Destiny 2 Expansions: From launch to Renegades, here’s every DLC so far

Destiny 2 may have launched in 2017, but it’s showing no signs of slowing down as it enters its ninth year, with two new expansions planned.

At the time of writing, there have been 10 expansions of varying sizes since launch, with the game currently in its second major story arc, The Fates Saga. Still, with so much sent to the controversial Destiny Content Vault, it’s not always easy to work out where to start with Bungie’s sprawling loot shooter/MMO hybrid.

Here’s everything that’s launched as an expansion since the game’s debut, bringing you right up to date with Destiny 2 Renegades.

The Escapist recaps

• There have been ten expansions released for Destiny 2, with seven of them available in the live game. The others have either been partially or entirely vaulted, meaning they are not playable anymore.
• 2026 will introduce two medium-sized expansions called Shattered Cycle and The Alchemist.
• The best-reviewed expansions are The Final Shape and The Witch Queen, receiving metascores of 89 and 86, respectively.
• The worst-reviewed expansions are Curse of Osiris, The Edge of Fate, and Warmind, with them scoring between 57 and 63.

All Destiny 2 expansions in release order

There have been ten expansions in Destiny 2 so far, with two more planned for 2026.

In Destiny 2, an expansion refers to a large-scale premium DLC that adds a variety of content. Be it new campaigns, raids, or exotics, the majority of gameplay content added annually is usually bundled as part of these expansions, making them necessary for those wanting the full experience.

Expansions come in different sizes, with early examples like Curse of Osiris and Warmind being smaller than the likes of Lightfall and The Final Shape. They also vary greatly by cost, with some base expansions costing as little as $34.99 and annual passes going as high as $99.99.

The easiest way to access old expansions is to buy Destiny 2: Legacy Collection, which grants access to all expansions released before 2025. For the newest expansions, you’ll need to buy either the Year of Prophecy or Year of Prophecy: Ultimate Edition, with the latter including the No Land Beyond exotic and several cosmetic ornaments.

Curse of Osiris (2017)

Curse of Osiris was released on December 5, 2017, as part of the Year 1 Expansion Pass. This was the first expansion released for Destiny 2, delivering a story focused on the character Osiris and its events taking place on Mercury.

In this expansion, the most notable addition was the raid lair, an enhanced version of the Leviathan raid that featured new areas and a different final encounter. Additionally, it added a short campaign that lasted three hours, which detailed the events following the Red Legion’s defeat in the vanilla story.

At the time, this expansion was not well received, with many Guardians feeling it did not add enough content. These frustrations were amplified by the disappointing state of Destiny 2 at the time, which launched with a shortage of things to do and a limited endgame. This expansion is no longer playable, as it was vaulted on November 10, 2020.

Warmind (2018)

Warmind followed on from Curse of Osiris as the second Destiny 2 expansion, releasing on May 8, 2018. Just like its predecessor, this was bundled as part of the Year 1 Expansion Pass. Set several months after the last expansion, Warmind told the story of Rasputin and the Clovis Bray corporation.

It only featured a short campaign, with the average play time coming in at two hours. Outside of the story, it also introduced the Hellas Basin patrol zone, several strikes, and a bounty system that rewarded Warmind Bits. This currency was used to upgrade bunkers and unlock unique rewards, including weapons and seasonal mods.

To its credit, Warmind was better received than Curse of Osiris, with players praising it for being a more substantial update. However, it was still limited in scope and would be the last smaller-scale expansion for several years. As with Curse of Osiris, this expansion has since been vaulted and is no longer available.

Forsaken (2018)

Released on 4 September 2018, Forsaken was the first full-scale Destiny 2 expansion. Unlike those included in the Year 1 Expansion Pass, this was a standalone DLC that cost $69.99. While it was more expensive than previous expansions, Forsaken made up for that by adding more content than both Curse of Osiris and Warmind combined.

Its story takes place in the Reef and revolves around the origin of the Scorn and the tragic death of Cayde-6. The campaign was much longer this time around, with an average playthrough taking 10 to 12 hours. Beyond the campaign, Forsaken also introduced the Last Wish raid, Shattered Throne dungeon, Gambit, and the Dreaming City patrol zone.

Forsaken was considered a step up from past expansions, receiving praise for its emotive story. Likewise, both critics and players alike were impressed by the new raid and dungeon, both of which remain fun activities to this day. While most of the playable content is still in the live game, the story itself has been vaulted.

Shadowkeep (2019)

Shadowkeep was released on October 1, 2019. Following on from Forsaken, this DLC takes place on a reprised version of the Moon, a playable destination in the original Destiny. The Guardian is tasked with teaming up with Eris Morn to defeat powerful Nightmares and gain a better understanding of the Pyramid, a mysterious vessel imbued with Darkness.

The main story takes around 7 hours to complete, but Shadowkeep also features a lot of post-story content. A completionist run that covers everything on offer can easily take over 40 hours. That includes gathering all 15 new exotics and completing both the Garden of Salvation raid and Pit of Heresy dungeon.

Much like Forsaken, Shadowkeep was considered to be successful. Some of the highlights include the lore, fun exotics, and how Bungie was able to revamp such an iconic location. More importantly for active players, this is the first expansion where none of the major content was vaulted, with all future expansions remaining available in the live game.

Beyond Light (2020)

Beyond Light was the fifth Destiny 2 expansion, released on November 10, 2020. This time around, players set out for Europa to team up with Elsie Bray and defeat Eramis. Corrupted by the Darkness, Eramis intends to take revenge on the Traveler for abandoning the Fallen during the Whirlwind, an apocalyptic event that ended Eliksni civilization.

Much like Shadowkeep, Beyond Light’s campaign takes around 7 hours to complete, but there’s a lot of post-story content. The side activities alone total over 10 hours, and a completionist playthrough will take you at least 60 hours. Completing everything involves unlocking the Stasis subclass, collecting 15 new exotics, and clearing the Deep Stone Crypt raid.

This expansion was well received, with the new subclass drawing a lot of praise. Critics also enjoyed exploring Europa, as well as the improved character writing that makes them feel more believable than ever. The biggest critique was targeted at content vaulting, as Beyond Light’s arrival saw both Year 1 expansions removed from the game.

The Witch Queen (2022)

The Witch Queen was released on February 22, 2022, after being delayed. This expansion focuses on Savathun after she was resurrected and given the power of a Lightbearer, becoming the first Hive to do so. The Vanguard’s understanding of Light and Darkness is challenged, but stopping Savathun is a must, even if that means going against the Traveler’s will.

Completing The Witch Queen’s campaign takes around 12 hours, making it one of the longest in Destiny 2. There is less side content this time around, but this expansion makes up for that with the new weapon crafting system. This DLC also saw the arrival of the Vow of the Disciple raid, Savathun’s Throne World, 14 new exotics, and two dungeons.

Many consider this to be the best Destiny 2 expansion ever made, with it scoring an impressive 86 on Metacritic. These reviews emphasize key strengths like the fantastic storytelling, highly engaging raid, and numerous improvements to core systems. If you want to get into Destiny, this is a great place to start.

Lightfall (2023)

Serving as a direct sequel to The Witch Queen, Lightfall was released on February 28, 2023. Set a year after Savathun’s defeat, the Vanguard head to Neomuna, a newly discovered city that somehow survived the Collapse. The secret to their success was a defense network powered by the Veil, which is now under threat from the Witness.

At just 8 hours, Lightfall’s campaign is shorter than The Witch Queen’s but around average when compared to older expansions. It features a wealth of side content that can easily take over 60 hours to finish in its entirety. Most notably, this includes the new Strand subclass, the Root of Nightmares raid, two challenging dungeons, and 13 exotics to collect.

Unfortunately, Lightfall was unpopular with both the community and professional critics. With a metascore of 69, it was the worst-reviewed expansion since Warmind. While many enjoyed Neomuna as a patrol zone, this was overshadowed by the story’s inappropriate tone, questionable writing, and new character Nimbus.

The Final Shape (2024)

Released on 4 June 2024, The Final Shape is the epic conclusion of the Light and Darkness saga that began a decade prior. In this DLC, you dive headfirst into The Traveler to stop the Witness at all costs. Either you win, or the universe ends.

You can expect the campaign to take 10 hours, with post-story content requiring 35 hours. To complete everything, you’ll need to fully explore The Pale Heart, unlock the Prismatic subclass, clear the Salvation’s Edge raid, and finish the two new dungeons. That’s in addition to collecting 17 exotics, which are gathered through unique quests like Dual Destiny, which is focused entirely on co-op play.

Bungie’s ambitions with The Final Shape paid off big time, with it being the best-reviewed Destiny 2 expansion in history. In particular, the narrative payoff was seen as a huge positive, as it delivered an ending worthy of the wait. Players also loved using the Prismatic subclass, which delivered a power fantasy unlike anything seen before.

The Edge of Fate (2025)

Looking to kickstart a new saga for the first time in 11 years, The Edge of Fate was released on 15 July, 2025. With the Witness defeated, the story shifts to focus on The Nine, a group of mysterious entities with ties to our solar system’s celestial bodies. This new saga begins with a trip to Kepler and a duel with Maya Sundaresh.

At roughly 9 hours, The Edge of Fate’s campaign is a standard length for a Destiny 2 expansion. However, given that this expansion costs less than usual, this campaign offers impressive value. Admittedly, The Edge of Fate is on the smaller side when it comes to additional content, adding just one raid and six exotics.

The Edge of Fate was poorly received, scoring even worse than Lightfall. Many have criticized the brutal grind, past content being made irrelevant, and various issues with The Portal. While the campaign itself proved popular and people mostly enjoyed Kepler, Bungie’s attempt to soft-reset progression has had mixed results.

Renegades (2025)

Renegades is Destiny 2’s latest expansion as of the time of writing, and it introduces Star Wars elements to Destiny 2 while keeping the two universes separate on a plot level.

Don’t expect a Jedi or Sith to pop up, but you can wield a lightsaber, fight the Empire-like Barant Imperium, and stop a Guardian-killing superweapon.

You’ll also meet Dredgen Bael, one of the franchise’s most complex villains so far, and learn more about his relationship to The Nine.

2026 expansions

Not a lot is known about the next two expansions for Destiny 2 as yet, but we do have names for each.

Summer 2026 will introduce the Shattered Cycle expansion, while Winter 2026 will see the launch of The Alchemist.

Expect free updates in between, too, as with the ‘Major Update’ Ash & Iron, which landed between Edge of Fate and Renegades.

Ask The Escapist

References

1. Destiny 2: Expansions (Bungie.net)
2. Destiny 2: Legacy Collection (2025) on Steam (Steam Store)