Bungie to launch free-to-play Destiny 2 in September

Bungie is launching a free-to-play version of Destiny 2 this September, which it intends to be the new "baseline" version of its flagship IP.

Destiny 2: New Light will launch on September 17, 2019, two years after the game first launched. It will be free to download for all players.

Bungie described the free-to-play version as, "a brand new entry point for newcomers, that puts the worlds of Destiny 2 -- and all of its foundational modes, activities, and rewards -- into the hands of every player."

New Light will include all of Destiny 2's first year content. However, expansions like Forsaken, which launched in September 2018, and the forthcoming Shadowkeep will need to be purchased.

This is the boldest step Bungie has taken with Destiny since it regained its independence from Activision Blizzard in January this year.

But it is not the only bold step the Washington-based developer has taken this week. On the same day that it launches New Light, it will also make Destiny 2 available on Steam for the first time.

Previously, the game had only been available on Battle.net, but Bungie described Steam as, "a new home for the Destiny PC community." Current players will be able to migrate all of their characters, gear and progress between the two platforms ahead of the date.

Destiny 2 is one of the key games in the launch line-up for Google Stadia, which was revealed yesterday alongside details of its $10 a month premium subscription model.

It is the one game that Google has confirmed will be free with the subscription, although the apparent generosity of that offer has been changed by the release of New Light two months before Stadia's launch. Stadia subscribers will also receive the Shadowkeep expansion for free.

Bungie has also confirmed that it will support "cross save" functionality across all versions of Destiny 2, including Stadia.