Destiny 2 is abandoning big annual expansions and linear campaigns in favour of more frequent releases that are 'mysterious, weird, and not afraid to try new things'
The arrival of the 10th anniversary of Destiny heralds some big changes in the works for Destiny 2, which will drop linear campaigns completely following the end of The Final Shape in favor of two «medium-sized» expansions per year, along with four«major updates» that will be free for all players.
Previous Destiny 2 expansions have been built around major campaigns that push the story forward in big ways—the problem for Bungie being that while those campaigns are very resource-intensive to create, committed players can blow through them in a day or two. Post-Final Shape expansions will forgo that in favor things like «non-linear campaigns, exploration experiences similar to the Dreaming City or Metroidvanias, and even more unusual formats like roguelikes or survival shooters,» built around unifying core themes but on a smaller scale.
«Starting next year, instead of one big expansion, we are going to deliver two medium-sized expansions, one every six months,» game director Tyson Green wrote. «Each of these will depart from the one-shot campaign structure we’ve been using essentially unchanged since Shadowkeep, and each will be an opportunity to explore exciting new formats instead.»
It's a major structural change, but Green said Bungie's commitment to «great storytelling» will remain intact. «Going forward, we want to return the mystery and wonder that was woven into the fabric of early Destiny, when the story felt ripe with possibilities and an epic sense of exploration and discovery.»
The episodic structure that replaced Destiny 2's seasonal model last year is also being scrapped in favor of four free «Major Updates» that will occur, well, seasonally: Each expansion will kick off alongside a Major Update, followed by a second three months later; Major Updates will include new and updated activities, rewards, and weekly events, plus the usual array of fixed and balance updates.
«Each update will be a substantial refresh of the core game, bringing new activities and
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