Mon Sep 09 16:09:35 UTC 2024: ## Bungie Announces Major Changes to Destiny 2, Shifting Focus to Smaller Expansions
In a bid to attract new players and streamline development, Bungie has announced significant changes to Destiny 2’s content structure. The new roadmap, codenamed “Frontiers,” will see the game transition from one large expansion and three smaller episodes per year to two medium-sized expansions and four major free updates.
This shift, Bungie explains, is aimed at freeing up developers to explore new avenues and invest in more impactful content for players. Each year will be divided evenly, with one expansion launching every six months and a free major update accompanying each expansion and three months later. The second expansion will also include additional free content.
The first two expansions, dubbed “Codename: Apollo” and “Codename: Behemoth,” will launch after the conclusion of the “Light and Darkness” saga with The Final Shape in June. They will feature a nonlinear structure allowing players to explore in any order, while still maintaining a cohesive narrative.
Bungie is also focusing on improving accessibility for new players by simplifying the Director UI and introducing a more diverse challenge system. Rewards are being reworked to offer more ways to earn new items and expanding tiers for legendary weapons and gear.
These changes arrive after a turbulent period for the studio, including layoffs and a new PlayStation-backed studio focusing on an unannounced game. CEO Pete Parsons attributed the layoffs to rapid expansion amidst economic challenges.
These changes seem to align with reports following the layoffs suggesting a shift towards smaller, free updates instead of yearly paid expansions. While the major updates will be free, the expansions will remain paid, though pricing is yet to be announced.
This announcement comes as Bungie continues to work on the extraction shooter Marathon, which has recently become a priority for the studio. The new roadmap for Destiny 2, along with other improvements, could signal a fresh start for the popular live-service title.
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