[UPDATE: Bungie has decided to separate the Niobe Labs puzzle from theBergusia Forge unlock process. Instead, the forge will unlock at2pmPT on Jan 9th.]
It is now 24 hours after the launch ofDestiny 2’s Niobe Labs mission and so far not a single fireteam has completed it. We reported yesterday that thepuzzle-solving associated with the encounter was dividing fansand that sentiment has continued to grow now that Niobe Labs has become the longestDestinyactivity to complete.
What’s worse, though, is that no one can predict if there is an end in sight. Unlike raids, it is not a matter of simply putting together a clean run; most fireteams are stumped at level 7 and have run out of reasonable guesses.
With raids considered the pinnacle activity inDestinyand some of the series’ most difficult content, the completion times run the gamut but they have never exceeded the 24-hour mark. The closest to that wasDestiny 2: Forsaken’sLast Wish raid, which took over 18 hoursto complete for the first time. Sure, fireteams have spent over 24 consecutive hours attempting content like raids, but this is the first time that aDestinyactivity has gone uncompleted in over a day.
Whether or not that makesNiobe Labsthe hardest piece ofDestinycontent is up for debate, but the length of time required to complete it is hard to ignore. The wiggle room exists in that the challenge doesn’t come from tough enemies or being underleveled, but dense puzzles that are very difficult to decode. No doubt those who have been attempting Niobe Labs since it opened yesterday consider it the biggest challenge, if only because they haven’t slept in over 24 hours.
Ultimately, though, it’s hard to see Niobe Labs standing up there alongside the likes of Last Wish or King’s Fall. Once it is completed for the first time,Black Armory ownerswill gain access to the final forge and Niobe Labs will exist for those who want to tackle it, but it doesn’t seem like repeating the mission will have much of a purpose.
Destiny 2is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
