In the fall of 2020, Destiny 2 is expected to continue with a major fall expansion, which is now considered almost certain. However, we might also catch a glimpse of Destiny 3 – at least in parts.
Where does Destiny 2 currently stand? Destiny 2 is slowly approaching the end of Season 10 and its now third year. In June, Season 11 will begin, marking the final season of Year 3. According to Bungie, this season is supposed to be something very special – unlike any season before. In the fall, the end of Season 11 and the start of Year 4 is likely to bring the next “big thing” for Destiny 2. But what exactly?
What is on the horizon for Destiny?
What’s next for Destiny 2? Currently, it seems that Bungie wants to stick with Destiny 2 for the next few years after the split from Activision. A successor currently seems rather unlikely.
On one hand, there is the famous 7-Year Plan from the fall of 2019, which suggests that Destiny 2 will likely continue for several more years.
On the other hand, Bungie mentioned in the “This Week at Bungie” blog on May 7 that the Trials are to receive new armor every year (e.g., in Years 4, 5, and 6). It was also noted in the TWaB from April 30 that there should be a major step forward each year in the form of a new expansion. The Destiny experience is expected to grow year by year.
Moreover, Bungie recently officially announced that Destiny 2 will also be available on the next-gen consoles PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Currently, it seems very likely that Destiny 2 will continue – with an improved seasonal model and a major annual expansion. Therefore, it is almost certain that Year 4 of Destiny 2 will kick off this coming fall with a major expansion.
However, we might also see Destiny 3 around that time.
What was that again about Destiny 3? There have been rumors about a possible Destiny 3 for years, along with some concrete leaks providing potential details.
These included not only dubious theories from questionable sources on 4chan but also leaks from established and reputable leakers like AnonTheNine in the community. He had an excellent reputation as he predicted numerous details about Destiny 2 and the Forsaken expansion months in advance.
For instance, he mentioned
- new enemies, the true servants of darkness
- a conflict between light and darkness
- darkness-based subclasses
- and new locations – including the flagship of the pyramid-like ships of darkness
Why we might see Destiny 3 in the fall
Wait, Destiny 3? While we probably won’t get a successor to Destiny 2 in the fall, we could nevertheless get a glimpse of Destiny 3, or its alleged contents, in the form of the new fall expansion.
Because at the moment, quite a lot suggests that we could soon witness parts of what the leaks about Destiny 3 have been mentioning some time ago.
The story development supports this: On one hand, the recent developments in the story indeed support the idea that the rumored contents might come true this fall. The fleet of darkness is getting closer. It’s anticipated that it will be presented as a significant threat towards the end of Season 10 or at the beginning of Season 11, against which there will be a battle in the major fall expansion.
A new enemy race, a new location on the flagship of darkness, which might have been briefly visible in a teaser, and new abilities related to darkness don’t seem far-fetched. On the contrary – everything seems to fit well into the overall picture being built around Destiny 2.
The split from Activision might have altered plans for Destiny 3: Additionally, the development or release pattern of Destiny from the Activision era indicates this.
When Bungie was still working with the publisher Activision, there was a strict pattern for how games and content were released. In the fall, there was a main game, followed by two major expansions over the next two years, then a successor. Following this pattern, this fall, after the Forsaken and Shadowkeep expansion, it would be time for Destiny 3.
However, since Bungie separated from Activision last year, they are no longer tied to this strict release plan and have obviously moved away from it. But it is certainly likely and plausible that Bungie had already been working on Destiny 3 before the split from Activision. After all, it would have been due by the old pattern this year.
It is clear by now that this work will not result in a Destiny 3. However, it is rather unlikely that everything will be completely scrapped. Bungie is known for not wasting such resources.
It is quite conceivable that we could see these parts of the work for Destiny 3 in the upcoming fall add-on for Destiny 2. Thus, we might still catch a glimpse of Destiny 3 – albeit differently than some had envisioned. Considering this background, such an assumption does not seem completely far-fetched.
Whether this will ultimately come true and what direction Destiny 2 will take with the new fall expansion, we will likely learn officially very soon. Bungie has announced new information about the fall and the general future of Destiny 2 for the coming weeks and months as part of an information offensive.
What do you think? Was Destiny 3 entirely scrapped in favor of Destiny 2, postponed, or could it have been infused into the upcoming new fall expansion?
