Summary
- Destiny 2's The Final Shape expansion is being delayed to June 2024, causing disappointment among long-standing fans.
- The delay could be a blessing in disguise, allowing Bungie to improve the gameplay and deliver a satisfying conclusion to the Light and Darkness saga.
- April 2024 will be an important month for Destiny 2, with the gameplay reveal of The Final Shape and the potential to meet or even exceed player expectations.
Soon after the news of Bungie layoffs broke on the internet, a report from Bloomberg followed suit stating that internal sources claimed Destiny 2's The Final Shape was set to be delayed to June 2024 - by roughly three or four months. Today came official confirmation of The Final Shape's delay alongside some plans for 2024, specifically for upcoming features like Destiny 2's Fireteam Finder, PvP updates that include the highly-anticipated map pack, and what to expect in the long wait from February to June. With multiple forms of content coming to Destiny 2 in the span of a few months, fans should keep an eye on April above all else.
While The Final Shape delay to June 2024 stings for long-standing fans who wanted to see the conclusive chapter of the Light and Darkness saga, the reason behind the delay reportedly was that initial showcases of the expansion were just "good, but not great." This would have been a major issue for Bungie after the debacle that was Lightfall's launch and the aftermath of the layoffs, which further lowered morale across the board. The delay may end up being a blessing in disguise, and now Destiny 2 players will seemingly have a lot to unpack come April 2024.
Why Destiny 2 Players Should Expect Big Things From April 2024
The Final Shape's Full Gameplay Reveal is Coming in April 2024
According to today's video from Bungie's own Joe Blackburn, Game Director of Destiny 2, April 2024 will see a gameplay reveal of The Final Shape. Although it's unclear whether this reveal will happen in the span of a single trailer or multiple videos and possibly even TWID posts, it's implied that no gameplay footage will be shown of the upcoming expansion prior to April. In-game content will keep players busy in the meantime, and with The Final Shape's new release date of June 4, there are plenty of opportunities for Bungie to make April a big month for the game.
Why Destiny 2's The Final Shape Needs a Big Gameplay Focus
Destiny 2's Light and Darkness saga deserves an expansion that fully delivers on day one, rather than a slow-burner storyline that needs months of building momentum to finally conclude. And while the overarching plot is a key element of Destiny 2 and one of the reasons why Lightfall bombed the way it did, players also want a satisfying sandbox to play in, meaning The Final Shape has to provide the best of experiences when it comes to its gameplay loop.
Destiny 2's The Final Shape being delayed could not only allow the game to fully deliver an unforgettable story, but it could provide Bungie enough time to further refine gameplay elements to make the sandbox the best it's ever been.
The Final Shape's new Supers are a big hype-generating machine, but many players ended up wondering why this couldn't be done for multiple (if not all) subclasses rather than just three, leaving most of them behind. This is part of the problem that Bungie created for itself, stating that The Final Shape should be like Destiny 2's Forsaken, when one of its core premises cannot be upheld to the same standards - and that's adding new Supers for each subclass.
Now that Season of the Wish buffed Destiny 2's Stasis a bit, it still lacks some punch compared to Light 3.0 subclasses and Strand, and The Final Shape should address this as well. With more time in the oven, there's a chance that April 2024 will not only meet players' expectations with The Final Shape's gameplay reveal, but possibly surpass them. This would be the best-case scenario for Bungie and Destiny 2 as a whole, thus making April's reveals all the more important for all fans.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
WHERE TO PLAY
Dive into the world of Destiny 2 to explore the mysteries of the solar system and experience responsive first-person shooter combat. Unlock powerful elemental abilities and collect unique gear to customize your Guardian's look and playstyle. Enjoy Destiny 2’s cinematic story, challenging co-op missions, and a variety of PvP modes alone or with friends. Download for free today and write your legend in the stars.
An Immersive Story
You are a Guardian, defender of the Last City of humanity in a solar system under siege by infamous villains. Look to the stars and stand against the darkness. Your legend begins now.
Guardian Classes
Choose from the armored Titan, mystic Warlock, or swift Hunter.
- Expansions
- Destiny 2: Forsaken, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, Destiny 2: Lightfall
- Number of Players
- 1-6 (Co-Op)
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, Stadia
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- How Long To Beat
- 100+
- Metascore
- 85
- Platforms That Support Crossplay
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
- PS Plus Availability
- Essential, Extra, & Premium (The Witch Queen)
