Summary
- Destiny 2’s episodic content will extend to summer 2025, after which major changes to its expansion and narrative model will take place.
- The game is transitioning from one annual expansion to two medium-sized expansions each year.
- Gameplay systems will be revamped in 2025 with modernization of the UI and difficulty options for varied player rewards.
Even after all it has been through, the very high heights and often extreme lows, Destiny 2 is still trucking along, with big plans that extend into 2025 and even the beginning of 2026. Based on what has been revealed so far, Destiny 2 veterans and potential newcomers alike have a lot to look forward to in 2025, as Bungie continues experimenting with the game’s content approach and gameplay systems in hopes that it might extend the game’s lifespan a bit longer.
Included in Destiny 2‘s plans for 2025 are the continuation of its episodic content through June 2025, as well as some rather significant changes to its expansion and narrative model that aim to make the game a more rewarding experience to play long-term. Additionally, Destiny 2 will have some gameplay elements revised in 2025 that seem to target new players — an audience the game has long struggled to captivate.
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Destiny 2 Is Making Some Big Changes in 2025
Destiny 2’s Episodic Content Will Continue Until Summer 2025
Before Destiny 2 begins implementing its new expansion and narrative model, its episodic content will continue until summer 2025. Currently, Destiny 2‘s Revenant episode is set to conclude on February 4, 2025, with the third episode, Heresy, beginning on the same day and running through June 2025. Heresy is one of Destiny 2‘s most anticipated episodes, as it will focus on the Hive pantheon and an ancient eldritch force, marking a return to the nostalgic Dreadnaught location. A new dungeon will also launch a few days after Heresy’s premiere, which will give Destiny 2‘s hardcore player base even more to do in the game.
Destiny 2‘s episodic format has garnered a mixed reception from the game’s community, with its model appearing to be too similar to the game’s old seasonal model, but Destiny 2‘s new and upcoming expansion approach may change that.
Destiny 2 Will Change Its Expansion and Narrative Model in 2025
One of the most significant changes coming to Destiny 2 in 2025 involves its expansion and narrative approach, which has largely remained the same for many years now apart from some directional shifts in the game’s seasonal content. As revealed in Destiny 2‘s Frontiers roadmap for next year, the game is departing from its traditional single annual expansion format and will begin releasing two medium-sized expansions each year, with the first of those expansions, codenamed “Apollo,” launching in summer 2025 and providing a nonlinear character-driven adventure. Destiny 2‘s Apollo expansion will last from summer 2025 through fall, with the second expansion, currently codenamed “Behemoth,” launching in winter 2025 and lasting through spring 2026.
Each of Destiny 2‘s new expansions will add plenty of new content to the game, including stories, locations, missions, weapons, gear, raids, and dungeons. There will also be two major seasonal updates during the lifespan of each expansion, which will introduce new and reprised activities, new gear and Artifact mods, new modifiers and challenges, a new sandbox meta, and new events. These seasonal updates will also include their own Rewards Pass, which will offer a new Exotic weapon and ornament, Legendary weapon and armor ornaments, gear upgrade resources, cosmetics, and more.
Each seasonal update will launch alongside an actual season (such as Apollo’s Summer 2025 and Fall 2025 updates, both of which are currently named “Arsenal” and “Surge,” respectively).
The new expansion model outlined in Destiny 2‘s 2025 roadmap is a bold departure from its longstanding annual expansion approach, but it is ultimately Bungie attempting to address the pacing issues that have plagued the game in the past. Historically, Destiny 2 has struggled to maintain player engagement during the long stretches between major expansions, often relying on seasonal content that sometimes failed to maintain the interest of players. If Bungie can use this new model to consistently deliver worthwhile content, it could very well rejuvenate the Destiny 2 experience and keep the community invested in ways the game’s past content has failed to achieve.
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Destiny 2 Will Overhaul Some of Its Gameplay Systems in 2025
Destiny 2‘s new content approach for 2025 isn’t the only significant change coming to the game, as Bungie will be overhauling some of the game’s systems as well. The most prominent overhaul will likely prove to be the changes Bungie plans to make to Destiny 2‘s Director, which involve a modernization of its UI in order to allow for more seamless navigation between menus and activities. In the end, this should make it easier for new players to be eased into Destiny 2‘s often-cited overwhelming number of in-game activities.
Another change coming to Destiny 2 in 2025 will see its activities given difficulty options with accompanying rewards. Reportedly, as difficulties are increased, so too are the opportunities to earn rarer rewards like artifice armor. This is also likely another way Bungie is working on Destiny 2‘s new player experience, which has been one of its biggest shortcomings for quite some time now. With these new difficulty options, new players may have greater control over their experience as they learn the ins and outs of Destiny 2.
The new expansion model outlined in Destiny 2‘s 2025 roadmap is a bold departure from its longstanding annual expansion approach, but it is ultimately Bungie attempting to address the pacing issues that have plagued the game in the past.
Ultimately, Destiny 2‘s success in 2025 will hinge on Bungie’s ability to deliver on its promises of engaging expansions, refined gameplay systems, and an approachable experience for newcomers. While the changes outlined in the roadmap show the developer’s desire to address long-standing issues, the execution of these changes will determine whether Destiny 2 continues to thrive or falters. For both veteran players and newcomers, 2025 offers a chance to see Destiny 2 evolve into a more sustainable and rewarding experience.