Despite giving their best shot with The Final Shape in the summer of 2024, Destiny 2’s latest major expansion failed to bag profitable returns for the developers. Even though it was a critical success, the release of The Final Shape was soon followed by layoffs at Bungie. Indeed, this further shed darker clouds on the game’s already bleak-looking future; resulting in its players being more confused than ever.
However, Destiny 2 devs are more determined than ever to stay with the shooter game. They have even rolled out an extensive plan for the upcoming year. As it turns out, the Destiny 2 2025 Roadmap promises big updates and gameplay overhauls, practically changing the core experience you’ve come to know. So, if you have recently started playing the game, consider getting some Destiny 2 boosting to be fully prepared for what lies ahead!
An all-new expansion model
Gone are the days of yearly Destiny 2 expansions. Bungie has now adopted an all-new biannual expansion model to roll out new gameplay content. Starting in 2025, two mid-size expansions will be released each year. For 2025, the first one is currently titled Apollo (slated for a Summer 2025 release) while the second one is called Behemoth (scheduled for a Winter 2025 release). Each of these two expansions will introduce players to new stories, locations, missions, weapons, gears, raids, and dungeons to experience and take part in.
Please note that these are codenames and that the actual names for these expansions will be revealed near their launch.
Along the lines of biannual expansions, there will also be four major Destiny 2 updates which will be free for all players. These will be launched alongside the start of every season, i.e., Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter; of 2025. What’s more, is that a Rewards Pass will accompany each of these Destiny 2 updates. Unlike the updates, the seasonal Rewards Pass will not be free.
Non-linear focus on gameplay
An additional change Bungie is planning to bring with its Destiny 2 2025 roadmap is a less linear narrative. Per the dev blog, Destiny 2 narratives will have a set beginning after the Apollo expansion; however, players can choose what to do next and where to go.
In Alison Luhrs’s own words, “In Codename: Apollo, our story takes place over dozens of threads you’ll explore and discover. So, when you land on our brand-new location, the story starts at A, and then you can choose if you want to explore C first, or try and get into B, or maybe investigate D.”
If you ask me, this take on non-linear gameplay is more akin to open-world RPGs, like Skyrim and The Witcher 3, which is not a bad thing. However, what’s more important here is to see how these narrative junctions will form and disperse in Destiny 2 once they roll out.
With the Light and Darkness Saga concluded, Destiny 2 is poised to embark on a new multi-year narrative arc. While specifics remain under wraps, Bungie hints at character-driven adventures and the possibility of exploring new frontiers beyond the Sol System.
Challenge system
As part of the Destiny 2 2025 roadmap, Bungie is all set to introduce a revamped Challenge Customization system. This new system will allow players to manually adjust activity difficulty levels according to their skill level, which will also influence the rewards obtained.
For example, if you go with higher difficulty, you will get higher-level rewards for completing the challenge. Conversely, lower-difficulty challenges will yield simpler rewards. This flexibility will let players select challenges that align with their desired gameplay intensity.
Moreover, as part of this overhaul, Bungie is also introducing the “Feats” system, which adds layers of difficulty customization to activities like raids and dungeons. It’s similar to the Skulls system from Bungie’s Halo games, where activating different (optional) modifiers makes the gameplay more difficult but also more rewarding. The “Feats” system in Destiny 2 is designed to enhance replayability by offering additional rewards to players for completing specific challenges at high-level difficulty.
Because we’ve been hearing from players for some time now calling for a Destiny 2 sequel that addresses the shortcomings of the current game, the next two years are very important for the game. Bungie is confident in continuing with Destiny 2 as no sequel is in sight. With the codename Frontiers, the beloved Sci-Fi franchise is heading in an all-new direction. Apollo will be the first chapter of an all-new Destiny 2 saga, which will be further expanded in the Arsenal and Surge updates.
But with so many of these announcements laid out, only time—and fan reactions further down the line—will tell if these additions are worth it. But for now, this is all there is for the Destiny 2 2025 roadmap.
