Destiny 2 Season 23 was originally scheduled to begin around November 28, 2023, and end on February 27, 2024. However, according to the latest report from Bloomberg, the release of the Final Shape expansion for Destiny 2 has been delayed until June 2024 due to force majeure. This news comes at a time when Bungie has simultaneously laid off about 8% of its employees.
Bungie management also assured fans that despite the layoffs, Destiny 2 is in good hands, announcing that approximately 650 developers are working on the game. So there should be nothing to worry about. Anyways, players can still have some fun now, have their characters boosted with the Destiny 2 carry service, and get ready for the new season. In any case, while the situation with the exact release date of Season 23 is unclear, we decided to guess what we can expect from it.
Navigating Destiny 2’s Future Amid Expansion Delay
A few-month delay in the launch date of Destiny 2 wouldn’t sound so odd if it weren’t a live service game. But this creates a void between the end of Season 23, which falls on or around February 27, and the revised launch date of the expansion, raising the question of what Bungie intends to do with those four months.
The developer informed players that The Final Shape would abandon seasons in favor of an “episodes” approach during the presentation. According to the date on Bungie’s website, Echoes, the first episode, would be launched in March and run through June of the following year. Bungie will, therefore, either release the episode, add more in the upcoming season, or have something else in store for the players. Although Season 23 is quickly approaching, and the current Season of the Witch will come to an end on November 28, Bungie has only released information on its mid-season update for Destiny 2’s weaponry and quality-of-life enhancements thus far.
Significant Events in Destiny 2’s Season 23
Destiny 2 is anticipated to wrap up all loose ends with the Lightfall expansion, as Season 23 is slated to be the last season and the final significant content update prior to the Final Shape expansion. This clearly reflects the ongoing seasonal plot but could also indicate that gamers will finally be able to get their hands on the remaining unreleased weapons of the Lightfall expansion. It is expected that after completing the Destiny 2 Season 22 story, Guardians may finally meet Xivu Arath in Season 23. This showdown in Destiny 2 has been a long time coming. And even though previous events have prepared Guardians for it, it will likely still be difficult.
Destiny 2 Season 23 will add a new dungeon for players with the Lightfall Dungeon Key. A new Exotic weapon is rumored to be included in the loot pool of this next dungeon, along with new Legendary armor and weapon sets. However, there is almost no information about this dungeon and its release date.
Game-Changing Updates in Destiny 2 Season 23
The addition of the Gunsmith weapon in Season 23, which inevitably opens the door for devoted Gunsmith engrams, is one significant improvement to the quality of life. Players will soon be able to choose the type of prizes they can obtain from the Gunsmith merchant thanks to this functionality.
At the beginning of Season 23, Gunsmiths will be able to focus on the following foundry weapon pools; further foundry weapon loot pools should become accessible in upcoming Destiny 2 updates:
- Omolon
- Häkke
- Veist
- Suros
Bungie also stated that Legendary Shards would be removed from the game beginning of Season 23. This is a significant upgrade for Destiny 2’s economy on its own, but it will be extremely valuable when combined with the previously announced Gunsmith concentrating feature.
Finally, a highly important addition coming to the game next season is the ability to access the vault from Orbit, as well as the new fireteam finder feature. Gamers currently use these services through third-party companion applications and websites, but having them in-game will presumably make them much more efficient. The new Fireteam Finder tool, in particular, is said to allow in-game matchmaking for all activities in Destiny 2.
The game still has a long way to go before fully incorporating the unique functions of some of the most popular community tools available. But the new features arriving in Season 23 are true game-changers that will bring the gaming experience to a whole new level.
The Bottom Line
Destiny 2’s Season 23 promises to be a significant chapter in the game’s development, even with the delay of the Final Shape expansion. As the last season before the episodic format, players can anticipate new content, including a dungeon, exotic items, and seasonal events. Major quality-of-life improvements are on the horizon, such as the Gunsmith weapon focusing and in-game access to vaults and a fireteam finder. Additionally, the accidental reveal of enhanced Exotic Armor sets hints at exciting changes ahead, making the upcoming season a highly anticipated period for Destiny 2 players.
