E3 2019: Destiny 2's Future Revealed In Bungie Stream -- Free-To-Play, Cross-Save, Shadowkeep DLC

Destiny 2's new Season of Opulence (which is the final piece of new content under the game's current annual pass subscription) is here. So, what does that mean for the future of Bungie's first-person loot shooter? Well, it turns out that the developer isn't quite ready to move on to Destiny 3 just yet; director Luke Smith explained that the studio is focused on continuing to build out Destiny 2.

This vision for the game is entirely what Bungie has in mind: With the studio having assumed control of the franchise from former publisher Activision, it's now able to do what it wants. Bungie gave us our first look into what that future looks like during a livestreamed event on June 6. Alongside the new Shadowkeep expansion (first showcased during the Google Stadia Connect event), we learned about some major developments, including a free-to-play version of the game, cross-save support, and more. Here's a rundown on all of the big news about Destiny 2.

Destiny 2 Cross-Saves Are Coming

Perhaps the most exciting news from the event didn't concern new content. Bungie will be introducing Destiny 2 cross-save support across all platforms. This leaked ahead of time, but it seemed as if PS4 would not be included. Instead, players on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia (once it's available) will be able to move back and forth between platforms without having to start a new character.

Shadowkeep

Again confirming a leak, the new DLC expansion for Destiny 2 is Shadowkeep. This story centers around a return to the moon, and Destiny 1's Eris Morn is making a comeback. It'll feature a wide slate of new content, including a raid. Notably, it will be a standalone expansion--you won't have to own Destiny 2 or any of its existing DLC to play. Additionally, a new annual pass is coming, and that content will also be sold a la carte, which is the general model that will be used going forward. Shadowkeep will cost $35.

Destiny 2 Coming To Google Stadia

While Destiny 2 is already available on PC, it's also now coming to the cloud streaming service Google Stadia. Combined with cross-save support, it means you'll be able to take your existing Destiny 2 character and play on a phone or tablet, along with everything else that supports Stadia. The Stadia Pro subscription includes free access to the complete version of Destiny 2, including Shadowkeep and the new annual pass.

Destiny 2: New Light Is A Free Version Of The Base Game

New Light is a "new entry point" for Destiny 2 that can be downloaded and played for free. It will include all Year 1 content so that anyone can jump in and begin playing without the typical restrictions of a trial version.

You'll be able to visit all destinations, including those from Forsaken. If you want to purchase Forsaken, it will be available in a bundle with the existing Annual Pass for $40.

Destiny 2 Leaves Battle.net For Steam

Destiny 2 players on PC are being moved over to Steam. The move should be seamless--your progress will transfer, and anything you own in terms of the game and DLC will transfer for free. Shadowkeep and future content for the game will launch through Steam.

Original Story: On Twitter, Bungie teased a livestream set to take place at 10 AM PT on Thursday, June 6, to discuss "the next chapter of Destiny 2." Datamined leaks suggest that next chapter is Shadowkeep, a new expansion that will return Destiny 2 players to the moon, a location we haven't visited since Destiny 1.

It's been clear to Destiny 2 players keeping up with the annual pass--the second since the release of Destiny 2--that Bungie is building its story in a particular direction. The endgame content that came with the Forsaken expansion, concerning the besieged Dreaming City, has slowly unfolded over the last two seasons, hinting that secret enemies are executing plans of which we've only seen the edges and margins. That conflict might come to a head in the Season of Opulence, but that seems unlikely since the next content drop returns players to the Leviathan, the scene of Destiny 2's first raid, and concerns a different group of characters.

The Dreaming City situation doesn't seem primed to wrap up anytime soon, and that suggests there's more content coming for Destiny 2 before the release of the seemingly inevitable Destiny 3. A third year of Destiny 2 content is in line with what a lot of players have been expecting, and it would make sense for Bungie to hold back a new Destiny title to correspond with the start of a new console generation.

The timing of the announcement also seems remarkable. Breaking with the usual pattern, Bungie is releasing Destiny 2's new raid, Crown of Sorrows, with the start of the Season of Opulence, rather than waiting a few days for players to gear up for it. Bungie's announcement about Destiny 2's future takes place two days later, which would give the game's top raid teams all the time they'll need to finish Crown of Sorrows--and discover whatever story implications it presents. Since the raid deals with the Hive, who famously came from the moon in the first game, it would make sense as a precursor for Shadowkeep.

It's also worth remembering that the Season of Opulence marks the last of the announced Destiny 2 content from before Bungie's split with publisher Activision. Whatever comes next, it'll be the first Destiny content Bungie creates purely on its own. With the way Destiny's story has been going of late, suggesting the approach of more evil aliens and the possibility that some heroes could fall to darkness, there's a lot the developer could explore.

You can watch Bungie's livestream on YouTube, Twitch, and Mixer