It appears Destiny 2 players will have limited options as far as comms go for the time being, as developer Bungie has briefly pulled the plug on text chat due to the presence of a game-breaking bug. Player reports indicate that the bug is the result of a specific copypasta (a long string of copied and pasted text) that is being sent through the whisper channel. Players who receive this message are being kicked out of the game, at which point they will receive and error message that reads: “Could not connect to Destiny 2 servers. Check your network configuration and try again.”
This bug appeared as long ago as yesterday, and at the time many players were taking their protection into their own hands. Many players recommended manually shutting off whisper channels and avoiding any areas with local or team chats in order to protect themselves from the malicious messages. Some players were even leaving their clans if they suspected that other clan members might be knowingly using the exploit.
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Shortly after reports began to spread, Bungie made the call to shut down text channels in order to work out a long-term fix, announcing via Twitter that they are taking this action across all platforms in order to investigate further. At this point, it’s unclear how long it will take to get the necessary patch in order, though Bungie is asking players to stay tuned for updates, and is sure to get one out as soon as possible.
This exploit comes on the heels of another problem with Destiny 2’s security, as it was recently discovered that Bungie is suing streamer MiffysWorld after repeated instances of cheating, harassment, and threats caused the streamer to go through at least 13 alternate accounts.