As we near the end of Destiny’s first year, Bungie is preparing Guardians for the beginning of a new era in Destiny with Update 2.0. The new update will usher in the game’s Year 2 activities, which kick off with The Taken King expansion.

Unlike the first two Destiny expansions, Bungie is bringing a horde of changes with The Taken King that will affect many aspects of Destiny, including the core game. In preparation for the transition, Bungie has announced that all players will need to download Update 2.0 to prepare for the various changes and new additions coming to the MMO.

In their weekly update, Bungie revealed when players can expect the update:

“Update 2.0 marks the beginning of Destiny Year Two. We want to make sure you’re prepared when it drops, so Destiny Player Support is doing the most to ensure you know your foe. All Destiny players will be required to download and apply the Update to continue playing even if they do not purchase Destiny: The Taken King. Below are some of the big items to help you fully prepare for the update on September 8, 2015.”

Part of that player preparation includes making sure gamers have enough space on their consoles to handle the massive download. For PlayStation 4 and Xbox One owners, that means at least 18GB of free space. PlayStation 3 owners will need around 20GB, and Xbox 360 owners will need 10 GB.

The size of the downloads aren’t surprising considering the abundant changes coming to Destiny. A few of the most notable are the voice changes to Ghost, the updated leveling system, and numerous weapon balancing changes. Plus, Bungie needs to prepare Guardians for The Taken King’s new weapons, missions, strike, and raid.

It seems Bungie is working hard to provide new Destiny players with a positive experience that sidesteps the issues many Year One players experienced with the game. However, their efforts to balance the game and prepare for new players also means some of the game’s most popular aspects will be taking a hit.

Sadly, two of Destiny’s most popular weapons will no longer provide Guardians the same power they have in the past. The Thorn hand cannon will be nerfed with Update 2.0, bringing it more in line with other pistols in the game. And as most Destiny players are now aware, the most rare and powerful weapon in the game, the rocket launcher Gjallarhorn, won’t receive a year 2 upgrade. Fortunately, those gamers who pick up The Taken King will have a plethora of new weapons to experience.

What do you think about the changes coming with Destiny’s Update 2.0? Do you have enough space for the download? Let us know in the comments.

Destiny – The Taken King is set to release on September 15, 2015 for PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.

Source: Bungie