Destiny 2 Witch Queen: Release Date, Story, New Content
The Destiny 2 Witch Queen expansion is proving to be the biggest expansion the Destiny franchise has ever seen. Destiny 2 is approaching its fifth anniversary later this year, and with it The Witch Queen is ushering the epic sci-fi looter shooter into a new age. But what exactly is it about The Witch Queen that has fans excited? And when does it come out? We've got everything you need to know about the Destiny 2 Witch Queen expansion including release date, price, story, content and how it will change the game.
- Before looking ahead to the future of the game, check out our guide on whether the classic Destiny 2 Ice Breaker exotic sniper is coming back to the game.
Destiny 2 Witch Queen: Release Date And Price
For fans dying to get their hands on new content, the Destiny 2 Witch Queen release date isn't too far away. Destiny 2 The Witch Queen will launch on February 22, 2022, and will set players back £34.99/$39.99, which is in line with most of the yearly expansions like Shadowkeep, Forsaken, and Beyond Light.
There will also be a deluxe version of the game which will retail at £69.99/$79.99, which will come with season 16-19 battle passes, two year five Dungeons, an exotic SMG catalyst ornament and an exotic sparrow. The Destiny 2 Witch Queen release date comes just six months after its announcement at the Destiny 2 Showcase embedded above, and a couple months after the Bungie 30th Anniversary event - which introduced quests like the Destiny 2 Magnum Opus. If the player didn't jump into the anniversary event back in December, they can pair it up with The Witch Queen deluxe edition in a bundle package for £87.99/$99.99
Destiny 2 Witch Queen: Story
Destiny 2 Witch Queen will finally introduce the big bad Savathûn, who was first mentioned back in 2015, thanks to the Destiny 1 expansion The Taken King. Savathûn is the sister of Oryx (a.k.a. The Taken King), and has been keeping an eye on the guardians ever since they dispatched of her loving brother. However, Savathûn is an altogether different villain, thanks to her cunning tact, and a very special weapon: The Traveller's Light.
The Hive may be the enemies of yet another expansion, but their transformation into the Lucent Brood, powered by the Light, takes this alien enemy to a whole other level. Not only will the Lucent Brood be able to revive themselves thanks to their ghost, they will also wield super abilities - the first time anyone outside of the guardians themselves have wielded the powers of the Light.
The central hook of the Destiny 2 Witch Queen narrative is how Savathûn managed to wield the Light. The precursor to this expansion - which launched with the Season of the Lost - shows us that the narrative will involve characters like Saint-14, Crow, Mara Sov, Ikora Rey and more. The Witch Queen will also see the beginning of the end for the story of Light And Darkness, which will conclude with the Lightfall and The Final Shape expansions. There is plenty to look forward to if you are a Destiny fan.
Destiny 2 Witch Queen: New Content
Outside of the full story campaign, Destiny 2 The Witch Queen will bring a suite of new content for players to sink their teeth into across 2022. For one, players will explore Savathûn's Throne World, a new destination featuring swamp lands and a "glistening palace". Savathûn's Throne World has an uneasy feel about it, and continues the Destiny 2 tradition of creating beautifully haunting new settings for players to fight through.
Destiny 2 Witch Queen will come with a new six-player mode titled Conflict Eternal. We don't have many details on this new mode, but six-player activities have become incredibly popular among the Destiny 2 community, with the Dares of Eternity mode being a recent example of that. Players looking for more six-player action will be happy to know that a new raid set amidst the swamps of Savathûn's Throne World is also coming - although whether this is arriving on launch is yet to be seen.
Finally, players will be introduced to a new weapon archetype: The Glaive. This is the first first-person melee weapon to be introduced to the game, and works as a spear that can also fire projectiles and protect with a powerful energy shield. However, The Glaive is also bringing the most exciting part of the entire Witch Queen expansion.
Destiny 2 Witch Queen: A Crafting Shakeup
Click to enlargeAmidst all the new story and content arriving with the Destiny 2 Witch Queen expansion, crafting will be the biggest game changer. A brand new crafting system will allow players to "create custom weaponry with unique combinations of mods, shaders, and advanced stat pools". Weapons in Destiny 2 have long been at the whims of different "rolls" (different stats and perks). However, this new system essentially allows players to find a gun they like and stick with it, while evolving and customising its perks and stats to find the perfect roll.
While a crafting system might not sound like the most exciting thing when there are new modes, destination, enemies, and highly-anticipated story, the new crafting system has the potential to have some long-term effects on Destiny 2 as it continues into its future expansions.
That's everything you need to know about the Destiny 2 Witch Queen expansion, which will launch on February 22. We have a hunch you'll need plenty of legendary shards for its new crafting system, so be sure you check out our guide on how to earn Destiny 2 legendary shards.