Destiny 2's Unvaulting Plan Is Here, and the Red War Is Coming Home
Eyes up. Calus is back.
Bungie finally gave us the Destiny 2 unvaulting details we've been waiting on since September. In a new Bungie Community Update, head of product Josh Deane laid out what's coming back first, what might come back later, what probably never will, and a rough timeline (Bungie). Grab your Ghost, because there's a lot to unpack.
If you missed how we got here, Bungie ended active development on Destiny 2 with Monument of Triumph in June, then reversed course in September with the video below. We covered what fans were hoping for right here, and today's update answers a lot of it.
What is Bungie unvaulting first?
The first pass is about making the campaign slate whole again, and it's available to all players. It covers the Red War, Curse of Osiris, Warmind and Forsaken campaigns, along with their strikes, raids and raid lairs, which means Leviathan, Eater of Worlds and Spire of Stars are back on the table (Calus would like a word about your table manners).
The Menagerie is returning too, with reprised rewards, and Deane said it "holds a special place in our hearts" (honestly, same).
What might come back later?
Bungie calls these stretch goals, and none of them are promised yet. The list includes free-roam destinations with their public events, Lost Sectors and Escalation Protocol, seasonal activities from Sundial in Season 9 through The Coil in Season 23, updated raid weapons and old PvP maps. In other words, the Red War campaign is coming back, but wandering around Mars and Io afterward isn't guaranteed (Escalation Protocol veterans, keep the faith).
What isn't coming back?
Bungie says four things currently have no path back, for technical or strategic reasons, including an updated New Light experience, seasonal story missions, the Kell's Grave Gambit map and seasonal hubs like the Eliksni Quarter. Deane said bringing them back "could come at a cost" for what Bungie wants to build next.
How long is the unvaulting going to take?
Bungie got its first greenlight in June and validated the plan in September. The project is in pre-production now, which should run until about January or February, and full production after that should take about 12 months. Bungie hasn't given a release date, but that math points to 2028 at the earliest (our Ghosts are already pacing).
What else did Bungie tease?
Bungie listed three projects. A Destiny 2 "Celebration" will add new updates beyond Monument of Triumph, and a Destiny "Legacy" project aims to bring the whole saga to the platforms we play on today, with progress updates for both in February. The third project is completely redacted, except for one line underneath that reads "We're back."
Deane also warned fans not to expect a Destiny announcement at The Game Awards this year, adding, "We get there when we get there."
What's in the basement?
In a follow-up post on X, Deane said there are "some things still in the 'basement'" that should find their way into the game (Josh Deane on X). He also shut down the rumor that the Shattered Cycle expansion was nearly finished, and he floated a capstone event as an encore for the players who showed up.
My read is that this is the most honest Bungie has sounded in years. Waiting until 2028 for the Red War hurts, but a real plan with real progress bars beats another vague promise, and we'd happily run the Menagerie one more time (or a thousand).
More gaming coverage is right here.
All images are official Destiny 2 assets and Steam screenshots from Bungie.
