On August 23, 2022, Bungie streamed the 2022 Destiny 2 showcase. Fans were treated to a flood of announcements, trailers, and details regarding what’s next for the game. So, pour yourself a warm cup of Vex milk because we have a lot to get through!

Lightfall Cometh in 2023

Destiny 2: Lightfall will release on Feburary 28, 2023. This next expansion is considered the beginning of the end of the “Light vs. Dark” saga that’s been at the center of Destiny’s story since its original launch in 2014.

While Bungie has alluded to a future for Destiny after this ten-year tale is wrapped up; Lightfall promises to double down on what made Destiny 2: The Witch Queen worth playing. Bungie confirmed that Lightfall will feature another campaign with elective difficulties, stating that two out of every three Destiny 2 players completed The Witch Queen’s campaign on its more challenging mode.

Lightfall will bring players to the vaporwave inspired cities of Neptune. It’s there that they’ll be welcomed by the mysterious Cloudstrider race. Whether they’re friend or foe has yet to be determined.

Neptune introduces a very different type of landscape compared to ones players have explored in Destiny 2 up to this point. Lightfall also brings with it a new web-inspired subclass called Strand. Players will be able to swing in midair using green threads, as well as constricting their enemies in ways that would make an arachnid proud. Strand will be perfect for zooming between skyscrapers on Neptune!

Long Live King’s Fall

For months, fans have been theorizing around which original Destiny raid would be making its Destiny 2 debut at the start of Season 18. Finally, Bungie has confirmed that King’s Fall is the next classic Destiny raid to be brought into Destiny 2.

King’s Fall is widely considered to be one of the best raids to have ever graced Destiny. It originally made its debut in Destiny: The Taken King, and has lived in infamy ever since. Given how much emphasis that The Witch Queen placed on Oryx’s sister, Savathûn, it makes perfect sense that The Taken King himself would return to the spotlight. To kick things off, Bungie’s throwing a Day 1 Raid Race that starts on Friday, August 26, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. PT / 12:00 p.m. CT / 1:00 p.m. ET. Many fireteams will be hustling through this updated version of King’s Fall in an effort to be crowned “World’s First.” May the best Guardians win! That is, if they can avoid Oryx’s giant claw hands.

The Pirate’s Life For Me

Now, let’s go over something that’s available right now! Season 18 has officially started in Destiny 2. Its official name is Season of Plunder, which already implies what kind of themes players can expect throughout the next few months. Destiny 2: Beyond Light’s Eramis wakens from her frozen slumber. Upon thawing, she’s begun gathering a crew of ne’er-do-wells to claim mysterious artifacts throughout our Solar System. It’s up to Guardians to get to the loot before she does.

Players will embark on two new activities: the three-player Expedition, and the six-player Ketchcrash activity. Expedition is a type of treasure hunt where each player is responsible for completing a treasure map to uncover hidden artifacts. On the other hand, Ketchcrash is all about boarding enemy ships in an attempt to stop them in their tracks.

In order to facilitate all of these maybe-illegal acts, a few questionable-yet-familiar faces are present and accounted for. The Drifter, Spider, Mithrax, and his daughter Eido are each involved in the events of Destiny 2: Season of Plunder. Players should expect a few surprises along the way as each week of Season 18 presents a new step in its story.

Arc 3.0 is a Shock to No One

Destiny 2: Season of Plunder also brings the subclass revamp process to a close as Arc 3.0 is introduced. Now, players can fully embrace the zappy nature of their Arc subclass with updated abilities alongside the Fragment / Aspect system which was introduced with Stasis in Beyond Light. What better way to slay Oryx than with some tingly new abilities?

This is Just the Tip of the Stasis Iceberg

Finally, here’s a quick list of things that were announced during the showcase. These features will be slowly rolled out as we approach Lightfall’s release.

• A built-in Looking For Group tool to help players of all skills find a fireteam.
• Loadouts will be officially added to the game, allowing players to quickly switch between gear for specific activities.
• The Guardian Ranking system will help players identify each other’s strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to better round out their teams.

What are you most excited for after today’s Destiny 2 Showcase? Let’s talk it up in the Boss Rush Discord and Facebook Group!

When he’s not defending The Traveler in Destiny 2 or vanquishing beasts in Dark Souls; Dan can be found sharing his opinions on video games across multiple mediums. Find his work on his YouTube channel, the Dinosaur Machines Game Club Podcast, or right here on The Boss Rush Network!

Source: Destiny 2

Featured Image source: Destiny 2: The Witch Queen – Season of Plunder Trailer