Destiny 2: The Final Shape gameplay preview reveals new playable subclass, enemy type, and exotics

To close out a series of promotional livestreams for its latest Destiny 2 update, Into the Light, developer Bungie launched an in-depth look at what's coming after Into the Light. New videos and blog posts outlined what players are in for when Destiny 2: The Final Shape launches on June 4, 2024.

The Final Shape will see players and the combined forces of The Last City and its allies journey into the heart of the Traveler itself, in pursuit of The Witness, who managed to infiltrate the Traveler at the end of the game's previous expansion, Lightfall. There, players will bring an end to what Bungie calls "The Light and Darkness Saga," the overarching plotline that began with the original Destiny in 2014 and proceeded through Destiny 2 up to this point. Joining them in their quest will be the extended cast of Destiny, including a few returnees like Cayde-6, who died in Forsaken.

The Final Shape will debut an entirely new playable subclass for Guardians. Called Prismatic, the subclass reflects the ultimate fusion of powers based on the Light and the Darkness. Prismatic will allow players to mix and match powers and aspects from all of the existing subclasses: Arc, Solar, Void, Stasis, and Strand. Prismatic subclasses can also Enter Transcendence, a new powered-up mode that's filled by consistently using both Light- and Darkness-aligned powers. Transcendence increases a player's power recharge rate, while also unlocking a new grenade ability that fully combines Light and Darkness effects and varies based on Guardian class.

Guardians will need their new powers to combat the new threats they'll find inside the Traveler, namely, the Dread. The Dread are an entirely new enemy faction, and the third introduced in Destiny's history. Unlike the previous two enemy factions, the Taken and the Scorn, the Dread are original foes connected directly to the Witness, rather than "remixes" of existing enemy types. The first Dread enemy players encountered was the Tormentor in Lightfall, but new enemies that wield Darkness powers to threaten players will be added to the Dread's roster of baddies.

Finally, The Final Shape, and its transitional free update, Into the Light, will see the transition of Destiny 2 away from the seasonal content model to a less frequent, but more substantial "Episode" model. The Final Shape will bring with it a new campaign, features, and a new raid, but the year following its release will see three new "episodes," the first of which is unlocked alongside the expansion itself.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape launches on June 4, 2024. Into the Light update is live, and free to access for all players.