History of Destiny 2 in Timeline
Destiny 2, developed by Bungie, is a free-to-play online first-person shooter, initially released in 2017 as a pay-to-play game. It transitioned to a free-to-play model in 2019 under the "New Light" title, adopting a games as a service approach. The game has been released on various platforms including PlayStation, Xbox, Stadia, and Windows. Originally published by Activision, Bungie acquired publishing rights in 2018. Destiny 2 is the sequel to the original Destiny released in 2014.
September 2014: Original Destiny Launch
In September 2014, the original Destiny launched, introducing the first elemental abilities to the series.
November 2014: Sequel Mentioned by Activision CEO
In November 2014, two months after the original Destiny's release, Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg mentioned that work had begun on future expansion packs and a full sequel.
2014: Beginning of the Light and Darkness Saga
In 2014, the first Destiny game began the Light and Darkness Saga, which would continue through the first six years of Destiny 2.
2014: Release of Destiny
In 2014, the original Destiny game was released, setting the stage for the Destiny universe and lore.
February 11, 2016: Destiny 2 Release Confirmed for 2017
On February 11, 2016, Bungie confirmed that a full sequel to Destiny would release in 2017.
September 2016: Original Planned Release of Destiny 2
Based on original documents, Destiny 2 was originally planned for a September 2016 release.
December 2016: Vicarious Visions Joins Development Team
In December 2016, Bungie announced that Vicarious Visions would be joining the development team for Destiny 2 along with Activision.
2016: Crimson Days Event in Original Destiny
In 2016, the Valentine's Day-themed "Crimson Days" event from Year 2 of the original Destiny, featured a 2-versus-2 Crucible mode.
2016: Activision Comments on Destiny Sequel
In Activision's earnings report for 2016, Hirshberg said that Destiny's sequel was still "on track for release this fall [2017]" and would "broaden the franchise's global reach."
March 23, 2017: Promotional Poster Leaks Destiny 2 Name and Release Date
On March 23, 2017, a promotional poster for the sequel was leaked, revealing the game's name as Destiny 2 and a release date of September 8, 2017. The poster also indicated PlayStation would have exclusive content.
March 27, 2017: Bungie Teases Destiny 2
On March 27, 2017, Bungie tweeted an image of Destiny 2, showing The Last City in smoke and flames. This was followed by a teaser trailer narrated by Cayde-6.
March 30, 2017: Destiny 2 Confirmed for Microsoft Windows
On March 30, 2017, it was confirmed that Destiny 2 would also release on Microsoft Windows, unlike the original.
May 19, 2017: No Plans for Nintendo Switch Version
On May 19, 2017, Destiny 2 project lead Mark Noseworthy stated that there were no plans for a Nintendo Switch version of the game.
September 6, 2017: Destiny 2 Release Date Moved Up
At E3 2017, it was revealed that Destiny 2's release date was moved up to September 6, 2017.
September 8, 2017: Destiny 2 Release Date
September 8, 2017 was leaked as the release date for Destiny 2 on a promotional poster.
November 2017: Xbox One X Release
In November 2017, the Xbox One X, an updated version of the Xbox One, was released after Destiny 2's launch.
December 5, 2017: 4K and HDR Support Added for Consoles
On December 5, 2017, Bungie added 4K support for the Xbox One X, as well as HDR support for both updated consoles, PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X.
December 2017: Curse of Osiris Expansion Release
In December 2017, the Curse of Osiris, the first small expansion for Year One of Destiny 2, was released.
2017: Destiny Sequel on Track for Release
Activision confirmed in their 2017 earnings report that the sequel to Destiny was still on track for release in the fall.
2017: Destiny 2 Sales and Chart Performance
In 2017, Destiny 2 achieved significant sales success, including topping sales charts in Japan and the UK, and becoming Activision's biggest PC release based on units sold. It was also the second highest-grossing console game of 2017 in North America.
2017: More Nominations and Awards for Destiny 2
In 2017, Destiny 2 received further nominations, including "Best PC Game" from Destructoid and IGN, and won the award for "Best Co-op Game" in PC Gamer's Game of the Year Awards. It also received runner-up mentions in Giant Bomb's Game of the Year Awards.
2017: Awards and Rankings for Destiny 2
In 2017, Destiny 2 received several awards and high rankings, including Best PC Game at the Game Critics Awards, multiple nominations at The Game Awards, and recognition on various "Best Games of 2017" lists by Entertainment Weekly, GamesRadar+, Eurogamer, Polygon, and The Verge.
2017: Destiny 2 Initial Release
In 2017, Destiny 2 was originally released as a pay-to-play game for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows.
2017: Destiny 2 Receives Favorable Reviews and Awards
In 2017, upon release, Destiny 2 received generally favorable reviews from critics, focusing on improvements to its story, gameplay, visuals, exploration, multiplayer, and public occasions. Destiny 2 was also nominated for and won various awards, such as at The Game Awards 2017 and Game Critics Awards.
May 8, 2018: Warmind Expansion Release
On May 8, 2018, the Warmind expansion was released for Destiny 2, focusing on the Warmind Rasputin. The expansion introduced a new area on Mars called Hellas Basin, the "Escalation Protocol" horde mode, and raised the EXP level cap to 30 and Power level cap to 380. A new character named Ana Bray was also added.
May 2018: Warmind Expansion Release
In May 2018, the Warmind expansion, the second small expansion for Year One of Destiny 2, was released.
September 4, 2018: Forsaken Expansion Release
On September 4, 2018, the Forsaken expansion was released for Destiny 2, marking the beginning of Year 2. The expansion included a story with a "western revenge" theme, a new raid called "Last Wish" in the Dreaming City, a new Gambit mode combining PvE and PvP, and the addition of bow and arrow weapons. The EXP level cap was raised to 50, and the Power level cap was raised to 600. Cayde-6 died.
September 2018: Forsaken Expansion and Seasonal Model Introduction
In September 2018, the Forsaken expansion began Year Two of Destiny 2, overhauling gameplay and introducing a seasonal model with smaller content packs released throughout the year.
2018: PlayStation Exclusive Content
In 2018 it was confirmed that Playstation 4 would have timed exclusive content for Destiny 2, and it would last until at least fall 2018.
2018: Solstice of Heroes Introduction
In 2018, Solstice of Heroes was originally introduced to celebrate the end of the Red War campaign in Destiny 2.
2018: Timed-Exclusive content on PS4
Throughout 2018, the Playstation 4 version of Destiny 2 featured timed-exclusive content as part of an exclusivity agreement with Sony Interactive Entertainment.
December 31, 2018: Bungie Acquires Publishing Rights
On December 31, 2018, Bungie acquired the publishing rights to the Destiny franchise from Activision.
January 2019: Bungie and Activision Break Publishing Agreement
In January 2019, Bungie and Activision amicably broke their publishing agreement, leaving Bungie as the publisher for the PC version of Destiny 2.
October 1, 2019: Destiny 2 goes Free-to-Play as New Light
On October 1, 2019, Destiny 2 transitioned to a free-to-play model under the title New Light, utilizing the games as a service model.
October 2019: PS4 Exclusive Content Ended with Shadowkeep
In October 2019, the PlayStation 4 exclusive content for Destiny 2 ended with the release of the Shadowkeep expansion, concluding the timed-exclusivity agreement with Sony Interactive Entertainment.
October 2019: Shadowkeep Expansion and New Light Release
In October 2019, the Shadowkeep expansion began Year Three of Destiny 2 as a standalone release, alongside the free-to-play New Light re-release, which included access to the first two expansions. Seasonal passes also became available.
October 2019: Shadowkeep Expansion Release and Monetization Changes
In October 2019, with the release of the Shadowkeep expansion, Bungie implemented cross-saving, partnered with Google to offer Destiny 2 on Stadia, and made Destiny 2 free to play in its "New Light" version. Additionally, a battle pass system was introduced.
October 2019: Destiny 2 Transitioned to Steam with Shadowkeep Release
In October 2019, with the release of the Shadowkeep expansion, the Windows version of Destiny 2 transitioned from Blizzard Battle.net to Steam.
October 2019: New Light Release Changes Opening Mission
In October 2019, with the release of the free-to-play New Light version of Destiny 2, Bungie changed the beginning of the game for new players, reintroducing the first mission from the original Destiny as the introductory mission. New players can then begin the Destiny 2 campaign (The Red War), Curse of Osiris, and Warmind campaigns after talking to Amanda Holliday.
2019: End of Planned Sequel Releases
Based on documents of the original release schedule for Destiny, Bungie and Activision intended to release new sequels every other year until 2019.
2019: The Revelry Event
In 2019, "The Revelry" was a one-time event which celebrated the start of spring in Destiny 2.
2019: Activision and Bungie End Publishing Deal
In 2019, Activision ended its publishing deal with Bungie due to the game failing to generate the recurring revenue that Activision wanted.
2019: New Light Opening Mission
In 2019, the New Light re-release featured roughly the same opening as the new light, but takes players on a quest further into the Cosmodrome to learn more about the Destiny universe, giving new players' Guardians a more fleshed out origin story. A new NPC for the Cosmodrome was also introduced, who acts as a guide for the new player quest.
2019: Timed-Exclusive content becomes available on other platforms
In late 2019, content previously timed-exclusive to the PlayStation 4 platform for both the Curse of Osiris and Warmind expansions became available for other platforms.
May 2020: Bungie Affirmed Plans to Release Destiny 2 for Next-Generation Consoles
In May 2020, Bungie confirmed its plans to release Destiny 2 for the next-generation consoles, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, supporting native 4K resolution at 60fps.
June 2020: Announcement of Destiny Content Vault
In June 2020, Bungie announced the "Destiny Content Vault" (DCV) to retire some of the less played existing content beginning with the Beyond Light expansion.
November 10, 2020: Beyond Light Expansion Launch
On November 10, 2020, the Beyond Light expansion for Destiny 2 was launched.
November 2020: Beyond Light Expansion Release and Content Vault
In November 2020, the Beyond Light expansion began Year Four of Destiny 2, introducing the power of Darkness and removing nearly half of the game's content from its first three years into the Destiny Content Vault.
December 8, 2020: Destiny 2 Released for Next-Generation Consoles
On December 8, 2020, Destiny 2 was released for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles, with support for native 4K resolution at 60fps on PS5 and Xbox Series X and 1080p on Xbox Series S. Free updates were available for players on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
December 2020: Destiny 2 Releases on Next-Gen Consoles
In December 2020, Destiny 2 was released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S platforms.
2020: Guardian Games Replaces The Revelry
In 2020, Guardian Games replaced The Revelry as a mid-year themed event in Destiny 2.
March 2021: Appointment of Executive Leadership for Destiny Universe Division
In March 2021, Luke Smith and Mark Noseworthy were appointed as executive creative director and vice president, respectively, of Bungie's new Destiny Universe division, while Justin Truman was named general manager for Destiny 2.
August 24, 2021: Crossplay Functionality Added
On August 24, 2021, crossplay functionality was added to Destiny 2, allowing players from all supported platforms to play together beginning with Season of the Lost.
November 2021: The Witch Queen Expansion Delayed
The Witch Queen expansion, initially planned for November 2021, was delayed to early 2022.
2021: Cross-Play Support Announced for Season 15
In 2021, it was confirmed that cross-play would be supported between all platforms starting with Season 15 later in 2021.
February 2022: The Witch Queen Expansion Release
In February 2022, The Witch Queen expansion was released for Destiny 2, continuing the game's ongoing narrative.
February 22, 2022: The Witch Queen Expansion Release
On February 22, 2022, The Witch Queen expansion was released for Destiny 2, introducing Savathûn's Throne World, Lucent Hive, and the glaive weapon type. Weapon crafting was also introduced in this expansion.
August 2022: Bungie Improved Backend Technology and No Longer Vaulting Expansion Content
By August 2022, Bungie stated that they had improved the backend technology behind Destiny 2 and will no longer vault expansion content.
August 2022: Destiny 2 Added to Epic Games Store
In August 2022, Destiny 2 was added to the Epic Games Store as part of Bungie's plans to expand the game to new platforms after their acquisition by Sony.
2022: Witch Queen Expansion Delayed to Early 2022
In 2022, The Witch Queen expansion's release was delayed to early 2022.
February 2023: Lightfall Release and New Darkness Power
In February 2023, Lightfall was released, featuring the return of Emperor Calus and introducing a new player destination on Neptune. Guardians ally with the Neomuni and learn to utilize the new darkness power of Strand. Calus helps the Witness acquire access to the Veil.
February 2023: Lightfall Expansion Release
In February 2023, the Lightfall expansion was released for Destiny 2, continuing the game's ongoing narrative.
February 28, 2023: Lightfall Release
On February 28, 2023, Lightfall was released, focusing on the Guardian's race with Calus to find the Veil on Neomuna and master Strand.
March 2023: Death of Lance Reddick
In March 2023, Lance Reddick, the voice actor for Commander Zavala, passed away.
August 2023: Keith David Takes Over Role of Commander Zavala
As of August 2023, Keith David took over the role of Commander Zavala, replacing the late Lance Reddick.
October 2023: Delay of The Final Shape Due to Quality Concerns
In October 2023, the release of The Final Shape was pushed back due to quality concerns for the project.
2023: Bungie Staff Cuts
In 2023, Bungie cut 8% of their staff due to a projected revenue miss of 45%.
2023: Lightfall Expansion Delayed to Early 2023
In 2023, The Lightfall expansion's release was delayed to early 2023.
February 2024: Initial Expected Release of The Final Shape
The Final Shape was initially expected to release in February 2024, but was delayed due to quality concerns.
April 2024: Into the Light Update Released
In April 2024, Bungie released a free update called Into the Light, adding new activities and weapons to prepare for The Final Shape, during the delay period.
June 4, 2024: The Final Shape Release
On June 4, 2024, The Final Shape was launched, concluding the Light and Darkness saga in Destiny 2 and introducing an episodic model for ongoing content.
June 2024: The Final Shape Expansion Release
In June 2024, The Final Shape was released, marking the final chapter for Destiny's first saga, "The Light and Darkness Saga". The seasonal model changed to three large episodes with season passes.
April 15, 2025: Apollo Expansion Official Name Revealed
On April 15, 2025, the official name for Apollo was revealed as The Edge of Fate.
May 6, 2025: The Fate Saga Revealed
On May 6, 2025, the new saga was revealed as "The Fate Saga" during a reveal event, including the release date of The Edge of Fate.
July 15, 2025: The Edge of Fate Release Date
July 15, 2025 was revealed as the release date for The Edge of Fate during the reveal event on May 6, 2025.
July 2025: The Edge of Fate Expansion Launch
In July 2025, The Edge of Fate expansion is planned to launch, featuring the Guardians traveling to the planet Keplar with the Sol system's Oort Cloud, and will involve the Nine.
July 2025: Launch of the Eleventh Year of Destiny
In July 2025, the eleventh year of Destiny, and eighth year of Destiny 2, is set to launch, featuring two medium-sized expansions.
December 2025: Renegades Expansion Launch
In December 2025, the Renegades expansion is expected to launch, themed around concepts from Star Wars.
March 3, 2026: Shadow & Order Update Release
March 3, 2026, is the scheduled release date for the Shadow & Order update.
2026: Planned Expansions: Shattered Cycle and The Alchemist
In 2026, further expansions are planned, including Shattered Cycle and The Alchemist.
Mentioned in this timeline
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