Destiny 2 Reveals Patch Notes for August 26 Update

Bungie has rolled out a brand-new update for Destiny 2, introducing a wide range of fixes and improvements that touch nearly every corner of the game. While the studio is still preparing the major Ash & Iron midseason refresh, this latest patch focuses on bug fixes, balance tweaks, and quality-of-life changes, with some notable adjustments to the Portal and key exotic armor pieces.

A Smaller Update Before the Big One

Over the past several weeks, Bungie has been previewing the sweeping sandbox and gameplay changes planned for the upcoming Ash & Iron update, which is expected to dramatically shake up the Destiny 2 experience. One of the more controversial adjustments involves the Solo Ops activity within the Portal, where Bungie intends to scale back rewards by reducing power levels. Many fans have expressed frustration at this decision, worried that the update will make grinding less rewarding.

In contrast, this August 26 patch is more modest in scope but still meaningful. Players can look forward to fixes that improve the Portal experience, balance high-level activities, and resolve long-standing issues with Trials of Osiris, exotic armor, and more.

Portal Adjustments

The headline change for many Guardians will be the update to Fireteam Ops. Bungie has increased the time limits for all matchmaking difficulties, giving players more breathing room to maximize their scores. Expert-level activities now provide a 25% longer target clear time, Master activities see a 50% boost, and Grandmaster clears have been extended by a generous 75%. This change is designed to reward teamwork and reduce the pressure of racing against the clock.

Trials of Osiris Fixes

Another major fix arrives in the Trials of Osiris playlist. Previously, some players were unable to claim rewards from the Lighthouse if a different character on the same account attempted to collect them without holding a valid passage. Bungie has now made Lighthouse access and its rewards account-scoped, ensuring that once a Guardian completes a flawless passage, the system works consistently across all characters. This should eliminate the frustration that came with lost loot and confusing eligibility rules.

Exotic Armor and Gameplay Adjustments

Hunters in particular will notice changes to the Liar’s Handshake exotic gauntlets and its Spirit of the Liar perk. Prior to the patch, players could trigger significantly increased damage through unpowered melee, grapple melee, or combination blows. This created situations where Hunters could deal unintended amounts of bonus damage, especially in PvP. The update normalizes this interaction, making damage boosts behave more predictably.

Other exotic and gameplay fixes include:

• Ward of Dawn and Well of Radiance now take the proper amount of damage from bosses.

• Adjustments to the Volatile Shields modifier to reduce visually disorienting effects.

• Increased cooldown for the unshielded debuff from 5s to 10s.

• Visual corrections for armor pieces like Bushido Vest and Obsidian Durasteel Mark.

• Quality-of-life fixes to Synthcord handling, reroll chips in Seasonal Challenges, and the Hoplite Ghost Shell visuals.

Raids, UI, and General Fixes

The patch also addresses specific issues within endgame content. For example, the Desert Perpetual raid encounter has been fixed to prevent players from reading boss mechanics prematurely. On the UI side, XP notifications for Bright Engrams now display correctly to reduce clutter, and several general bug fixes ensure smoother performance across seasonal activities.

Looking Ahead

While this patch is relatively small compared to what’s coming in Ash & Iron, it provides much-needed stability for Destiny 2 as the community braces for larger changes. Bungie has signaled that more controversial tweaks are on the horizon, but in the meantime, Guardians can enjoy a smoother, more consistent experience across PvE, PvP, and high-level activities.