Destiny 2 is building towards the release of its highly anticipated expansion, Shadowkeep, with Destiny 2 New Light coming out alongside it. Up until now, Bungie has only loosely described what Destiny 2 New Light players will have access to. That's now changed, as Bungie has now pulled back the curtain on Destiny 2's free-to-play version.
New Light starts with all Destiny 2 content up through Year 1. That's Destiny 2's Curse of Osiris and Warmind expansions and their stories and quests. Regarding Destiny 2's Year 2 content, which includes the Forsaken expansion and its Annual Pass, content will be much more limited. Players can land on and explore planetary locations like Tangled Shore and Dreaming City, they'll have access to the Gambit matchmaking mode, and both Strikes and the Crucible will be open. Year 2's story missions and quests will remain locked, however.
Shadowkeep has content that will be available to New Light players, as well. Bungie wants free players to join in on the fun, too. New Light players can patrol the new Moon location, play through Shadowkeep's opening mission, and can play two new Strikes as well as Shadowkeep's Crucible updates. All of Shadowkeep's major feature changes and Seasonal rewards will also be available to New Light players.
Seasonal Ranks are a new addition to Destiny 2's Shadowkeep expansion. It's like the free track on Fortnite's battle pass, letting players earn rewards including a new Exotic weapon, armor, weapons, and engrams just by playing. Buying Shadowkeep will open up more rewards. Other Shadowkeep features like Armor 2.0, the Seasonal Artifact, and new finishers will also be available for New Light players.
Bungie's stated goal with the introduction of Destiny 2 New Light is to "make a great experience for everyone." New Light will open up avenues for players new and old to play together in many different ways. For players who haven't purchased new content since Year 1, New Light is a way to revisit the game. For dedicated players hoping to bring in a friend to try out the game, New Light offers that opportunity. Starting with New Light, Destiny 2 can be played as casually as Fortnite or League of Legends.
Destiny 2 is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.