Destiny 2 Update Causes Players' Usernames to be Wiped Out

Following an update, the online shooter Destiny 2's moderation tools mistakenly altered a significant number of players' account names. Here's the latest from the developers, their statements, and steps you can take if your Bungie Name has been affected.

Destiny 2 Players' Bungie Names Unexpectedly Get Changed Following Update

Bungie Distributing Name Change Tokens

This week, Destiny 2 players encountered an unexpected change to their account names, known as Bungie Names, after a recent game update. Many noticed their tags being replaced with "Guardian" followed by a random string of numbers. The issue, which started affecting players around August 14, was triggered by Bungie's name moderation tool.

"We are tracking an issue where a high number of account names have been changed by our Bungie name moderation tool," the Destiny 2 team shared on Twitter (X). "We are actively investigating and expect to have more information tomorrow, including details on an additional name change token for all players."

Bungie's systems are designed to automatically alter account names that violate their terms of service, such as those containing offensive language or personal information. However, in this case, many players found themselves with a "Guardian[Random Number]" username despite not violating any rules. This unexpected change left players confused and frustrated, especially those who had maintained the same username since 2015 without issues.

In response, Bungie acknowledged the error and initiated an investigation. The Destiny 2 team communicated with players through a series of tweets, confirming that a "high number" of users were affected by the unexpected change.

The following day, Bungie reported that they had pinpointed the cause of the issue and implemented server-side fixes to prevent further accidental name changes. "We have identified the issue that was forcing a high number of Bungie name changes. We have applied a server-side change to prevent the issue from impacting accounts moving forward," the developers stated on Twitter (X).

"As noted yesterday, we are still planning to distribute name change tokens to all players at a later date to assist. As we have more information, we'll be sure to share it with you," they added.

As Bungie works to resolve this unexpected issue, players are encouraged to remain patient and keep an eye out for further updates. Those affected by the accidental name changes can look forward to receiving name change tokens and more communication from Bungie in the near future.