Destiny 2 is a game that provides yearly story expansions and seasonal content for a total of four Seasons per year, which started with the Forsaken story expansion. While there are different methods of purchasing the additions and the seasonal content, a recently datamined file of Destiny 2 revealed plans from Bungie to include a premium subscription plan with the release of next year's Lightfall. Though the project seems to be scrapped, for now, an overall subscription plan for the game could prove beneficial for old and new players alike.
Currently, Destiny 2 newcomers follow the New Light introductory quest, which was introduced in 2019 when the game moved to a free-to-play model. While this allows for a large chunk of content to be played, the lore surrounding the game lacks depth, which the story expansions flesh out. However, these additional expansions are paid, allowing players to access their story and other content, such as Dungeons and Raids. A subscription plan could open different possibilities for tailoring their play experience, and that would be a good thing.
A Subscription Plan Would Change How Destiny 2 is Played
When Beyond Light released in November 2020, the New Light introductory quest received another overhaul, this time with much of the content from the beginning of the game (Red War, Curse of Osiris, and Warmind) being vaulted to make room for additional expansions. The Witch Queen was released in February 2022, vaulting the Forsaken story. Bungie promises not to vault any more content; whether these story elements will return is yet to be revealed, but many older players hope so since they have paid for it.
As noted, the free-to-play model takes players through New Light, introducing the lore and game mechanics, along with the different PvE and PvP elements that are also free. However, a lot of content is locked behind the story expansions, which means if players purchase these add-ons and are displeased with the overall experience, they've lost a sizable chunk of money. This adds further confusion for new players, as many are uncertain where the Destiny 2 story begins and how they should best play to get the full scope of lore.
If Destiny 2 were to move forward with premium subscriptions, the nature of the game would inherently change. The New Light free-to-play quest may remain, but it also could move behind a paywall as part of the package. This would still allow players to dip their toes into the game's mechanics and story but at a small price. However, a subscription-based model could fundamentally change how the story expansions are presented to players and perhaps even warrant the return of old content, such as Forsaken, that had been vaulted.
What The Datamined Destiny 2 Subscription Plan Entails
From the datamined files, it appears that Bungie was testing the idea of the premium subscription plan through four different options. Though no news of this has been released, it's uncertain when the files were added to the game. It's reasonable to assume their presence by at least Season of Plunder, considering the subscription plan was aimed for release with the Lightfall expansion. Code strings were shared in the D2 Datamines Discord Server, highlighting the four subscription options.
From what can be gleaned from the code, the subscription model would include Lightfall, two new Dungeons and Raids, 1-month of premium content for Year 6, an Exotic Sparrow, Quicksilver Storm's Catalyst, and a matching ornament for it. Rounding off the package would be Rahool's Secret Stash which would contain Exotic accessories and premium materials to be distributed throughout Year 6.
Further information on other subscription plans details tweaks to New Light which would provide players with premium content by trying out the first few missions and destinations of Shadowkeep, Beyond Light, and The Witch Queen. The plans have appeared to be scrapped, but that doesn't mean they won't eventually come to fruition by The Final Shape expansion, which is set to conclude the saga between the Light and the Darkness. This subscription-based model could also be utilized in plans after the saga concludes when the new content releases, as Bungie has promised no end to Destiny 2.
The Benefits of a Subscription Plan for Destiny 2
There are many benefits to introducing a premium subscription-based plan for Destiny 2. First, the subscription model could revamp Destiny 2's vaulted content, allowing players that invested money and time into those stories to play them again. Since many players already paid for that content, it would be beneficial to tie old content to new features to mitigate negative feelings regarding paying again. For new players, it may help organize the overall narrative experience by allowing them to see the content that launched the game and where it's evolved to currently.
As mentioned earlier, one of the more beneficial aspects of a Destiny 2 subscription would be how the additional story expansions are presented. Suppose, for example; one plan allows players to play the first few missions of the expansions for free. In that case, it could result in players getting a better understanding of the game's lore and mechanics without investing a lot of cash in all the expansions to realize the game isn't for them. On the other hand, if they love the content, it could mean continued purchases.
As it stands now, past story expansions are available for purchase, but their corresponding seasonal content is not. Players only have access to the current expansion's seasons by buying the season pass or the Deluxe Edition of new expansions. A subscription plan could tier the quests and their seasons, so players can experience the in-depth narrative they missed if they join the game later. This isn't outside the realm of possibility, as the deluxe edition of a story expansion allows players to access the past, present, and future Seasons under it, even if they missed a Season while it was active.
Lastly, since the lore, history, and mechanics of Destiny 2 are complicated and left for players to figure out mainly on their own, utilizing this subscription model could further organize the game and its content for all players into digestible chunks. In addition, it would provide access to old and new content and create a more tailored experience that could make the Destiny 2 community grow due to clarity and ease of access.
Destiny 2 is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.