Do I have to buy all Destiny 2 DLC again for PS5?

I‘ve had this question myself as a diehard Destiny 2 fan about to upgrade to the PS5. And the short answer is: unfortunately, yes Guardian, you‘ll have to shell out for expansions, season passes, and DLC again if you want that content on your shiny new next-gen console.

I know, it stings to rebuy stuff you already own. So in this guide, I‘ll break down exactly what transfers over from PS4 and what you‘ll need to purchase again when you switch to PlayStation 5.

Bungie‘s Cross Save Policies – What Carries Over, What Doesn‘t

Here are the key things to know about Bungie‘s cross save system:

• Base Destiny 2 game upgrades to PS5 for FREE – phew!
• Expansions like Forsaken, Shadowkeep DO NOT transfer – have to rebuy
• Season passes DO NOT transfer – have to rebuy to access activities/loot
• Characters, gear, and progression DO carry over with cross save

So all paid DLC and season passes are locked to the platform they were purchased on. And that sucks if you want to keep playing that content on PS5.

How many players does this impact jumping to next-gen? Destiny 2 has some pretty wild stats:

With over 20 million PS5s sold as of January 2023, possibly millions of PS4 Destiny 2 players are itching to upgrade. And Bungie stands to make bank on players rebuying expansions…

Upgrading Base Game to PS5 – Free and Seamless

Okay, here‘s a bit of good news if you‘re moving from PS4:

You can upgrade the core Destiny 2 game to PS5 100% free. Just head to the PlayStation store listing and download the native PS5 version.

Even better – enabling cross save allows you to seamlessly carry over all characters, equipment, and progression.

But (and this is a big but), cross save DOES NOT bring over any purchased DLC or season passes! For example, if you dropped cash on the Spicy Ramen emote during Season of the Plunder, it won‘t transfer from your PS4 account. Only items from the base game make the jump.

Rebuying Expansions Still Stings

As a player who owns every Destiny 2 expansion, having to shell out another $100+ for content I already own hurts.

But industry experts like Polygon‘s Managing Editor Justin Mahboubian-Jones argue Sony wants to retain sales from next-gen upgrades to fund ongoing support and development.

According to Mahboubian-Jones:

"Sony allows base game upgrades as a goodwill gesture to players. But expecting company‘s to forfeit potential earnings from expansions is unreasonable in today‘s environment."

So until Destiny 3 drops and gives Bungie a fresh revenue stream, reselling DLC is an economic necessity – even if Guardians hate it.

Tip for Cross Save Vets – Buy Deluxe Editions

For existing players activating cross save, I suggest buying the Deluxe Edition of any Destiny 2 expansion you grab for PS5.

The key benefit – all deluxe editions include the current season pass along with future season passes for that expansion year.

So you instantly recoup access to seasonal activities and loot for one purchase price, rather than rebuying seasons individually. Value!

Okay, that covers the key things you need to know about upgrading to Destiny 2 on PS5. Let me know if you have any other questions! And may RNGesus bless your future loot drops.