Destiny 2's unvaulted content won't signal return to regular updates

Bungie surprised Destiny 2 players this week by announcing plans to "unvault" removed campaigns, raids and destinations, bringing them back to the game after they were removed. But new details make clear this doesn't mean a return to regular development.

According to reporting by Forbes' Paul Tassi using sources inside Bungie, all unvaulted content will be free for everyone, including players who didn't own it originally. Much of the removed material had already been converted to free-to-play before removal.

The unvaulting won't include the live service seasons that ran alongside removed content. Those seasons were transient by design, though some contained story additions that set up future expansions, potentially leaving narrative gaps. Seasonal events tied to specific weapons won't return either, since those weapons are already in the game.

Activities introduced during past seasons have no confirmed return date. While Tassi didn't rule out some returning as standalone experiences later, players shouldn't expect every Strike, Crucible or Gambit map to come back. Strikes with narrative hooks have a better chance, as they'd be considered part of the story.

Bungie will release no regular patches between now and the unvaulting, aside from fixes for major bugs. "Monument of Triumph really was end-of-service for the live part of Destiny 2," Tassi wrote. "As you may recall, almost everyone managing Destiny was laid off."

Tassi estimated the unvaulting could arrive "sometime next year," though a specific date wasn't confirmed. Destiny 2 will remain quiet on the update front until then, though a major Marathon update is expected in December.