Destiny 2's big Witch Queen expansion launches February 2022
UPDATE: After a Bungie 30th anniversary event featuring Destiny's loot cave.
UPDATE 5.30pm: Bungie has announced a 30th anniversary event to be held this December, in-game within Destiny 2, with a new dungeon set within Destiny's iconic loot cave. Themed items will be offered celebrating Bungie's past, including previous games, and return the fan-favourite weapon Gjallarhorn.
A six-player matchmade activity will be made available for free, but the above will come as part of a paid 30th Anniversary event pack that will let you explore the Loot Cave dungeon, gain a Thorn-inspired armour set and the claymore sword from Myth.
Separately, as well as confirming all of the below leaked details on Destiny's upcoming Witch Queen expansion, Bungie also gave a name to the game's big finale expansion set to wrap up the franchise's first 10-year slab of story. The Final Shape will round off Destiny's "Light and Darkness Saga" at some point following its previously-announced 2023 expansion Lightfall.
ORIGINAL STORY 12.30pm: Witch Queen, the next big expansion for Destiny 2, will launch on 22nd February 2022. (Hey, that's 22/2/22!)
Details of the expansion are set to be fully announced by Bungie tonight in its big Destiny livestream at 5pm UK time. Or, you can find them now via details scooped up from the PlayStation Store (thanks, True Trophies).
This store listing details the new destination coming to Destiny 2 alongside the expansion, as well as an all-new weapon type. If you'd prefer to watch Bungie dole out this information later, here's your last chance to look away.
In what Bungie describes as "the definitive Destiny campaign", players will explore the new destination of Savathûn's Throne World in Witch Queen and apparently discover how she "stole the Light".
This location is said to be "a twisted wonderland of corruption and splendor" and include a palace and a swamp. Hmm, how about some ogres?
Witch Queen will also introduce weapon crafting with unique mod, shader and stat combinations, as well as a fresh Glaive weapon type. Master this, Bungie says, to unleash "melee combos, projectile attacks, and a deployable energy shield".
Pre-orders for the expansion will net you an additional exotic Ghost Shell, emote and emblem. A Deluxe Edition will also include access to Seasons 16-19 and two Year 5 dungeons, plus other in-game gubbins.
Yesterday, Bungie showed a glimpse at Savathûn herself - a long-awaited villain who has been referenced within Destiny since pretty much day one.
But tonight will also lay out details for Season of the Lost, the imminent new season which will set up Witch Queen and also see the return of Destiny's OG Reef royalty Mara Sov.
Tune in at 5pm UK tonight for more.