Destiny 2: Launch Details and What to Expect

Destiny 2 is nearly here. By the time you read this it may have already released in some territories, but the looming launch date for Bungie’s latest entry in their popular shooter series weighs heavy on many a mind. If you want to know just what to expect yet didn’t have a chance to participate in the open beta, here’s a quick recap of what is currently known about Destiny 2 from leaks and press releases on top of what the beta showed off.

Destiny 2 open beta content

If you had the free time to hop in on Destiny 2 while its open beta ran, congrats: You got a first-hand look at the game’s basic mechanics, and there’s really no better way to get a handle on what you feel about a game.

For those of you who didn’t get to try it out, you shouldn’t feel too terribly out of sorts when the full game launches. Beta players had early access to a few introductory story missions before being granted access to a three player co-op mission or two of the game’s player versus player match types. Overall, you’d be lucky to squeeze a few hours of play out of this kind of a beta offering short of trying out all three classes and really searching every nook and cranny in the game, but it was enough to show off the base gameplay to an extent that hadn’t been seen before.

If you enjoyed the first game, most of the second game’s mechanics are going to feel very similar. The gunplay is tight, the jumping and mid-air hovering feels fairly responsive, the maps are expansive and most of the class abilities are satisfying and impactful. On the other hand, returning veterans have been less than impressed by the new offerings in Destiny 2 for a variety of reasons. Citing a lack of new content, less polish on the game’s controls and weapon variety going down, fans of the first game might be cautious before putting down their hard-earned money.

For a more measured response, you’ll want to check out multiple points of view from players who experienced the original Destiny in their own ways, of course. Hardcore players might have a very different set of expectations than newcomers.

Leaks and pre-release information

If you’re looking for newer information that isn’t beta-specific, there have been several potential leaks ahead of Destiny 2’s release date to keep you in the know. A potential leak of the PrimaGames official guide lists just how many missions of each time you can expect, and it looks as if Destiny 2 will have a fairly healthy spread of activities to keep you entertained for some time. As for the end game content issue the original game had it’s hard to say this far ahead of time.

If you want to go a step deeper, a recent thread of reddit detailed further leaks from similar sources and included a fair amount of information on as-of-yet unseen class features, skill trees and other interesting tidbits.

Alternatively, by the time you read this Destiny 2 should be out for most territories as of its midnight release date, but if you’re still waiting to get your pre-order key, we’ll keep you company until it arrives.