Destiny 2 often hides secrets behind unusual objectives, and one of the more confusing tasks asks players to discover where the Strange Signal leads. Since the game does not provide a direct explanation, many Guardians end up wandering around without knowing what to do next.
What Is the Strange Signal in Destiny 2?
The Strange Signal is a special objective that appears during the Distortions quest. After gathering enough Strange Matter, the quest changes and instructs players to open their map and locate the source of the signal.
Unlike normal missions, the game does not place a large waypoint directly in front of you. Instead, it highlights an approximate area on the currently distorted destination. Because of this, many players believe their quest is bugged when they simply have not identified the marked zone.
The destination associated with the distortion can rotate, meaning the signal may point to different planets depending on when you attempt the quest.
How to Locate the Strange Signal
The first step is to open the Director and inspect the map carefully. Rather than looking for a standard mission icon, search for a white circular area or grey target marker.
Follow these steps:
- Open the map.
- Identify the current distorted destination.
- Look for the circular search area.
- Track the location if possible.
- Travel to the marked region.
The signal does not always lead to the same place for every player. Its position depends on the active distortion.
Because of this, if another player tells you their signal appeared on the Moon, yours could instead be located on Europa, Nessus, the Dreaming City, or another destination.
Travel to the Marked Area
Once you arrive, continue toward the highlighted zone. As you get closer, the game will often display messages such as “Near Objective.”
Do not expect a glowing chest or obvious portal immediately.
Instead, look for unusual enemies, strange visual distortions, or activity occurring around the area. These enemies are connected to the signal and usually represent the next stage of the quest.
Defeating them advances the objective and eventually rewards you with a chest.
Players sometimes spend several minutes searching because the objective can blend into the surrounding environment. Taking your time and exploring the entire marked area usually solves the problem.
Common Locations Players Have Encountered
Several destinations have been reported by players during the Distortions quest.
These include:
- Europa
- Moon
- Nessus
- Dreaming City
- Savathun’s Throne World
Since the active distortion changes over time, your location may not match somebody else’s guide. That is why following exact coordinates from older videos can occasionally lead to confusion.
Always trust the marker shown on your own map rather than relying entirely on another player’s destination.
What to Do if the Signal Appears Bugged
Some players encounter issues where the signal does not seem to appear or the objective area contains nothing.
If this happens, try the following:
- Fast travel away and return.
- Leave the destination and re-enter.
- Wait for the active distortion to rotate.
- Reload the area.
- Double-check the map for a circular objective zone.
In some cases, players have reported that reloading the instance causes the enemies or objective to spawn correctly.
If the distortion changes while you are inactive, the previous location may stop working entirely. Checking the currently active distorted destination usually fixes the issue.
Can the Signal Change Locations?
Yes.
One aspect that makes the Strange Signal confusing is that the distortion system changes over time. If you obtained the signal on one planet and delayed progressing the quest, the active destination might rotate to somewhere else.
When this happens, the old location can become inactive.
Simply open the map again and search for the new circular marker. Following the updated destination should allow you to continue normally.
Rewards for Following the Strange Signal
Completing the objective usually leads to a short combat encounter involving distorted enemies and a powerful target.
After defeating the enemies, players receive rewards from a chest and continue progressing through the Distortions questline.
Although the encounter itself is relatively brief, it forms an important part of the overall progression and helps uncover more mysteries hidden within Destiny 2.
