Destiny 3 is potentially the sequel to Bungie's popular looter-shooter. Although there isn't any information on it just yet, there's a high chance that the developers might come up with some information about this soon. Given the state that Destiny 2 currently is in, players have been talking a lot about the possibility of Bungie coming up with Destiny 3 title.
While the developers had mentioned that they had no intentions of making a third game, it would be wrong to rule out the entire possibility of the same at this point, not least given the huge fanbase of the game. So if like us you're wondering where the game could go next, read on.
1 September 2023 - Page updated with the latest news and information.
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Latest News, Leaks, and Rumors
Just below we'll try to keep you updated on the latest news, leaks, and rumors related to any potential Destiny 3 game from Bungie.
We've added details about Destiny 2's new episodic model further down, and it's possible that these could replace the need for a third game.
Senior narrative designer, Robert Brookes, spoke to press-start.com and revealed a few pieces of info that relate to where the game could be heading after The Final Shape.
“There’s so many curtains to drop, or should I say veils to part," Brookes began. "It feels great to explore and reveal some of the story people have been champing at the bit for. We’d always planned that Lightfall would lead into a period of answers, but not necessarily answering them as it happened. The Veil Containment quest that’s available now has content that runs for the entirety of Season of the Deep’s calendar. There’ll also be entries at the start of the next two seasons. I think those are going to be revelatory – not just for the Witness, the Traveler, and the Black Fleet, but also some of the stories that will be coming up after The Final Shape. It’s awesome to be able to get that out there and see how the players react. It’s really rewarding.”
Robert was then asked to expand on the idea of seasons being a bridge between Lightfall and The Final Shape. Once again, he appeared to suggest that soon players can expect to see some of the ways in which the game might hand off to a new storyline that will develop once the Light and Dark saga has concluded.
“In a lot of our previous releases, the seasons ramp up to a major expansion which is kind of like the end of that story," Brookes continued. "The next set of seasons starts a new one. We saw this with Beyond Light and The Witch Queen. Lightfall is a bit of a different experience in that it isn’t just another ramp-up, it’s a bridge. There’s the fallout, the deconstruction of events that happened and the way characters react to it. Each season will hand-off to the next more immediately than before. We want it to be the same when we hand-off The Final Shape into what comes next”.
Destiny 3 Release Date Speculation
At the time of writing this article, there is very little to go on about the Destiny 3 release date. However, based on how the storyline is progressing in Destiny 2, the sequel, if announced, will only be released after The Final Shape concludes.
This expansion is set to go live in 2024, and like all expansions, will continue for a year, ending in 2025. If the third game is being planned, then Bungie will probably make an announcement about the same by the end of this year.
Destiny 3 Potential Storyline
The Light and Darkness saga is set to conclude in The Final Shape. Although it might not mean the end of The Witness, it will definitely end with the Guardian mastering both Light and Darkness. There are a lot of other angles that are still left untouched, for example, the story of The Nine. If Xivu Arath is not featured in any of the upcoming DLCs, then she might be included in the next game itself.
Or there could be something bigger and badder out there in the Universe, a threat that's more dangerous than The Witness. This entity could also be the main antagonist of the third title. Overall, it's hard to predict what the story could be at this point, because there are a lot of mysteries in the lore that Bungie could explore.
Is There a Need For Destiny 3?
Ideally, there's always a need for sequels in a franchise if there's a lot to explore in terms of the storyline. Moreover, technology keeps advancing at a very steady pace in the gaming industry. In order to look better and perform better, developers have to keep updating their games.
The current Destiny 2 engine is quite outdated and is starting to show cracks. This is the primary reason why the community is looking forward to a third Destiny title. Now, there's always a possibility of an engine port, but given the size of the current game, it might not be possible. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how Bungie goes about this entire issue at hand.
To conclude, everything mentioned in this article is pure speculation. As mentioned above, Bungie did talk about not having any intentions of making Destiny 3, but you never know when they change their minds. We will update this piece as and when we have more information about this!
Destiny 2 Episodes - Taking the Place of Destiny 3?
During Bungie's Destiny 2 The Final Shape livestream it was confirmed that Bungie plans to ditch seasons and introduce 'episodes' to change the storytelling and gameplay structure of the former. Fans have long complained about being burned out by the current seasonal structure, so episodes seem like feedback to that criticism. Destiny's ten-year-long Light and Darkness Saga is also concluding with the Final Shape expansion, so a new structure could be a breath of fresh air for veteran fans, not to mention more accessible for newcomers. For now, it seems like Episodes will be how Bungie intends to carry forward the Destiny 2 storyline in the future, as opposed to a brand-new game itself.