Destiny 2: Shadowkeep
Guardians return to the Moon to confront Nightmares from their past.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep is a major expansion for the first-person shooter Destiny 2, developed by Bungie. Released on October 1, 2019, it is the fourth expansion and marks the third year of extended content for the game. It was the first major expansion Bungie published on its own after securing the publishing rights from Activision in early 2019, and it was the first to launch on Steam instead of the Battle.net client used since Destiny 2's original release. On June 4, 2024, the Shadowkeep campaign was made free-to-play for everyone, while the rest of the expansion's content was bundled into the Shadowkeep Pack.
The expansion sends players back to Earth's Moon, a destination that returns and expands on its original appearance in the first Destiny (2014). The story brings back Eris Morn, who had been missing since the original Destiny 2 campaign. She asks the Guardian for help against "Nightmares"—manifestations of past trauma that she accidentally unleashed into the Solar System after interacting with a dormant Pyramid ship beneath the Moon's surface. These Nightmares are resurrected by the Darkness, the Traveler's ancient enemy, and players face off against previous adversaries. Throughout the story, Eris and the Guardian investigate the cause of this madness and work to stop it. Shadowkeep added content across all game modes, including new missions, Player versus Environment (PvE) locations, Player versus Player (PvP) maps, weapons, armor, exotic gear, a new dungeon, a new raid, and major changes to core gameplay, such as a revamped armor system. A second dungeon was added later during Year 3's fourth season.
Alongside Shadowkeep's release, the original Destiny 2 base game was re-released as a free-to-play title called Destiny 2: New Light. At that time, this free version included all content from the original base game and the first two expansions, Curse of Osiris and Warmind, plus various other PvE and PvP activities. Much of this content was removed when Beyond Light launched in November 2020. Upon Shadowkeep's release, it and all future expansions and seasonal content (including the previous expansion Forsaken) were treated as standalone releases, requiring only the free-to-play New Light, not previous premium purchases.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Destiny 2: Shadowkeep
- Developer
- Bungie
- Series
- Destiny
- Platforms
- PlayStation 4 · Windows · Xbox One · Stadia · PlayStation 5 · Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- October 1, 2019
- Genre
- Action role-playing, first-person shooter
- Modes
- Multiplayer
- Director
- Luke Smith / Steve Cotton
- Composer
- Michael Salvatori / Skye Lewin / Rotem Moav / Pieter Schlosser / Josh Mosser / Michael Sechrist
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Shadowkeep returns players to Earth's Moon as a playable destination, reprised and expanded from the original Destiny. The story sees the return of Eris Morn, who had been absent since the events of Destiny 2's base campaign. Eris seeks the Guardian's help in defeating 'Nightmares' she accidentally released after interacting with a dormant Pyramid ship beneath the Moon's surface. These Nightmares are manifestations of the Guardian's past, resurrected by the Darkness, the ancient enemy of the Traveler. Throughout the story, Eris and the Guardian work together to understand and stop the unleashed madness.
The expansion added content for every aspect of the game, including new missions, PvE locations, PvP maps, weapons, armor, exotic gear, a new dungeon, a new raid, and a revamped armor system. A second dungeon was added later with Year 3's fourth season. Alongside Shadowkeep's release, the original Destiny 2 base game was re-released as a free-to-play title called Destiny 2: New Light. Shadowkeep and all future expansions were viewed as standalone releases, requiring only the free-to-play New Light.
Shadowkeep had four seasonal content offerings for Year 3: Season of the Undying (alongside Shadowkeep), Season of Dawn (December 2019), Season of the Worthy (March 2020), and Season of Arrivals (June 2020). Unlike the prior year's seasons, Year 3's seasons were immediately removed upon conclusion. These seasons bridged the events of Shadowkeep to the next expansion, Beyond Light, featuring invasions by the Sol Divisive Vex, time-travel plots with the Sundial, a Cabal superweapon collision course with the Last City, and the arrival of the Black Fleet of the Darkness.
Reader's Guide
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep marked a significant turning point for the franchise, being the first major expansion published independently by Bungie after its split from Activision. It also represented a platform shift, moving from Battle.net to Steam. The expansion's scale was compared to Rise of Iron from the original Destiny, featuring a full campaign, new strikes, a new Crucible map, and the return of the Moon as a destination twice its original size. The introduction of Nightmares as a new enemy faction recontextualized past adversaries as spectral manifestations of trauma.
The expansion fundamentally changed the game's armor system and introduced new activities like Nightmare Hunts and the Nightfall: The Ordeal with multiple difficulty tiers. The raid 'Garden of Salvation' and dungeons 'Pit of Heresy' and 'Prophecy' provided endgame PvE content. Shadowkeep also restructured the Crucible, separating Control into its own playlist and revamping Survival into a 3v3 competitive mode. The seasonal model shifted to content that was immediately removed after each season, a change that was later reversed in Year 4. The campaign's free-to-play release in 2024 made it accessible to all players, while the rest of the content became the Shadowkeep Pack.
Did You Know?
- Shadowkeep was the first Destiny 2 expansion published independently by Bungie after acquiring publishing rights from Activision.
- The expansion introduced Nightmares, spectral manifestations of the Guardians' past resurrected by the Darkness.
- The Moon destination was twice the size of its original iteration in the first Destiny.
- The Shadowkeep campaign became free-to-play on June 4, 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Destiny 2: Shadowkeep?
Shadowkeep is the fourth major expansion for Bungie's first-person shooter Destiny 2, launching on October 1, 2019 as the third year of ongoing content. It sends Guardians back to Earth's Moon to battle a new breed of enemy called Nightmares.
Where does Shadowkeep take place?
The expansion is set on Earth's Moon, a location Guardians previously explored in the original Destiny and the Destiny 2 base game. The lunar setting serves as the backdrop for the campaign's central conflict against the Nightmares.
What are Nightmares in Shadowkeep?
Nightmares are dark, twisted manifestations of a Guardian's own past self, created by the enigmatic entity Eryx. They serve as the primary antagonistic force throughout the expansion's story.
Why is Shadowkeep significant for Destiny 2's history?
It was the first expansion Bungie published on its own after reclaiming publishing rights from Activision in early 2019. It also marked the first time a major Destiny 2 expansion launched on Steam rather than the Battle.net client.
Is the Shadowkeep campaign free to play?
Yes—on June 4, 2024, Bungie opened the Shadowkeep campaign to all players at no charge. The remaining expansion content, including its raid and other activities, was consolidated into a separate bundle.
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