As a new season of The Witch Queen dawns, Bungie treated Destiny 2 players to a glimpse of Lightfall, the expansion coming next year.
Life has been good for Destiny 2 lately. The Witch Queen has been hailed by critics and players alike as the game’s best expansion in years, if not ever; it’s enjoying cross-promotions with prominent brands like SteelSeries and bringing in respectable streaming numbers; and its studio, Bungie, was recently acquired by Sony for $3.6 billion just after celebrating its 30th birthday.
But as we saw today at the Destiny 2 Showcase, as good as things are for the game itself right now, the narrative is about to shift hard toward conflict with the Darkness. Read on for the first details on Season 18/the Season of Plunder, and Lightfall, the expansion arriving in February 2023.
Lightfall
The Witch Queen expanded the lore and playing field with a new Hive planet, Savathun’s Throne World. On February 28, 2023, Lightfall is poised to take that approach one step further with the new location Neomuna on Neptune—and unlike the Throne World, it’s entirely unlike anything Destiny 2 has seen before.
The exact circumstances of Neomuna’s reveal remain to be seen, but we do know that Guardians will be headed there to face off again with the Cabal Emperor Calus. The opulent leader is now a Herald of the Darkness and follower of the Witness, and his colossal Leviathan ship will be docked over the mysterious new environment when Destiny 2 takes us there next year.
Neptune itself is a truly new environment for the franchise. Instead of scenery in various states of decay, corruption, or natural reclamation, Neptune has been hiding a thriving cyberpunk-esque metropolis. This setting will also employ some destructible terrain—not enough to carve an entirely new path through missions, but enough to add some dramatic flair to firefights. It’s there that Destiny 2 players will tangle with Calus’ new, enhanced troops, the Tormentors, especially in the returning Legendary Campaign option.
To explore this urban setting and confront Darkness-enhanced foes, Guardians will rely upon the new Darkness subclass, Strand. This skillset represents a psychic energy that, much like the Force in Star Wars, connects and binds all things. Guardians will recognize this “cosmic web” and learn to tap into it by grappling to points, and of course in new skillsets for each of the three classes.
In Destiny 2 tradition, Lightfall will be available in a couple different forms. The Standard Edition includes the core expansion experience and access to Season 20, with all the gear and powers that it brings. The Lightfall + Annual Pass option extends access through Season 23 with special “Secret Stashes” granted each season, as well as additional items like an Exotic Sparrow, Dungeon Key, and the Quicksilver Storm Exotic Auto Rifle (with its Catalyst and Ornament).
Meanwhile, the Collector’s Edition includes all of the above, along with physical items like an 8″ replica figure and Vanguard Lore Books. This premium edition is available for preorder now on the Bungie Store.
Season of Plunder
In the meantime, a new season of Destiny 2 begins today—the Season of Plunder. Eramis has broken free from her Stasis prison, thrown her lot in with Eliksni “pirate lords,” and is wreaking havoc in pursuit of powerful old relics. It falls to us as Guardians—perhaps because we chose to leave her unattended back in Beyond Light—to foil their plans in conjunction with the Drifter and the Spider.
This season also brings the third round of reworks for the core elemental subclasses, meaning it’s (finally) Arc’s turn. Like Void in The Witch Queen and Solar last season, the lightning subclasses receive their overhaul with today’s update, as detailed by Bungie last week. The new buff Amplified will make a Guardian faster all-around after rapidly defeating enemies with any Arc damage, and sprinting in this state will grant the Speed Booster buff—”Imagine full-on Metroid speed booster mode, only Samus is now wielding Gjallarhorn,” as Bungie puts it. Each class will have revised abilities and buffs to build their new Arc sets around.
But arguably the most exciting part of Destiny 2‘s new season is the return of the King’s Fall raid, originally debuted in The Taken King expansion for the original Destiny. Post-Witch Queen, this raid should take on a whole new meaning as Guardians face off with Oryx, the Taken King himself and brother of Savathun. Likely he’ll have some strong feelings about the tiff we just had with his sibling.
Destiny 2‘s 18th season runs from today until December 6, with the slightly shorter Season 19 following from December 6 until Lightfall‘s arrival on February 28, 2023.
Fortnite Crossover: Bungie x Epic
In even more Destiny 2 news, Bungie is the latest company to crossover with Epic Games’ Fortnite. With a trailer stating “Eyes up, Guardians”, the massive Battle Royale will be bringing the Legends of Light and Dark to the game.
Beginning tonight, August 23rd, at 8pm EST play Fortnite as Destiny’s Commander Zavala, Ikora Rey, and the Exo Stranger. While you’re at it, head over to Javelin-4 in Fortnite, “Made by creator team PWR, the Guardian Zone Control: Javelin-4 island is live in Fortnite now! This faithful take on the Javelin-4 map can be found in the “Discover” screen (Lobby > “CHANGE” button), or you can input the island code 0642-9767-7225 (Lobby > “CHANGE” button” > “Island Code” tab). Play as the Legends of the Light and Dark or any Outfit.”
In addition to the new outfits, Guardians will find the familiar Ghost in the new Investigate Emote, coming to the Fortnite Item Shop.
Details about the new Destiny 2 Fortnite skins from Epic Games:
Commander Zavala Outfit
- Targe Back Bling: Commander Zavala’s Ghost. (Included with the Commander Zavala Outfit.)
- Crown-Splitter Pickaxe: “Our enemies think themselves gods and kings. Show them the error of their ways.”
- Sparrow Glider: Vehicle used for transportation across land (or in Fortnite, air transportation). Comes with the Zavala Shader Style fit for Commander Zavala.
Ikora Ray Outfit
- Ophiuchus Back Bling: Ikora Rey’s Ghost. (Included with the Ikora Rey Outfit.)
- Black Talon Pickaxe: “His life brought peace to the Reef. His death brings a sword.”
- Sparrow Glider: Vehicle used for transportation across land (or in Fortnite, air transportation). Comes with the Ikora Shader Style fit for Ikora Rey.
Exo Stranger Outfit
- Ophiuchus Back Bling: Ikora Rey’s Ghost. (Included with the Ikora Rey Outfit.)
- Black Talon Pickaxe: “His life brought peace to the Reef. His death brings a sword.”
- Sparrow Glider: Vehicle used for transportation across land (or in Fortnite, air transportation). Comes with the Ikora Shader Style fit for Ikora Rey.
On the other side, Fortnite will be infiltrating Destiny 2 in the form of three new Fortnite-themed ornament sets beginning today. These will bring the a classic Fortnite skin to each Destiny class:
- Black Knight-themed Knightly Noire Titan ornament
- Drift-themed Painted Kitsune Warlock ornament
- Oblivion-themed Eternal Vengeance Hunter ornament
Another popular Epic Games’ title, Fall Guys, will see a Destiny crossover as well. Beginning September 17, Destiny-themed costumes will arrive in game. These include “Titan-, Hunter-, and Warlock-themed outfits, a new ‘Spicy Ramen’ celebration, and other accessories.”
