Destiny 2 is a free-to-play online first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie. The sequel to 2014's Destiny and its subsequent expansions, it was originally released as a paid title in 2017 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows before transitioning to a free-to-play live service game under the New Light title on October 1, 2019, followed by the game's release on Stadia the following month, and then PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S platforms in December 2020.
Set in a "mythic science fiction" world, the game features a multiplayer "shared-world" environment with elements of role-playing games. Like the original, activities in Destiny 2 are divided among player versus environment (PvE) and player versus player (PvP) game types. In addition to normal story missions, PvE features three-player "strikes" and dungeons and six-player raids. A free roam patrol mode is also available for most destinations which feature public events as well as activities not available in the original. These activities have an emphasis on exploration of the destinations and interactions with non-player characters (NPCs); the original Destiny only featured NPCs in social spaces. PvP features objective-based modes, as well as traditional deathmatch game modes. Players assume the role of a Guardian, protectors of Earth's last safe city as they wield a power called Light to protect humanity from different alien races and combat the looming threat of the Darkness—later on, players also learn to wield the power of Darkness.
Upon release, Destiny 2 received generally favorable reviews from critics. Praise focused on its improvements, particularly with regards to its initial story, as well as its gameplay, visuals, exploration focus, multiplayer, and public occasions. Reviews were divided on the recategorization of the weapons, the Leviathan raid, and new modes. Destiny 2 was nominated for and won various awards, such as at The Game Awards 2017 and Game Critics Awards.
Like the original Destiny, the game featured expansion packs which furthered the story and added new content. Bungie supported the game with 10 expansion packs among smaller seasonal updates released between each expansion; the seasonal model began in Year Two. Year Three marked a transition to a free-to-play model, where only the expansions and seasonal content required purchasing to access their narratives and activities. Year Four had the biggest impact on the game, as it introduced the Destiny Content Vault (DCV), wherein older content was removed periodically from the game and placed in the DCV (which included content from the original Destiny), possibly to be re-worked and re-added at a later time. Upon this initial introduction of the DCV, the game's original "Red War" campaign and raid, as well as the first two expansions, Curse of Osiris and Warmind, were removed, with the Forsaken expansion's campaign later removed as well. The franchise concluded its first major narrative arc, called the "Light and Darkness" saga, with Destiny 2s eighth expansion, The Final Shape, in June 2024. Year Eight had originally begun a new saga called the "Fate" saga as Destiny 2 was intended to continue past the Renegades expansion, which was released in December 2025 as the game's 10th expansion, but due to a financial loss for parent company Sony, Bungie refocused their efforts into their other titles and cancelled the two expansions intended for Year Nine. At the time, the June 2026 major update, Monument of Triumph, was announced as the final content update for Destiny 2, and although Bungie had ended active development, the game remains online and playable, much like the original. Alongside the final update, all available expansions, content packs, and dungeon keys were packaged into Destiny 2: The Collection. In September 2026, Bungie announced their plans to return to the game and re-add all previously removed content to lay the foundation for new Destiny stories and games.
Gameplay
Similar to its predecessor, Destiny 2 is a first-person shooter game that incorporates role-playing and massively multiplayer online game (MMO) elements. The original Destiny includes on-the-fly matchmaking that allowed players to communicate only with other players with whom they were "matched" by the game. To communicate with other players in the game world, players had to use their respective console's messaging system, until an in-game text chat was added later on. Destiny 2 features a more optimal way of matchmaking called "Guided Games", which allows players to search for clans who may need additional players for raids. Like the original, activities in Destiny 2 are divided among player versus environment (PvE) and player versus player (PvP) game types.
Character progression and classes
As in the original game, players are able to improve their characters, referred to as Guardians, by gaining experience points (EXP) — when a set number of experience points are accumulated, the player's character will level up and gain improved statistics which further enhance performance in battle. As of the Shadowkeep expansion, this leveling system has since been replaced with the "season pass" system where players use EXP to "rank up", which rewards different items each rank (while there is no max rank on a season pass, seasonal rewards end at level 100). Quests, including the "main scenario" quests, are specific tasks given to the player by non-player characters (NPCs) which reward items and EXP. Completing main scenario quest lines progresses the overarching plot of the game.
Destiny 2 features the same three-character classes as the original Destiny. Each class has its own specific upgrades, perks, special abilities, and three sub-classes that allow players to finely tune their individual characters to provide a different play style. The three classes are Warlock, Hunter, and Titan. After choosing a class, players select one of three species for their character: Human, Awoken (bluish-gray-skinned descendants of Humans), or Exo (humanoid machines). They can then customize their characters, such as changing their gender or skin color. A character's species is cosmetic and does not affect gameplay. Players can create two more characters to have a character of each class.
Hunters continue to have access to the Solar-based "Gunslinger" sub-class from the original game and the Void-based "Nightstalker" sub-class from the original's The Taken King expansion, both with gameplay changes. The Hunter's new sub-class for Destiny 2 is the Arc-based "Arcstrider", replacing the "Bladedancer" sub-class of the original. Arcstrider's super, "Arc Staff", focuses on an electrified staff and a large amount of rapid mobility. Forsaken added three new supers for each of the Hunter sub-classes: "Blade Barrage" for Gunslingers, focusing on throwing a volley of flaming knives; "Spectral Blades" for Nightstalkers, allowing players to see through walls and attack with Void daggers; and "Whirlwind Guard" for Arcstriders, which allows players to block and reflect projectiles by spinning their Arc Staff. Warlocks continue to have access to the Void-based "Voidwalker" sub-class from the original game and the Arc-based "Stormcaller" sub-class from the original's The Taken King expansion, both with several changes. The Warlock's new sub-class for Destiny 2 is the Solar-based "Dawnblade" with a super called "Daybreak", replacing the "Sunsinger" sub-class of the original. The Daybreak super allows the player to make Solar Light blades to strike enemies from mid-air. Forsaken gives Warlocks three new supers: "Nova Warp" for Voidwalkers, allowing players to warp around the battlefield and unleash a Void explosion; "Chaos Reach" for Stormcallers, which unleashes a beam of Arc energy which can be turned off at any time to conserve Super energy but limits mobility; and "Well of Radiance" for Dawnblades, allowing players to create a healing and empowering aura for players to stand in. However, as of Lightfall, it no longer provides an overshield to the players standing inside it. Titans continue to have access to the Arc-based "Striker" sub-class from the original game and the Solar-based "Sunbreaker" from the original's The Taken King expansion, both with significant gameplay changes. The Titan's new sub-class for Destiny 2 is the Void-based "Sentinel", replacing the "Defender" sub-class of the original, although the Sentinel sub-class can create the Defender's Ward of Dawn shielding bubble if this option is selected. Sentinel's super, "Sentinel Shield", allows the player to summon a shield that can block enemy fire and be used offensively (similar to Captain America's shield). Forsaken added three new supers for Titans: "Thundercrash" for Strikers, allowing players to launch into the air and slam onto the ground; "Burning Maul" for Sunbreakers, which players wield a large hammer than can unleash flaming tornadoes; and "Banner Shield" for Sentinels, which unleashes a protective barrier that allows other players to shoot through and empowers their damage.
Among other changes Beyond Light introduced a fourth sub-class for each of the three main classes, called Stasis, a power from the Darkness in contrast to Solar, Arc and Void which are powers granted by the Light of the Traveler, and generally based on slowing or freezing enemies. The Stasis sub-class does not have separate trees like these Light subclasses but is instead modular: while the fundamental Super ability for each class is fixed, the basic grenade, melee, and protection abilities can be customized, and additional effects, known as Aspects, can be added to these to further tailor the way the ability plays out for the player. Bungie has stated that additional Darkness powers, with the same type of modularity, are planned for future expansions, and that the Light subclasses will be reworked. The Void subclasses were updated in The Witch Queen expansion to support this modularity, with Solar and Arc reforms introduced in later The Witch Queen seasons. A new Darkness power, Strand, that draws on a psychic power to lash out at enemies with web-like lashes, or move quickly through a grappling hook-type power, was introduced in Lightfall.
As the player completes activities like strikes, raids, and dungeons, they earn experience towards the growth of their character, represented as their "Power" level (formerly their "Light" level). At the time of Destiny 2 initial release, this was tracked through an experience leveling system (EXP) that increased their Power level. Since around Shadowkeep, the experience level system has been dropped in favor of a Power level that represents the average Power level of each piece of gear carried by the character, with new and better equipment capable of increasing the overall Power level. A higher character level allows for better equipment with higher Power levels to be equipped. A higher Power level improves damage output and defense. A soft and hard Power level exists for gear which is incremented with each additional expansion or season; players can earn gear up to the soft Power level through most regular activities, but must participate in more challenging events, like Nightfall strikes, dungeons, or raids, to earn pinnacle gear to reach the hard Power level. Gear can be infused with unwanted gear of higher Power level to increase its Power level for the cost of in-game resources.
Gear