The action MMO Destiny 2 will allow all platforms to play together seamlessly in the future – as early as 2021. We explain what this means and what concrete plans there are for the two next-gen consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X, as well as other platforms.
This article from December 9, 2020, was updated on March 15, 2021. Bungie revealed when crossplay will come in 2021 and more about its implementation.
What we know about crossplay: With the reveal of the next Destiny chapter “Beyond Light”, Bungie also announced that Destiny 2 will accompany us until at least 2022. We now know the plans go even further. The future brings not only new story content, weapons, or activities, but also finally crossplay.
Cross-platform gaming is currently a very high priority for Bungie, as Mark Noseworthy (General Manager for Destiny 2) revealed some time ago in an interview with MeinMMO.
What we now know about Destiny 2’s crossplay for PS5 & Xbox Series X
The crossplay feature will be realized in two steps:
Intergenerational Crossplay: With the release of the next-gen consoles PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, the so-called intergenerational crossplay or cross-generation play was introduced. This feature allows players on PS4 and PS5 to easily play together. The same applies to Microsoft’s consoles Xbox One and the Xbox Series X and S.
Full Crossplay: By 2021, these platforms will be able to play together: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, as well as PC (Steam) and Google Stadia.
When will crossplay come? Crossplay will come for all platforms in Season 15, which is in autumn 2021. In Season 14, they want to conduct initial tests to best prepare for the merging of all Guardians.
- We now also know that PC and console players will only face each other in PvP if console players are invited by their friends on PC. They will then play together in the PC player pool.
- There was a major concern among players that controller users might have to compete against “mouse and keyboard” Guardians without asking. In PvE, everything will likely be handled a bit more loosely.
To prepare for crossplay, Bungie is now implementing significant changes for players with mouse and keyboard. This is intended to minimize the difference with controllers.
What does it mean for the players?
Full crossplay means that existing boundaries will be broken down. You will be able to embark on adventures with all your friends and gaming buddies – regardless of who is playing on which platform. The various console generations, as well as PC and Stadia, will merge into a large overarching community.
Since December 8, the next-gen upgrade has been available for free. This allows the PS5 and the new Xbox to benefit from the significantly more powerful consoles and offers, among other things, up to 120 FPS, 4K resolution, and an adjustable field of view.
As preparation for the crossplay feature, Destiny 2 has relied on cross-save since autumn 2019. This allows players to share their progress across platforms.
Are you already excited to save the universe cross-platform? What do you think, will many console players join the PC Guardians in the Crucible, or do you find that unfair despite the adjustments?
In 2021, Bungie also completely removed the annoying weapon retirement feature. This had significantly dampened the fun for many Guardians: No weapon retirement anymore – Destiny 2 finally kills its biggest criticism
