summer event is set to kick off next Tuesday, August 5, bringing new armor sets, weapons, cosmetics, and more.
What do you think about Bungie’s crackdown on raid cheating? Do you think it’s fair to ban teammates, too? Let us know your thoughts below.
