It was apparent when Bungie and Activision ended their partnership earlier this year, there would be big changes coming to Destiny 2Since taking full ownership back of its IP, Bungie has remained relatively quiet about what the future of Destiny 2 would look like. After having time to get things in order, plus with the help of a major announcement today from Google, the creative vision of what Bungie hopes will come of Destiny 2 has been revealed.

Alongside the announcement it would be included in the launch lineup for Google Stadia, the major tech company's first foray into the gaming hardware/streaming service ecosystem, Bungie released a 15-minute documentary on the biggest changes coming to Destiny 2 in the next few months. The video focuses on how Bungie plans to bring both new and lapsed players into the current state of Destiny, its newest expansion Shadowkeep, and how it plans to retain players during its transition into having full creative independence of its online shooter.

The biggest initiative being taken is what Bungie is calling "New Light", the developer's desire to make all past content for Destiny available to everyone. Starting on September 17th, Destiny 2 goes free-to-play, with all Year 1 Destiny 2 content, including DLC expansions Curse of Osiris and Warmind, being offered for free. Bungie claims the biggest obstacle in past years is that for anyone who wanted to pick up Destiny and play with their friends, there were hours of playtime and costs separating the player. In response, Bungie is essentially tearing down those walls and making all content easily accessible.

Bungie has also announced it will be breaking down hardware barriers shortly, announcing cross-save functionality for all systems, including Google Stadia, when it launches this Fall. Sony, while a last minute decision, is also on board for the feature, making the option for cross-saves a universal one.

Customization was also emphasized heavily, allowing players to personalize their guardians in as many new ways as possible. One common request seen in player feedback was restrictions on perks and mods, which Bungie addresses in the video. Currently, Bungie is working on what it's calling "Armor 2.0," which lets players install mods and perks onto any gear they wish. Previously, the Destiny team noticed players were finding issues between choosing gear that looked cool versus gear with useful perks.

Another big change involves the game's upcoming expansion, ShadowkeepIn Shadowkeep, players will be returning to an altered version of the Moon for the first time since the original gameBungie is also putting player right into an endgame feeling, rather than having them work towards that eventual goal.

It's clear from both the video documentary and the partnership with Google Stadia that Bungie is looking to remain as creative with the Destiny franchise as it can be. At times during its partnership with Activision, there was a clear emphasis on microtransaction revenue and how much the publisher could monetize the game as opposed to offering a fleshed-out online experience. Listening to the team discuss the game now months after the companies split, the future looks bright for what Destiny 2 has to offer.

Destiny 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It will also release on Google Stadia when the service launches this November.