Destiny 2 changes everything: Bungie reveals four new expansions by 2026

Destiny 2 has just entered a new phase with the announcement of four expansions that make up the so-called "Fate Saga", a new narrative saga that will span two years. The announcement was made during the game's reveal event on May 6, marking one of the biggest overhauls in the content model since the release of The Final Shape.

The plan is ambitious: two expansions per year, similar in size to Rise of Iron, and free updates between releases, replacing the old seasons model. The first free content is called Ash and Iron and arrives in September, bringing back the Plaguelands area from Destiny 1.

The four confirmed expansions are:

• The Edge of Fate - July 15, 2025
• Renegades - December 2, 2025
• Shattered Cycle - Summer 2026
• The Alchemist - Winter 2026
   

The first expansion, The Edge of Fate, takes players to Kepler, a new location that marks the return of the enigmatic The Nine, cosmic entities representing celestial bodies in our solar system. The promise from Bungie is to bring back a sense of mystery, with elements of exploration and metroidvania design.

But it was the second expansion, Renegades, that caused the most reactions - and confusion. Set to release in December, Renegades appears, at first glance, to be a direct crossover with Star Wars. The reveal trailer features visuals and aesthetics unmistakably inspired by George Lucas' saga, and one of the cosmetic items in the Ultimate Edition is, literally, a Darth Vader skin.

"Renegades is a unique Destiny experience," said the game's assistant director Robbie Stevens. "Just as we have drawn inspiration from dark fantasy and cosmic horror, we are now bringing the space western style of Star Wars into the lens of Destiny."

Narrative designer Alison Luhrs added: "This is a definitive Destiny expansion. It will introduce characters we will follow for years to come."

Despite the team's clarifications, the visual and direct references left part of the community confused about the boundaries of this "inspiration." Bungie avoids calling it a crossover, but the visual tone seems to go beyond a simple homage.

The new content model aims to correct the wear and tear caused by the old episodic system. Although The Final Shape was acclaimed, the series of minor updates led to a decline in community engagement. Bungie now promises a more direct progression system, improvements in the journey for new players, and a new loot tier system.

The lingering question is whether Bungie will be able to deliver consistent expansions and maintain the freshness of the new proposal. With the Fate Saga, Destiny 2 is once again trying to reinvent itself - something the game has done successfully and unsuccessfully several times in almost equal measure.

Will it work? As always in Destiny, only time will tell.