Bungie has pushed back the release date of Destiny 2: The Final Shape, the next big expansion for the free-to-play FPS game. After months of speculation, the studio is delaying its new expansion following a brutal wave of layoffs.
In an email sent to fans, Bungie revealed the new Destiny 2: The Final Shape release date as June 4, 2023. Originally, the expansion was set to release at the start of February, a year after its controversial Lightfall expansion.
“The Final Shape is the culmination of the first ten years of Destiny storytelling and, for Guardians everywhere, countless hours spent together,” game director Joe Blackburn said in a blog post. “We want to honor that journey, so we’re taking the time we need to deliver an even bigger and bolder vision, one that we hope will be remembered and treasured for years to come.”
With this is mind, Destiny 2’s Season of the Wish content will run as previously planned, filling a content gap between now and February. However, the game will then see small content additions including Guardian Games in March and a new Destiny 2: Into the Light addition in April to prepare players for the new expansion.
“We know you’re eager to get your hands on The Final Shape. In that sense, delays aren’t fun. For our part, we are excited to have the extra time needed to bring our vision for The Final Shape to life for all of you,” Blackburn said. “We’re looking forward to sharing much more in April, including all-new gameplay, to showcase the significant content additions currently in development.”
Earlier this year, Bungie was criticised for laying off a large number of developers at the studio, leading to the delays of Destiny 2 content and its upcoming Marathon game. The studio even fired longtime composer Michael Salvatori, who had been with the studio since 1998’s Myth II on Mac.
While Bungie refused to reveal the new release date for the Destiny 2 expansion, reports claimed the studio would be delaying the content outside of February. However, with Bungie still sticking to the new release date in promotional emails going back just weeks ago, fans did not trust the reports.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape now releases on June 4, 2023 for Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4, PS5 and PC.