The next big update to Destiny 2, Shadow and Order, has been delayed as it undergoes a substantial round of tweakage and expansion. Such a substantial round of tweakage and expansion, in fact, that it'll no longer be called Shadow and Order when it returns.
Bungie have announced that their next large update to Destiny 2, titled Shadow and Order, has been delayed.
“Our next Major Update, Destiny 2: Shadow and Order, is undergoing large revisions and will be delayed. This update is being changed and expanded to include sizable quality-of-life updates and as a result, will also be renamed. This update will now launch on June 9, 2026.
We will provide exact details closer to release covering previously announced Weapon Tier Upgrading, but also additions like expanding Tiered Gear to all Raid and Dungeon activities, Pantheon 2.0, Tier 5 stats for Exotic Armors, and more. Through June, we will continue to have routine bug fixes and stability improvements, continued portal modifiers, Guardian Games (March), and the return of a more frequent Iron Banner cadence
In terms of communications, we will be focusing on providing you with updates about our live game content, community activations, and general upkeep through the TWID and our Destiny social channels. Thank you for your continued patience and support. We will have more information on our next major update and future plans for Destiny 2 closer to launch.
See You Starside.”
The Shadow and Order update had been due to arrive just after the Marathon Server Slam and just before Marathon itself launched, so it seemed inevitable that it would be moved to allow Bungie some space for that.
Bungie have not released a roadmap for future updates but if Shadow and Order – or whatever it gets called – is delayed by three months then there is a very good chance that the next expansion, Shattered Cycle, will also get pushed back.
Bungie are clearly prioritising Marathon, and they really have to as they need another big hit. Destiny 2 is a shadow(keep) of its former self, and delaying big updates for months on end is not going to incentivise the players left.
If your first thought when hearing about Marathon’s March 5th release date was how that would immediately clash with Destiny 2’s plans for a major update for Renegades on March 3rd, well good news! It’s not going to get in the way anymore because Bungie is delaying that update for nearly four months. Wait, no, that’s the opposite of […]
Destiny 2 feels like it's in a real spot of bother - when even the burst of excitement from a Star Wars-themed expansion can't be sustained, you know there's something really wrong with the core of the game. I myself have fallen off of the Destiny wagon in recent months, and while I really want to return, I'm struggling to find the motivation to do so. Initially set to drop on March 3, the Shadow and Order update was another potential moment to win me back. However, it never felt like it had a good chance, being sandwiched between the free Server Slam test and full release of Marathon, Bungie's new extraction FPS game. Now, the studio has confirmed the inevitable - it's delaying Shadow and Order. However, it's pushing it back by more than three months, and says that "large revisions" are the reason, not Marathon.
Destiny 2's Shadow & Order major update was set to launch on March 3, but Bungie uncerimoniously delayed it by three months. The next big piece of content is scheduled for June, leaving even less to do in the game until then.
With less than two weeks to go until the scheduled update, Bungie made an anemic announcement of the delay in official channels, where it promised to bundle a slew of other improvements to the game by June 9. The Shadow and Order name is gone altogether, though it doesn't have an official replacement.
While Destiny 2 is in dire need of a shakeup, delaying a major update doesn't pose a good short-term scenario for its dwindling player counts. Here's why Shadow & Order was delayed and Bungie's ambitious promises for when it drops in June.
Shadow & Order delay, explained
This might not be the only quagmire we'll see. Image via Bungie
Marathon is often mentioned as one of the reasons behind the Shadow & Order delay. The major update was slated to release on March 3—just two days before the controversial extraction shooter's debut on March 5. Forbes' Paul Tassi reported this would be the reason, and it seems to be among the top drivers behind the delay. The new June 9 release date is way off, giving Marathon enough time to settle.
That said, it's also likely that Shadow & Order was simply not up to the standards of what the game needed right now. Destiny 2 has been bleeding players for years, with The Edge of Fate accelerating the vertiginous downfall in its user base. Far from being a necessary revolution, the Ash & Iron update halfway through The Edge of Fate was largely a lackluster, more-of-the-same piece of content—down to the reissue of weapons such as Drang and the MIDA Mini-Tool.
Pushing another lukewarm update as Destiny 2 faces its biggest player crisis in history would likely only make it worse. Given Bungie's recent track record, there might not have been enough time to concoct anything above mediocrity, so putting it back in the oven might be the right move.
This reaction seems inevitable. Image via Bungie
The next major update (which we're still unofficially calling Shadow & Order until an actual title comes along) is bringing a slew of much-needed, long-requested improvements to the game—though one can easily argue The Edge of Fate should never have launched without them in the first place.
The announcement promises "sizable quality-of-life updates," including a few hot topics. As its release draws closer, Bungie will inform players of items like tier upgrading, Exotic armor pieces being tier five, reissued gear for raids and dungeons, and a "Pantheon 2.0." The wording here is telling: "We will provide exact details closer to release," the announcement reads, so temper your expectations.
"Shadow & Order" also needs to bring in more content. This is theoretically implicit in Bungie's wording, but it's still worth highlighting. The Portal is already a syncretism of reused, worn-out activities, so all these changes are borderline meaningless without new missions to put them to use. Bungie's initial vision for The Edge of Fate—a grueling, resetting slogfest—is more than enough to make fans wary about how the studio will handle content after the next major update, too.
Destiny 2's next large-scale update, Shadow and Order, has been delayed out of its launch in just a couple of weeks. But players already pretty much knew that.
Shadow and Order was scheduled to launch on March 3, two days before Bungie's new game Marathon, and the writing has been on the wall for a while: radio silence about the update for a long time, until today.
Bungie posted today that Shadow and Order is now launching on June 9, which is just over three months from its initial launch point, and "undergoing large revisions" in the process. Needless to say, even though they knew it was coming, Destiny 2 players are none too pleased on the subject.
"We will provide exact details closer to release covering previously announced Weapon Tier Upgrading, but also additions like expanding Tiered Gear to all Raid and Dungeon activities, Pantheon 2.0, Tier 5 stats for Exotic Armors, and more," Bungie said.
Shadow and Order is now being "changed and expanded to include sizable quality-of-life updates and as a result, will also be renamed" in light of the change, which feels directly Marathon-related, whether intended or not.
"Through June, we will continue to have routine bug fixes and stability improvements, continued portal modifiers, Guardian Games (March), and the return of a more frequent Iron Banner cadence (April)," Bungie said, confirming the roadmap of content will be a bit more scant than originally scheduled. "In terms of communications, we will be focusing on providing you with updates about our live game content, community activations, and general upkeep through the TWID and our Destiny social channels."
Bungie and Sony both need Marathon to be a success, and the chances of Destiny 2 players trying it out, buying it, and spending money on it is likely a lot higher if they don't have Shadow and Order to distract them from the new extraction shooter.
Before its delay, Shadow and Order was set to include a new rewards pass, exotic weapon and ornament, new legendary weapons and armor ornaments, new cosmetics, "and more."
Bungie have announced that their next large update to Destiny 2, titled Shadow and Order, has been delayed.
“Our next Major Update, Destiny 2: Shadow and Order, is undergoing large revisions and will be delayed. This update is being changed and expanded to include sizable quality-of-life updates and as a result, will also be renamed. This update will now launch on June 9, 2026.
We will provide exact details closer to release covering previously announced Weapon Tier Upgrading, but also additions like expanding Tiered Gear to all Raid and Dungeon activities, Pantheon 2.0, Tier 5 stats for Exotic Armors, and more. Through June, we will continue to have routine bug fixes and stability improvements, continued portal modifiers, Guardian Games (March), and the return of a more frequent Iron Banner cadence
In terms of communications, we will be focusing on providing you with updates about our live game content, community activations, and general upkeep through the TWID and our Destiny social channels. Thank you for your continued patience and support. We will have more information on our next major update and future plans for Destiny 2 closer to launch.
See You Starside.”
The Shadow and Order update had been due to arrive just after the Marathon Server Slam and just before Marathon itself launched, so it seemed inevitable that it would be moved to allow Bungie some space for that.
Bungie have not released a roadmap for future updates but if Shadow and Order – or whatever it gets called – is delayed by three months then there is a very good chance that the next expansion, Shattered Cycle, will also get pushed back.
Bungie are clearly prioritising Marathon, and they really have to as they need another big hit. Destiny 2 is a shadow(keep) of its former self, and delaying big updates for months on end is not going to incentivise the players left.
Destiny 2 players may have already heard the news: Shadow & Order is delayed. Naturally, eager guardians are wondering when the game's next major update will be—and when it will get any meaningful new content.
"Major updates" is how Bungie calls the intermission between one expansion and the other, after a two-expansions-a-year cadence instated with The Edge of Fate and Renegades. It's essentially an extremely light new season, complete with a new rewards pass (a season pass minus the season). Shadow & Order was supposed to be
Until then, players can expect a couple of smaller in-game novelties. Guardian Games kicks off in March, and Bungie teased "the return of a more frequent Iron Banner cadence" (by that, the studio means "actually adding an Iron Banner cadence"). The same old Portal mutations like Accelerator are set to appear.
Outside of that, Bungie hasn't yet mentioned a new rewards pass, the release of the remaining Conquests, or other reasons for players to come back to the game. Wacky Portal modifiers will continue, but that wasn't enough to push the needle even when the player count was at less critical levels.
Is Destiny 2's major update Shadow & Order?
Better get used to this screen. Screenshot by Destructoid
Destiny 2's next update will presumably build upon Shadow & Order, seizing what was in line for the update, throwing much-needed, long-requested quality-of-life features in the pile.
That said, the next big update won't be called Shadow & Order—though we're still using that name as a placeholder. The extra time in the oven may also alter the story arcs that would surface, so a name change is more than in order.
What's on Destiny 2's next major update?
At least Saladin might be back. Image via Bungie
We don't know a lot of what's coming in June for now. Bungie has given us a baseline of what to expect in the announcement:
"We will provide exact details closer to release covering previously announced Weapon Tier Upgrading, but also additions like expanding Tiered Gear to all Raid and Dungeon activities, Pantheon 2.0, Tier 5 stats for Exotic Armors, and more," the studio said.
This is undoubtedly an ambitious move for a struggling game, and the verbiage on the announcement is enough to maintain a degree of caution. Bungie said it would give details, so theoretically, "we're working on it and it's coming in a future release" could qualify for that. It's unlikely they'll reissue weapons for all raids and dungeons within a few months, so there's bound to be a small selection of these to get the ball rolling, with plans of doing more at fixed intervals.
Presumably, the next major update will also bring in some new content. This has been the formula for the bigger content releases since time immemorial, and providing these shiny new tools without a new stage to use them in would be counterproductive.
In the meantime, Bungie will continue with the basics, including Guardian Games in March and bringing back Iron Banner in April. This time, there's no Into the Light-esque content to pull out of a hat, so the player counts will continue to struggle until Destiny 2 gets meaningful content.
I still remember the sentiment surrounding my joining the world of Destiny 2 and the impressions I had framed in my mind. I remember the storyline of the game and the characters that came with it. I remember the planned group activities with friends where I would come for the game and laughter, and enjoy the melting pot of cultures that I would experience. Dystopia would contribute to the cultural side of the game. I would remember the game for the positive memories of the friends I would meet.
I would experience the game for the people's memories, for the friends I would meet. Madness in the romance, I would only be in for the people. There is madness in the romance; I would only be in for the people. There is madness in the game; I would only be in for the people. suger
A Game of Two Halves: Wonder and Frustration
Spectacle is Destiny 2’s calling card, and there is no better place to see that than in the stark and beautiful war-torn zones of the game. The blend of the celestial and the terrestrial is well balanced. The game’s environments ooze atmosphere, whether you are in the crumbling and scarred landscapes of the EDZ or in the illusory woods of Nessus. The game does well to instill in you the perspective of the vast and indifferent universe that surrounds you, the little spark-wielding guardian, the universe that surrounds and watches you.
It’s frustrating to see the wide gaps in the lore after seasonals and plot drips. It’s like trying to complete only one half of a jigsaw puzzle, and the rest is in a completely different house. My background in the genre as a traditional JRPG player made the gaps hard to appreciate. Destiny 2 does not have storylines that are traditional, and that’s one of the things that has to be appreciated most: the ambition. Unfortunately, the game does not seem to provide the lore or the rich storytelling to back that ambition up to the extent that a player deserves.
Weapons and Loot: The Double-Edged Sword
Ah, the loot. It’s the carrot on the stick that keeps Guardians grinding through strikes, raids, and gambit matches. But here’s the thing: not all loot is created equal. The doubtless lucrative rewards complain. When Early Destiny 2 started, it lacked truly enticing pieces. Yes, there were a few outstanding weapons and some sets of pieces of armor, but more often than not, after a long, exhausting activity, I’d receive a piece of gear that was.
Bungie, to some extent, has resolved this issue. These weapons, more than tools of killing, are statements. Yet there’s room for more. Destiny 2, for all its outstanding gear, still lacks top-tier enough high-end gear to truly reward its most loyal followers who buy cheap PS4 games. There are far more hours than I’d like to admit spent chasing God Rolls than there are high-end pieces of loot to reward that effort. Available loot should match the depth and complexity of the gameplay.
Social Glue Destiny 2
Destiny 2 without its social aspects? No thanks. It wouldn't even be enjoyable. This game is, no doubt, about its community. Be it a raid, nightfall, or just crucible, gameplay is enjoyed even more with a friend or group. Numbers do change the fun, but it is still the moments in gameplay, or the Leviathan in my case, that stick with you. Six hours, dying and laughing, with a group, only to win in the end, the value is in the collective enjoyment, even in defeat. Little moments create and force repetitive gameplay. They make you do it. They bring you back.
Adversely, social aspects can be a burden. Group content boundaries mean the best parts of the game for solo players are lost. Solo gameplay has its own content and parts to engage with, if you buy PS5 shooter games that are action role-playing first. It wouldn't be unreasonable to give more ends and means to the lone Guardians in the endgame. They should be able to engage and appreciate the boss or grind. It isn't just the friends that count.
The Road Ahead
Destiny 2, like any live-service game, is still a work in progress. Its first year was rough, marked by questionable design choices and a community that felt increasingly alienated. But there is one thing that Bungie has proven. They will listen. The Year 2 expansion, Forsaken, reworked systems and breathed new life into the game. Even with the stumbles, there is a commitment from the developers to evolve the game.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light
At this time, the primary story campaigns have been made free, but the high-level, permanent activities like Raids and Dungeons are bundled in "Packs," so you will still have to get one of those. Destiny 2: Beyond Light, released in 2020, the fifth extension, introduces the Stasis subclass, the first ability set tied to the Darkness. The endgame content is packaged in the Beyond Light Pack (a paid purchase), which includes the Deep Stone Crypt Raid, certain Nightfall Strikes (The Glassway and Proving Grounds), and access to over 15 Exotic weapons and armor pieces associated with the expansion.
Destint 2: Shadowkeep
In 2019, we had Destiny 2: Shadowkeep extension, the fourth major expansion for Destiny 2, marking the game's Year 3 content. The endgame content is packaged in the Shadowkeep Pack (a paid purchase), which includes the Garden of Salvation Raid, the Pit of Heresy Dungeon, the Scarlet Keep Nightfall strike, and access to over 15 Exotic weapons and armor pieces associated with the expansion. The endgame content is packaged in the Shadowkeep Pack (a paid purchase), which includes the Garden of Salvation Raid, the Pit of Heresy Dungeon, the Scarlet Keep Nightfall strike, and access to over 15 Exotic weapons and armor pieces associated with the expansion.
Destiny 2: Years 5 to 8
The Witch Queen (2022, Year 5) proposes the confrontation with Savathûn, the Hive God of Cunning, and the introduction of the Light-wielding Hive and the new weapon crafting system.
Lightfall (2023, Year 6) is a chase after The Witness to Neptune, uncovering the hidden city of Neomuna, and the introduction of the new Strand Darkness Subclass.
The Final Shape (2024, Year 7) is the epic conclusion to the "Light and Darkness Saga," as Guardians enter the Traveler to face The Witness. It introduced the Prismatic Subclass.
The Edge of Fate (2025, Year 8) is the most recent "medium-sized" expansion, which began a new saga for the game. It is part of Bungie's new content release model of two expansions per year.
There is so much potential with so many ideas that feel just shy of fully realized. As someone who has fallen in love with this game, Bungie is a developer that I hope will balance ambition and execution. Until then, I’ll be there chasing the next raid clear, the next legendary drop, and the next moment that makes it all worthwhile.
The Destiny 2 Portal was one of Bungie's biggest recent gambles, and so far it's largely been a pretty disappointing one. Introduced as an overhaul to the iconic 'Director,' it aimed to wrestle the FPS game's increasingly cluttered and unwieldy map of destinations into a more streamlined progression system. The pitch was to offer "quick and clean access to a wider offering of activities with updated rewards," and while it does do that to some extent, it feels like it's lost a lot of its soul. Now, players are pointing back to an old Bungie GDC presentation that suggests the team had already considered something similar back during the early days of development, only to write it off.
It is not exactly a secret that, in recent years, Destiny 2 hasn't been doing so hot. Frequenters of the pseudo-MMO have found certain expansions and updates to be disappointing, and for a live service game a few too many disappointments can be devastating. Now, in a new interview, the game's director Tyson Green has acknowledged how the game is struggling to bring in a new audience, and discussed the difficulties that come with that.
Justin and Bree discuss WoW Midnight, Gloria Victis' revival, the Cryptic mess, Neverwinter, and Albion Online, with a run-down of all the cool stuff coming in early December (WoW's housing, LOTRO Kingdoms of Harad, EverQuest Shattering of Ro, Destiny 2 Renegades, Guild Wars Reforged, along with adventures in LOTRO, Guild Wars 2, and WoW, plus a mailbag topic on predatory MMO monetization.
Well, today is the day when Destiny 2 marries Star Wars for reasons: Destiny 2 Renegades is officially live for fans who can make it make sense in their head or just, you know, love the heck out of lightsabers and John Williams-esque music. Which is most of us. “Today, Bungie launches Destiny 2: Renegades, […]
The new era of Destiny 2, spearheaded by June's Edge of Fate expansion, hasn't exactly gone to plan for Bungie. I was extremely excited for a fresh Destiny experience post-Light and Dark saga, but so far it's failed to hit the mark. Looking across the last four or five years as a whole, I'd still proclaim that Destiny 2 is my 'favorite' shooter, but since Edge of Fate arrived, players have massively leaked from the game - myself included, in recent times. However, a Star Wars-themed expansion sounds like just the ticket to renew interest, and to an extent, Destiny 2 Renegades has done just that, with a healthy Steam spike on launch day and plenty of praise for certain aspects of the new campaign. However, that spike is still a long way off where Destiny 2 should be.
Destiny 2 Renegades arrives with the long-running MMO-lite in something of a nadir. The game’s last expansion, Edge of Fate, was intended to kick off a new story arc, but flopped. Player numbers are down, and while Renegades’ Star Wars roots would have been put down years ago, a cynical eye could see it as a desperate attempt to grab back attention.
With Bungie’s back against the wall, I’m pleased to say that this shorter, medium-sized expansion is much, much better than Edge of Fate, and while it doesn’t necessarily shake up the Destiny formula too much, it might just show there’s plenty of life in this old Jedi, sorry, Praxic Warlock, yet.
The Escapist recaps
Renegades is the second Destiny 2 expansion of 2025, following on from the divisive Edge of Fate.
The Star Wars links are goofy, but Bungie leans into a way that feels earnest, providing the set dressing for a solid campaign.
They got Star Wars in my Destiny
May the Light be with you. Image credit: Bungie
Let’s get the obvious out of the way – Renegades is a homage to Star Wars from the first frame of a huge ship lumbering into view while it chases a smaller craft, and it doesn’t really let up from there.
It’s all a bit silly, yes, but it actually leans into the more pulpy feel of Renegades’ action. There are moments of weight, but there’s also a hefty dose of chaos throughout its campaign.
Part of the reason Star Wars works so well here is that Destiny has long held ideas that have felt analogous to the Lucasfilm property. Guardians and Dredgen have long felt like two sides of the same coin, like Jedi and Sith, and if that coin is The Force, then you can easily swap that out with Light and Darkness.
There’s plenty more, of course, but the big change this time around is how the story feels much closer to A New Hope or Return of the Jedi.
That’s because a new bad guy, Dredgen Bael, pops up alongside a new sect of the Cabal called the Barant Imperium. They’re kitted out in white armor, fancy new shield tech, and even have AT-ST-looking walkers, and they’re also building a superweapon.
The usual Destiny 2 story caveats apply: Expect to deal with a lot of exposition, and an awful lot of important dialogue during combat, but after the timey-wimey of Edge of Fate, something a little more straightforward is very, very welcome.
Aleks Le, whose deep, dulcet tones bring Dredgen Bael to life, gives a phenomenal performance, flitting between calculating and genuine naivety within a heartbeat. He’s clearly inspired by Kylo Ren, sure, but his writing and the nature of the questions he poses give a vastly different look at what we’ve held true since our first steps onto the Cosmodrome in 2014.
New Frontier
You can hear the Cantina Theme from here. Image credit: Bungie
While the campaign takes us all over the galaxy and back to new social space Tharsis Outpost, the real meat is in The Lawless Frontier.
I’ve been begging for this more sandbox-like approach to Destiny 2 content for a while, and I’m so pleased to report that the new activity type is a blast.
Drop in solo or with others to complete a series of objectives and escape, with objectives ranging from hunting a boss to blowing s**t up. I was worried that having a wider playspace might make Destiny’s combat lose some of its shine, but the inclusion of new Renegade abilities like bombing runs from your ship or health pickups are a fun twist.
My only real gripe with this system is that it’s mapped to the same button as not only finishers, but also triggering your Prismatic transcendence. I lost track of the number of times I intended to finish an opponent or trigger my Prismatic superpowers, only to accidentally threaten to drop a Cabal drop pod on my head.
Another way Bungie has kept the activity exciting is by dialing up the enemy density in just about every area in the Lawless Frontier. There are so many enemies that I was regularly finishing missions with four to five hundred eliminations, making it a great way to test your new builds.
Once the dust settles, you’re encouraged to head back to Tharsis Outpost, and it’s here where you’ll take on jobs for the crime syndicates that preside over the frontier. On the one hand, a new social space is welcome since the Tower was feeling a little quiet, and its smaller interiors make it feel much more like a bustling hive of activity.
On the other hand, I really wish the spawn point could be closer to the actual cantina itself – it’s a small nitpick, but running across the frontage just feels like unnecessary busywork.
Fight Saber
This isn’t a lightsaber, it’s a Praxic Blade. Image credit: Bungie
I’ve deliberately avoided speaking about the Praxic Blade, because for me it felt a step too far – and in some ways, it still does.
This is a weapon so iconic that putting it anywhere other than Star Wars makes me feel a little uneasy. Plus, after over a decade of Destiny, we’ve not seen one, and now they’re all over the place.
Still, I will say that it’s an awful lot of fun to use, customizable colors and all, with the option to deflect projectiles and hurl it at foes, making it a joy to use. It doesn’t fit, but it’s fun, and while I won’t spoil how you can get one of your own, I will say it’s tied to one of the best exotic missions in Destiny 2 in a while.
Much more appropriate are blaster weapons, a new archetype that eschews ammo in favor of needing to be vented to prevent heat buildup. Again, I wasn’t sure how these would feel, but each one feels fantastic in its own way, from the initial Pulse Rifle to the Hand Cannon and a new Heavy Sniper option, too.
I’ll have more to say about the Portal and endgame systems in the coming days, but as of right now, Renegades feels like the expansion that gets Destiny 2 back on track.
Whether Bungie can continue that momentum remains to be seen, and much could hinge on what we’re doing in a few weeks, given that we now have less content month-to-month than we used to.
Still, with a fun story, great new weapons, and a chaotic new activity stitching it all together, we might just be back.
Ask The Escapist
Is Destiny 2 Renegades set in the Star Wars universe?
No, fear not – while Lucasfilm worked with Bungie to help inspire the expansion, you won’t be taking on quests from Luke Skywalker or bumping into Darth Vader.
Is Destiny 2 Renegades worth buying?
The latest expansion is included in the Year of Prophecy, so if you already have Edge of Fate, you may have it already.
Is this expansion a good starting point?
In truth, there’s no real starting point for Destiny 2 these days, but the story here is perhaps easier to follow than it has been in other expansions.
Ever since Destiny 2's Star Wars "homage" DLC, Renegades, was announced, I was unsure what to think about it. But after a few hours, it became abundantly clear that it was all very wink-wink, nudge-nudge stuff.
Just about everything within the story of Renegades is Star Wars-flavored, as you would expect from the partnership between Bungie and Lucasfilm. There's a lawless frontier, good vs. evil, a weapon of mass destruction, and lightsabers. It's all been told before in different ways, but now through the lens of the Destiny franchise.
You down there, Boba? Screenshot by Destructoid
And you know what? For the most part, I really dig it.
Death Star? Check. Jedi and Sith? Yep. Lightsabers? Of course! A dingy marketplace and cantina that's Destiny's version of a wretched hive of scum and villainy? You got it. Walking tanks similar to the AT-AT? Bingo. And wouldn't you know it, someone even loses a hand.
It's even got a villain who's more Kylo Ren than Adam Driver, but to my pleasant surprise, it's all still very Destiny and fits well within the parameters of the franchise. New areas are inspired by the sci-fi stuff of legend. Mars looks like Tattooine with its own Taken-flavored "sarlacc pit," Venus is very Return of the Jedi Dagobah, and Europa stands in for the icy planet of Hoth.
The Cabal "Imperion" in their white armor are meant to evoke Stormtroopers, their "Death Star" (which seemingly came out of nowhere, but that's explained via the campaign), and the blaster weaponry are all examples of a DLC that's Star Wars, but at the same time, not.
He wants to be free of his pain. Screenshot by Destructoid
In the end, it's a pretty cool product. Using the Destiny version of a lightsaber (Praxic Blade) by way of the franchise's version of the Jedi (Praxic Order) to deal with what can be described as Destiny's Sith (Dredgens) just kind of fits. And that's probably because, like a lot of sci-fi stories, Destiny was already taking several cues from Star Wars originally.
But it's not all good news, and I've got a bad feeling about this! Almost every mission of the campaign takes place in the format of the Lawless Frontier activity, where you deploy into an area, complete some objectives, and then exfil. Only a couple of the missions have Destiny 2's trademark setpieces and action sequences, with a handful of cutscenes along the way. The rest of the exposition is through radio dialogue and several annoying trips back to social spaces for your next objective.
There are Easter Eggs everywhere if you look for them, like this wreckage that's meant to evoke memories of pod racing in the image below. It's a fun egg hunt for Star Wars fans who enjoy Destiny, and vice versa. And it's all told within the confines of a Destiny 2 story that advances the plot forward after the events of The Edge of Fate's big revelations.
Now THIS is pod racing! Screenshot by Destructoid
Will Renegades save Destiny 2? I don't know, but probably not. It's still got many of the same issues as far as keeping players coming back, but for now, this DLC is something that I can look to and say I had some good fun with.
It remains to be seen if I or others will be back for next weekly reset, but I'm taking this campaign as a minor victory for now.
Destiny 2's next expansion looms, and some guardians are already engaging in their usual rituals before the new content drops. If you didn't get everything you wanted, you can still farm some weapons before Renegades kicks off on Dec. 2.
Our usual pre-expansion rituals include getting our builds ready, keeping a clean inventory, and figuring out the seasonal fashion—arguably the most important part. Farming gear is a part of the preparations: it's a good way to guarantee certain items before their drop sources see potential alterations, and it also offers powerful gear that should be in any guardian's arsenal.
For instance, you shouldn't drop into Renegades without a Mint Retrograde in your vault, after all, even if you're probably swapping it out for some of the Star Wars-inspired guns in the expansion. Here are the top weapons we recommend farming before Renegades lands on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
We couldn't leave this one out of the list. Screenshot by Destructoid
Source: Pinnacle Ops
The gun that's at the top of the food chain in the current Destiny 2 sandbox is, unsurprisingly, at the top of our list of the best weapons to farm before the next expansion. Mint Retrograde will maintain its high damage but take a nerf to its ammo economy in Renegades, so you can still keep it glued to your Kinetic slot—just like the other 45 percent of guardians using this weapon, as per Bungie's own stats.
Unfall
The cooler Drang. Screenshot by Destructoid
Source: Portal
Rocket sidearms may not be as much of a big-ticket item as they were when the archetype was born in late 2023, but they're still in quite a comfortable place in the sandbox. Bungie added Unfall in the Ash & Iron update, bringing with it a new perk pool, synergy with Sturm, and a New Gear tag. This weapon performs just fine without its Exotic counterpart, though. It doesn't roll Voltshot like Indebted Kindness, but it does bring Jolting Feedback and Master of Arms to the mix.
Returned Memory from the Crucible is another great option—good enough to make the cut into the list, thanks to a little help from Zavala.
MIDA Mini-Tool
Return of the King. Kind of. Screenshot by Destructoid
Source: Portal
After the reissued CALUS Mini-Tool made a splash in Season of the Haunted, it's time for the post-Edge of Fate MIDA Mini-Tool to shine. This SMG is a powerful workhorse weapon with some best-in-slot perks and Solar synergy. Heal Clip and Incandescent, the usual suspects, now have a new sibling in Burning Ambition, and the Mini-Tool can roll with all of those—plus old favorites such as Attrition Orbs, Frenzy, and Master of Arms.
The MIDA Mini-Tool is a good weapon to get before Renegades, especially if you're using a Solar build. Odds are you won't ditch a god-rolled Yeartide Apex for it, but this SMG is the best option if you missed Solstice's most coveted gun.
Outrageous Fortune
Don't blow yourself up. Screenshot by Destructoid
Source: Pinnacle Ops
Grenade launchers have stayed steady in the meta for a couple of years now, so Outrageous Fortune is a great option to bring into your first run of the Renegades campaign. This powerful heavy weapon can roll Envious Arsenal paired with Bait and Switch, which is top-tier for damage, and it comes with a New Gear tag to match.
Submersion or Synanceia
We're getting another one of these, but no harm in grabbing one early. Screenshot by DestructoidEager Edge can always come in handy. Screenshot by Destructoid
The Call to Arms weapons aren't farmable, but they're still obtainable. Opening the daily event chest in the Tower awards all sorts of gear, with a chance of dropping your attuned weapon. Change your attunement by speaking to Devrim.
Out of the event weapons, Submersion is arguably the most important, though we're getting a Void heavy crossbow with Renegades based on videos from content creators. Synanceia is also a good option for a New Gear sword with Eager Edge (y'know, in case you need to endlessly run Salt Mines again for the next Call to Arms).
Returned Memory
No PvP required. Screenshot by Destructoid
Rocket sidearms are never out of style, and Returned Memory is another entry to this weapon family. This Crucible gun comes with great perks such as Heal Clip and Impulse Amplifier paired with Redirection, Incandescent, Burning Ambition, and One For All.
If you'd rather not set foot in PvP, however, Zavala is selling this as the featured weapon this week. While none of his rolls have all those perks at the same time, the offerings are still quite spicy.
Theodolite
It's not The Mountaintop, but it'll do. Image via Bungie
Source: Pinnacle Ops
The Mountaintop has a younger sibling, and this time, it goes on your Energy slot. Theodolite is the new Arc-aligned micro-missile frame with strong damage potential for Majors. Aim for Reconstruction or Blast Distributor with Voltshot, Reaper's Tithe, Frenzy, or Elemental Honing for big damage numbers.
Lionfish-4FR
Lives up to the Veist name. Screenshot by Destructoid
Source: Portal
Even now, over three years after its debut, Riptide is basically synonymous with Stasis fusion rifles, so Lionfish-4FR has some big shoes to fill. And it seems up to the task.
Lionfish has Reconstruction paired with Chill Clip, an improvement on Riptide's Auto-Loading Holster/Chill Clip. It also rolls with Controlled Burst, Elemental Honing, or Reservoir Burst in the fourth column, which you can use for a more damage-based role.
Honorable mention: Smoke Jumper armor
The little sirens light up, in case you were wondering. Screenshot by Destructoid
The Smoke Jumper armor is, by most definitions of the word, not a weapon. That said, it's one of the most popular and powerful new sets in Edge of Fate. Community figure TheAegisRelic put this "disgustingly OP" set in the S-Tier in their endgame list, which is high praise. Since this list is about grabbing good gear before Renegades, Smoke Jumper couldn't be off the menu, even if just as an honorable mention.
The best part of the Smoke Jumper set by far is Ride Together, Die Together, its two-piece bonus. It gives a short-lived damage reduction when picking up orbs of power, which are easy to generate in the current sandbox. The four-piece isn't bad (Aegis gave it a B), but grab at least two well-rolled pieces of armor before Renegades.
Renegades is coming to Destiny 2 as the next major expansion, and less than a week is left for it to go live on PCs and consoles.
The upcoming expansion will drop as part of update 9.5.0 and includes plenty of new content. But first, you'll have to pre-load and install the update, and then wait for it to go live. This guide will help you keep track of all the upcoming maintenance and when they can jump in to access the servers.
Destiny 2 Renegades release countdown
Destiny 2 Renegades goes live on Dec. 2 across all platforms. While most updates usually go live at 12am CST, Renegades will follow a slightly different set of timings. The following countdown will expire once the update goes live, and you can access the servers.
[hurrytimer id="1147882"]
The countdown is based on the following timings.
9am PST
11am CST
12pm EST
5pm GMT
6pm CET
The timings are based on the latest This Week in Destiny blog. The countdown expires when players will be able to access update 9.5.0 and all the Renegades content that will be available at launch. To do so, they will have to pre-load the update that goes live one hour before the servers are online (at 10am CST).
The complete maintenance is scheduled to end at 1pm CST, so expect some issues in the first couple of hours after Renegades goes live. Bungie has also informed the total space you'll require to install the update.
PlayStation 5: 173.5 GB
PlayStation 4: 204.87 GB
Xbox Series X|S: 171.11 GB
Xbox One: 161.02 GB
Steam: 326.10 GB
Epic Games Store: 325.65 GB
Microsoft Store: 159.33 GB
The total required storage space mentioned here includes all the previously released expansions and the additional capacity you'll need for downloading Renegades. There's plenty of exciting content coming our way as part of the expansion, and we will have dedicated guides to help you clear all the content.
Destiny 2: Renegades launches next week, and I'm still relatively unsure how to feel about the "Star Wars-inspired" expansion.
Renegades still feels to me like Bungie just said "hey, Star Wars is cool, let's do this partnership" just because it could, regardless of how it may fit into the Destiny 2 story. Having blaster weapons and light sabers in Destiny is possible, sure, but it still feels kind of off. But now, I'm not so sure I care anymore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_07pVzO5no
After today's live stream and ViDoc, I feel more excited about the game than I have in a very long time. I'm still not fully sold on it, but the John Williams-esque soundtrack, good vs. evil sword battles, and being an outlaw in wild space entice me after all.
Renegades has its "Jedi" in Aunor, and its "Sith" in Dredgen Bael (who sounds like he's trying to emulate Adam Driver as Kylo Ren a bit too much for my liking), and it looks like they will come to blows with their "lightsabers" (Praxic Blade, a new Exotic sword). And for the first time, I felt moved.
I have some Star Wars burnout like seemingly everyone else, but lightsabers are always going to be cool. Destiny has had swords for many years now (about 10, actually), but the ability to swing and sway the blade to deflect incoming fire is just so naturally Star Wars and out of place in Destiny, but it's so cool that I don't mind how out of place it may be.
The Lawless Frontier activity is one of the big new additions in Renegades, where you as a Guardian are taking on "shady jobs" in the lawlessness that has become Mars. This includes being a Bounty Hunter like Boba Fett, hunting down high-value targets, and getting loot. This feels more Destiny-ish to me, so sign me up.
I have no idea if, or for how long, Renegades will hook me back into Destiny. This summer's expansion, The Edge of Fate, was fine, I guess. But according to Steam, I haven't opened the game since August. And judging by SteamCharts, I am not alone.
Image via Bungie
I'm still relatively sure my days of Destiny 2 being a habitual game that I play multiple days a week are over. I'm just hoping for a good story to move things forward after The Edge of Fate's revelations, and I don't know if this Star Wars-themed stuff is going to do it.
For now, I'm cautiously optimistic that Renegades will be cool enough and Star Wars enough (but not too much) to bring me back in the fold, so I'll be there on launch day Dec. 2 to try it all out.
