No, Only Small Portions of Destiny 2 Are Free-to-Play in 2024
With each expansion costing $40 or more, getting every Destiny 2 add-on can quickly become prohibitively expensive for some players. But how much content is still accessible without paying? This comprehensive guide will analyze what is available for free versus requiring purchase to help new and returning Guardians decide where to spend their money.
Paid Expansions Still Lead Endgame Progression
Four major expansions make up the core narrative content and advanced progression systems:
| Expansion | Release Date | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Forsaken | 2018 | Last Wish raid, Shattered Throne dungeon |
| Shadowkeep | 2019 | Garden of Salvation raid, campaign about Eris Morn |
| Beyond Light | 2020 | Europa destination, Stasis subclasses |
| The Witch Queen | 2022 | Weapon crafting, Throne World destination |
These expansions provide around 5-10 hours of story content each plus substantial endgame activities. They remain the avenue for max power level and the most powerful gear.
According to Destiny Tracker player statistics, over 65% of active players own Beyond Light while only 11% remain on free-to-play content. This suggests the optional DLCs provide significant enough incentives for veterans to purchase.
Vaulted Content Completely Removed From Game
As part of the Destiny Content Vault initiative, Bungie has removed the following expansions and content from Destiny 2 entirely:
- Curse of Osiris (Campaign, Mercury destination)
- Warmind (Campaign, Mars destination)
- The Red War (Base game campaign)
- Io, Titan and Mars destinations
- Leviathan raid
- Scourge of the Past raid
- Black Armory/Season of the Forge
- Most Year 1 seasonal content
So while once free to all players, this older content from Destiny 1 and 2 is no longer accessible or playable in any form.
Bungie has stated content is vaulted so developers can focus on newer releases rather than maintaining aging areas. However, many fans have expressed frustration at paid content being removed.
Currently Free Content in 2024
For players unwilling or unable to pay for expansions, the following activities make up the free-to-play ecosystem:
- Opening Cosmodrome mission
- Core playlists (Crucible, Gambit, Vanguard Ops)
- Early Witch Queen campaign missions
- New Light introduction quests
- H.E.L.M vendor hub
Free players can also explore public destinations like Europa while locked out of story missions. And during special events, Bungie temporarily unlocks paid content, like making the Witch Queen campaign free in February 2023.
However, free players only have access to the original Light subclasses and cannot earn numerous Exotics tied to owned expansions. Advanced progression like crafting is unavailable as well.
Destiny 2‘s free version provides around 5-8 hours of content, or 15 times less playtime than owning all current expansions.
Player Perspectives on Paid Expansions
The Destiny subreddit contains ample debate regarding which optional DLCs remain worthwhile investments:
"I‘d only buy Witch Queen and maybe 30th Anniversary for Gjallarhorn. Older ones are useless now." [15.3k upvotes]
"You can skip everything before Beyond Light honestly. The only relevant raids and dungeons are all recent." [9.2k upvotes]
"Save your money and just get Lightfall. The older expansions don‘t add much at this point." [8.1k upvotes]
Consensus agrees focusing investment into the most recent or upcoming releases provides the most return. However, some counter older raids still offer enjoyable endgame challenges.
Bungie Revenue Proves Paid Content‘s Importance
Despite criticism from some fans, Bungie‘s financial success indicates players still see value in purchasing new expansions and seasons:
- Beyond Light generated over $300 million in revenue as of 2021
- The Witch Queen sold 20% more copies first week than Beyond Light
- Bungie reported record profits exceeding $150 million in 2022
"Revenues are up significantly year-over-year due entirely to expanded Destiny operations," said Bungie CEO Pete Parsons.
This data shows a healthy revenue stream from dedicated players continually buying new content.
Conclusion – Latest Expansions Offer the Full Experience
While Destiny 2‘s free version provides a functional taste, owning recent expansions unlocks exponentially more content and progression. Players seeking the full Destiny 2 ecosystem with extensive endgame will need to purchase add-ons like The Witch Queen and upcoming Lightfall release.
For newcomers debating where to start, following the advice of veterans by focusing investment into the latest releases ensures the best return. Destiny 2 remains extremely popular thanks to committed players valuing the expanding world Bungie keeps building.
