The Final Shape has taken on a mythic status in Destiny 2 due to how final it feels, and it’s appeared frequently in marketing material as the conclusion to the Light and Dark saga. If that wasn’t potentially tricky enough, the “final” in its name does reinforce the idea of a looming end, and the fact that Destiny 2 is an old game doesn’t help its case. Because of that, it’s not completely uncommon to think The Final Shape will also be the end of Destiny 2.
Bungie, however, has plenty in store for the Destiny 2 universe after the expansion. And though the mystery loomed before the 2023 showcase, Bungie has given a final clarification that the studio has more in stock for Destiny 2, at least for the near future.
Is Destiny 2 ending after The Final Shape?
Destiny 2 will not end after The Final Shape, but the expansion will be the end of the Destiny 2 seasonal structure we know.
Bungie has referred to The Final Shape constantly as “the end of the Light and Dark saga,” which has been ongoing for years. And while the long-awaited faceoff against the Witness is coming in the raid, it won’t be the final nail in the coffin of Destiny 2’s storytelling. In fact, it will also kick off a new episodic structure, as pointed out in the 2023 showcase. They will deal with the fallout of whatever The Final Shape brings.
Instead of delivering four seasons a year after The Final Shape, Bungie will deliver three “episodes” per year, each with three acts that last around six weeks. The episodes are Echoes (March to June), Revenant (July to October), and Heresy (November to February). These dates are liable to change, however.
Related: Destiny 2 introduces new Light supers for all 3 classes coming with The Final Shape
“The first Act of an Episode will feel packed with a big offering of new stuff to do and chase,” Bungie said in its showcase recap, while the following acts will build upon that story by offering more to do and to chase.
Episodes will also shift the season pass model a bit. Instead of 100 levels per season, each episode will have 200 levels: 100 at the start, then another 50 in acts two and three. Artifact perks will also follow a similar model, with more coming with each act. Episodes can be bought in the in-game store for 1,500 Silver (up from the recently changed price tag of 1,200 Silver per season).
The Final Shape‘s episodes aren’t the end of Destiny 2 either
While Bungie has outlined the format for the upcoming episodes, the developer was quick to confirm that the new storytelling model won’t close the story of Destiny 2.
“Destiny 2 will continue after The Final Shape and the three Episodes announced today,” the official Destiny 2 team account tweeted on the day of the showcase. The ending of the Light and Dark saga is, of course, a decisive, pivotal moment in Destiny 2, “but far from the last big story we have to tell,” according to the tweet.
While Bungie has shared its plans for The Final Shape and beyond, the team will keep more details under wraps but promised more information in 2024.
The unveiling of the episode model showed Bungie still has plans for Destiny 2, and the team’s tweet also indicates the end of the game isn’t slated for the near future. Players should stay tuned for whatever is coming next—even if The Final Shape is still a long time away.
