Destiny 2

Destiny 2 is a free-to-play online first-person shooter developed by Bungie. Released on September 6, 2017, as a paid title for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows, it transitioned to a free-to-play live service under the New Light title on October 1, 2019. The game later launched on Stadia in November 2019 and on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in December 2020. Originally published by Activision, Bungie regained publishing rights in 2019 and has since served as its own publisher. Key team members include game director Luke Smith and project lead Mark Noseworthy, with a soundtrack composed by Michael Salvatori, Skye Lewin, C Paul Johnson, Rotem Moav, and Pieter Schlosser.

Destiny 2 blends action role-playing elements, first-person shooter mechanics, and a massively multiplayer online shared-world environment. Players assume the role of a Guardian, protectors of Earth's last safe city, wielding a power called Light to defend humanity from alien races and later learning to wield the power of Darkness. Activities are divided into Player versus Environment (PvE) and Player versus Player (PvP) modes. PvE includes story missions, three-player strikes, three-player dungeons, and six-player raids. A free-roam patrol mode is available on each destination, featuring public events and interactions with non-player characters—a significant improvement over the original game, which only featured NPCs in social spaces. PvP includes objective-based modes like Control and traditional deathmatch modes like Clash. Gear progression revolves around weapon and armor drops with random perks, and players can customize their Guardian's class (Titan, Hunter, Warlock) and subclass abilities.

Upon release, Destiny 2 received generally favorable reviews from critics. Praise focused on its improvements over the original, particularly the initial story, gameplay, visuals, exploration focus, multiplayer, and public events. Reviews were divided on weapon slot recategorization, the Leviathan raid, and new modes. Aggregator scores include 85/100 on Metacritic for PS4, 87/100 for Xbox One, and 83/100 for PC. The game was a commercial success, selling over 12 million registered players by December 2017 and over 50 million by 2019. It received numerous award nominations, including Best Action Game at The Game Awards 2017, and won Best Multiplayer at the Golden Joystick Awards 2017.

Bungie supported the game with 10 expansion packs alongside smaller seasonal updates. Key expansions include Curse of Osiris (December 2017), Warmind (May 2018), Forsaken (September 2018), Shadowkeep (October 2019), Beyond Light (November 2020), The Witch Queen (February 2022), Lightfall (February 2023), and The Final Shape (June 2024). Year Three marked the transition to free-to-play. Year Four introduced the Destiny Content Vault (DCV), which periodically removed older content to be reworked and re-added later. The franchise concluded its first major narrative arc, the Light and Darkness saga, with The Final Shape in June 2024. A new saga called the Fate saga began with the Renegades expansion in December 2025, but due to financial losses at parent company Sony, Bungie canceled the planned Renegades II expansion. The June 2026 major update, Monument of Triumph, was the final content update for Destiny 2, though Bungie confirmed the game will remain online and playable.[edit]

Destiny 2 is a looter shooter that blends action role-playing elements with first-person shooter mechanics in a shared-world environment. Players create a Guardian from three classes: Titan, Hunter, or Warlock, each with unique abilities and subclasses that can be customized. The game features a wide array of weapons and armor with randomized perks, encouraging players to grind for optimal rolls. Activities are split into PvE and PvP. PvE includes story missions, three-player strikes, three-player dungeons, and six-player raids, all scaling in difficulty. A free-roam patrol mode on each destination offers public events, lost sectors, and regional chests. PvP includes the Crucible with modes like Control, Clash, and Survival, as well as the competitive Trials of Osiris. Gambit is a hybrid mode where teams of four compete to defeat enemies and bank motes to summon a boss. The game also features seasonal activities tied to a Season Pass, offering new weapons, armor, and story content. The Destiny Content Vault periodically removes older content to manage file size and rework it for future releases.[edit]

The game's initial campaign, The Red War, saw the Cabal Empire, led by Emperor Dominus Ghaul, attack the Last City and strip Guardians of their Light. Players reclaim their power and defeat Ghaul. Subsequent expansions deepened the narrative. Curse of Osiris involved the Vex and the exiled warlock Osiris. Warmind featured the Hive and the Warmind Rasputin. Forsaken marked a darker turn as players hunt the Scorn Barons for revenge after the death of Cayde-6. Shadowkeep reintroduced the Moon and the Pyramid ships of the Darkness. Beyond Light saw players embrace the power of Stasis on Europa. The Witch Queen revealed Savathûn's deception and the origins of the Light. Lightfall focused on the Calus-led Shadow Legion and the Veil. The Light and Darkness saga concluded with The Final Shape, released June 4, 2024, where players enter the Traveler's Pale Heart to defeat the Witness. A new saga, the Fate saga, began with the Renegades expansion in December 2025, but due to financial losses at Sony, Bungie canceled Renegades II. The final major update, Monument of Triumph, arrived in June 2026, ending active development but leaving the game online.[edit]