Bungie gave players a first look at Destiny 2: The Final Shape’s gameplay and a lot of players were blown away by what the developers have been cooking. For the first time, players will be able to combine all of their subclasses into custom “Prismatic” subclasses. It makes complete sense for Guardians to be able to do something like this with the Light and Dark saga coming to a close.
Players who have been invested in the franchise for years will finally get closure to a major part of the story. Almost ten years of world-building has led to this moment and it’s Bungie’s time to give us the sendoff to the Light and Dark saga millions of Guardians have been craving for.
Multiclassing But With Minor Limitations
For the first time ever, Guardians will harness the dual forces of Light and Darkness in tandem, unleashing a symphony of abilities to make guardians stronger than ever before. The Prismatic subclass retains the familiar structure of Supers, melee attacks, grenades, and Aspects, but with an innovative twist. Each slot will now present a diverse array of abilities drawn from both Light and Darkness across all five damage types. This amalgamation extends to movement modes and class abilities.
There will be limitations on what grenades you can use for each of the classes with each class being restricted. There will be some starting abilities and a selection of unlockable abilities to choose from.
The expansion will not only let you cook your own ability soup featuring some of the strongest abilities in the game, but it will also introduce new abilities and fragments that you can unlock. The guardians have mastered
Project Payback AKA Destiny 3 Might Be In The Works
The rumor mills surrounding Destiny 3 (allegedly codenamed Project Payback) are in full force and Bungie might already been working on a sequel to transition away from Destiny 2 into the next era of the franchise.
Back in February, a Reddit user leaked the details of the Prismatic class on a weekly discussion thread about Destiny 2 leaks. While the leaks were initially dismissed, the leaker correctly stated that we will be able to mix and match abilities from all of the existing subclasses. Months later, the leaks were legitimized by Bungie in the recent showcase. With most of the leaks coming true, the leaker has gained credibility and they stated that Destiny 3 is in development and Bungie might be moving away from subclasses altogether with Prismatic classes becoming the norm.
According to the Reddit user, codenamed "Payback," Destiny 3 is in development and reportedly moves away from subclasses entirely. This claim aligns with the introduction of the Prismatic subclass, suggesting a deeper system for future games. The alleged development of Destiny 3 has been rumored since the release of The Witch Queen expansion in 2022.
The possibility of a Destiny 3 has divided the community. While some see it as a necessary step to refresh the game and address technical limitations, others are concerned about losing progress and gear from Destiny 2. The transition from Destiny to Destiny 2 already prompted some challenges, and a potential sequel raises similar concerns about continuity for players.
A Shift From The Seasonal Model to An Episodic One
Starting from the seventh year of Destiny 2 onwards, Bungie will depart from the familiar four-season format and instead introduce three episodes. The first three Episodes are named Echoes, Revenant, and Heresy and we can expect Echoes to drop alongside The Final Shape while Revenant and Heresy will drop four and eight months after the expansion’s release respectively.
Each Destiny 2 episode promises new story quests, including dedicated Exotic missions offering unique weapons and armor. These episodes will unfold across three Acts, with a new Act unveiled every six weeks. Players can anticipate a wealth of additions in each Act, from fresh artifact mods and weapons to engaging quest activities, pass ranks, and rewards. Bungie will continue to offer a season pass but a new Pathfinder progression system will change things up. We can expect more information when the new ViDoc (video documentary) for The Final Shape drops ahead of its release.
Bungie's decision to shift from seasons to episodes in Destiny 2 is rooted in a desire to revamp storytelling and gameplay structures. Addressing long-standing feedback from fans about seasonal burnout, episodes aim to offer a more satisfying experience. With Destiny's epic Light and Darkness Saga culminating in The Final Shape expansion, this new format signals a refreshing change for veteran players and greater accessibility for newcomers.
Do We Need a Destiny 3?
From a development standpoint, a new installment could provide an opportunity for Bungie to address technical limitations and refresh the game's framework. Destiny 2 has undergone numerous updates and expansions since its release, leading to accumulated technical debt and challenges in maintaining and expanding the game. A new iteration could potentially allow for a cleaner slate, improved performance, and enhanced gameplay mechanics.
For players, Destiny 3 could offer fresh content, updated graphics, and new experiences. It could also serve as a chance to introduce significant changes or innovations to the gameplay loop, progression systems, or narrative arcs. The most important of all, it could bring a fresh army of new lights who experience Destiny 2 for the first time. The current structure of Destiny 2 is convoluted and it is difficult for me to recommend the game to a new player. If you are not already invested in the Destiny franchise, I think it is not worth playing Destiny 2 in 2024. With sunset content from the first couple of years of the game and the gargantuan number of paid DLCs you need to purchase to even get the “complete package”, a fresh start can simplify things for players.
Despite Destiny 2’s flaws, I am excited for The Final Shape and what Bungie has in store for the franchise’s fans. The development studio has made great strides to improve the new player experience and while I can’t say they have been enough, I hope The Final Shape grants closure to the game’s primary storyline that has been built up for nearly a decade.
