Since Destiny 2 launched in 2017, Bungie has transformed the game through major expansions, story updates, new destinations, subclasses, raids, and gameplay systems. Some releases became defining moments for the franchise, while others introduced mechanics that significantly changed how Guardians played.
Here’s a look at the major chapters of Destiny 2, from the original Red War campaign through the latest era of the game.
The Red War 2017
Destiny 2 launched with The Red War, the campaign that introduced players to the game’s new storyline. The Red Legion attacked Earth under Emperor Ghaul, captured the Traveler, and stripped Guardians of their Light.
Players joined the resistance in the Last City before eventually confronting Ghaul and restoring the Traveler’s connection to the Guardians.
Although The Red War was part of the base game rather than a traditional expansion, it established the foundation for the years of storytelling that followed.
Curse of Osiris 2017
The first major paid expansion sent Guardians to Mercury to find Osiris, a legendary Warlock attempting to stop the Vex from creating a disastrous future.
The expansion added new story missions, Mercury activities, and strikes, while the Infinite Forest became a major part of the experience. It also introduced Raid Lairs, beginning with Eater of Worlds.
Warmind 2018
Warmind shifted the action to Mars, where Guardians investigated Rasputin and faced an awakened Hive threat led by the worm god Xol.
One of its most memorable additions was Escalation Protocol, a wave-based public activity that challenged players to survive increasingly difficult enemy encounters. The expansion also added Spire of Stars and new PvP ranking systems.
Forsaken 2018
Few expansions changed Destiny 2 as dramatically as Forsaken. The campaign revolved around Cayde-6’s death and the Guardian’s hunt for the Scorn Barons.
The expansion added the Tangled Shore and Dreaming City, while also introducing Gambit, the Last Wish raid, The Shattered Throne dungeon, new weapons, additional Supers, and a substantial amount of seasonal content.
Forsaken became a defining chapter in the game’s history and significantly expanded what Destiny 2 could offer.
Shadowkeep 2019
Shadowkeep brought Guardians back to the Moon, where Eris Morn was investigating disturbing manifestations known as Nightmares.
The expansion also provided one of the game’s earliest encounters with the Pyramid fleet and introduced the Garden of Salvation raid and Pit of Heresy dungeon. Armor 2.0 was another important addition, giving players considerably more control over their armor builds.
Beyond Light 2020
Europa became the setting for Beyond Light, where Guardians faced Eramis and learned to wield Stasis, the first Darkness subclass.
The expansion represented a major change for Destiny 2. Bungie began using the Destiny Content Vault to remove older content, including several destinations and campaigns, while the game transitioned toward a new era.
The Deep Stone Crypt raid and new Europa-based activities were among the expansion’s major additions.
Bungie 30th Anniversary 2021
The Bungie 30th Anniversary release celebrated the studio’s history while adding new content to Destiny 2.
Dares of Eternity became a popular six-player activity, while the Grasp of Avarice dungeon offered another challenging endgame experience. The update also introduced weapons and cosmetics inspired by Bungie’s previous games.
The Witch Queen 2022
Savathûn took center stage in The Witch Queen. The Hive god gained access to the Light and created Hive Guardians capable of using abilities similar to those of the player’s character.
The expansion introduced the Vow of the Disciple raid and eventually helped reshape the Light subclasses. The new Aspects and Fragments system opened up far more possibilities for buildcrafting.
Lightfall 2023
Lightfall continued the confrontation with The Witness and introduced Neomuna, a futuristic city hidden on Neptune.
Guardians also gained Strand, the second Darkness subclass. Alongside the campaign and Root of Nightmares raid, the expansion delivered several major quality-of-life features, including loadouts, Guardian Ranks, commendations, and changes to armor mods.
Into the Light 2024
Released as a free update before The Final Shape, Into the Light gave players a substantial amount of content while they waited for the next major chapter.
Onslaught introduced a dedicated horde-style activity, while Pantheon challenged experienced players with difficult raid encounters. The update also brought back The Whisper and Zero Hour Exotic missions and introduced the BRAVE Arsenal, featuring a collection of iconic weapons.
The Final Shape 2024
The Final Shape brought the long-running Light and Darkness saga toward its conclusion. Guardians entered the Traveler and explored the Pale Heart, a surreal destination filled with locations and memories connected to the franchise’s history.
The expansion introduced Prismatic, allowing players to combine Light and Darkness abilities. New Supers and Exotic class items further expanded character customization.
The confrontation with The Witness culminated in the Salvation’s Edge raid and Excision mission. Following the expansion, three Episodes continued several smaller storylines before the game moved into a new saga.
The Edge of Fate 2025
With the Light and Darkness saga finished, The Edge of Fate began the next major storyline, known as the Fate Saga.
Guardians traveled to Kepler, a mysterious world affected by a time anomaly, while the story began exploring the enigmatic Nine in greater detail.
The expansion also introduced the Portal, a new system designed to organize activities around different difficulty levels and modifiers. Changes to armor, stats, and progression accompanied the new system, while the Desert Perpetual raid provided a new endgame challenge.
Renegades 2025
Renegades continued the Fate Saga while taking inspiration from the Star Wars universe through a collaboration with Lucasfilm.
The expansion introduced the Lawless Frontier activity and new abilities and weapons. Instead of adding a completely new destination, it reimagined familiar locations with themes inspired by iconic Star Wars worlds.
The story focused on Dredgen Bael and the Barant Imperium, who sought to destroy the Guardians with the Eclipse-powered Nightfall Station.
Monument of Triumph 2026
Monument of Triumph arrived as a major final update rather than a traditional expansion. Despite its classification, the update introduced enough new material to resemble a mini-expansion.
Each class received a new Aspect, while Stasis and Strand gained additional grenades. Sparrow Racing League also returned, and Pantheon was brought back with bosses from previously vaulted raids.
The update also moved away from the Portal system and restored greater importance to traditional destinations, raids, and dungeons. Players once again had meaningful reasons to explore destinations and participate in public activities.
The Evolution of Destiny 2
The history of Destiny 2 is defined by constant reinvention. The game moved from the original Red War campaign through the Light and Darkness saga before transitioning into a new storyline centered around the Fate Saga.
Along the way, Bungie introduced new subclasses, overhauled armor and progression, vaulted and later revisited older content, and experimented with different approaches to how players access activities.
From Forsaken and The Witch Queen to The Final Shape and the latest updates, each major chapter has played a role in shaping the long-running Destiny 2 experience.
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