Destiny's Iron Banner event draws player complaints, rampant poor sportsmanship

Iron Banner is a competitive multiplayer event in Destiny running from Oct. 7 to Oct. 14. The idea is simple: Your levels and gear matter in a way they normally don't in competitive play. If you spent time grinding for the best gear and the highest levels, you're going to have a marked advantage.

"Equip your most powerful gear," the official page states. "The Attack and Defense ratings for your weapons and your armor will be crucial to victory." Players, however, don't seem to be seeing the difference, and they're not happy.

What's going on?

This video shows a level 4 player with entry-level gear entering Iron Banner. He does just fine.

"This in my opinion is definitive proof that Iron Banner is a complete joke. I started a new warlock, did the first three missions and that's it," the video's description says. "Went into Iron Banner with my friends to just see if I could do anything ... Turns out I could."

A feedback thread about Iron Banner is likewise filled with complaints. "The level advantages are nonexistent and there is no gear benefit to my character besides aesthetics at 30," one player writes. "It's pretty much a let down, mostly because it feels like the regular crucible, which itself is terribly unbalanced by shotguns, fusion rifles, and auto rifles."

"How is it possible a level 7 can shoot me 4 times with an auto rifle and kill me and I have to use 2 whole magazines of bullets to kill him/her back? Did i mention that they were ALL using common weapons?" another player writes. "I'm not sure how that makes sense ...or even comes close to making me feel like i have gotten somewhere in this game."

There are other players who claim to see the gear advantage, but the overwhelming feedback seems to be that the sense of feeling like a badass due to your higher level and better gear doesn't exist in the way it was promised.

Another issue is the fact that you only gain reputation points if your team wins. So if your team falls behind to the point where it doesn't look like a turnaround is possible, many people simply quit. "And, because there is no penalty for quitting a Crucible match early, it's happening a lot," Eurogamer reports.