Destiny: Rise of Iron finally launches, but before players can start to ascend Felwinter Peak, here are the things that need to be done before accessing the content.

Today is the day many Destiny fans have been waiting for as the latest and final expansion pack, Rise of Iron, is now available. Players are finally getting to learn more about Lord Saladin and the former Iron Lords, while working to solve a new threat from a techno-virus called SIVA. While a Destiny ARG helped to build additional hype with the community over the weekend thanks to an odd buff that passed between players in the Crucible, the doors to the Plaguelands are finally open for players to explore.

Just like The Taken King last year, Rise of Iron adds a much needed infusion of content and new features to the two year old game, including an all new story campaign along with new weapons and loot to acquire. Players are also getting their hands on a new strike known as The Wretched Eye and later this week, the race to be first to complete the brand new Wrath of the Machine raid kicks off. Competitive players have four new maps to pick from along with a new mode called Supremacy, which players similarly to other Kill Confirmed style modes where players drop an item on death that rewards players for picking them up.

Now that the new content is available, here's what new players will need to do in order to first access Rise of Iron:

Get the Code!

The first, and most obvious thing, is to actually purchase the expansion. For players who pre-ordered the content online and who may not have received a code yet, don't forget to check the spam folder. If all else fails, jump on the phone with the store directly.

Before You Play!

Thankfully, Rise of Iron was pre-loaded for all players last week with the launch of update 2.4. This means that unlike most games, Rise of Iron will not need to download or install anything before players can hop into the game world. With that said, all of the latest patches for Destiny, including both hot fixes that released this week, will need to be installed before the expansion can be played.

It's also worth mentioning that reports are indicating the Destiny servers are getting swamped with players trying to get into the game. Bungie has set up a queue to help ease the load, but it's causing players to have to wait before entering the game. It's entirely possible that many players will be stuck at the sign in screen until the issue is resolved, so make sure to keep trying.

In-Game Requirements

With the code entered and the game fully patched, players can finally get to actually playing the game. The new Rise of Iron content can be found on Earth from the Director menu, though players who have been playing Destiny all night will first need to return to orbit now that the expansion is live.

Guardians will need to be at level 40 before they can start the new Rise of Iron campaign, which is a required playthrough in order to access the rest of the expansions content. Just like the other missions within the base game, Rise of Iron quests will be marked as such to help stand out. For players ready to dive in, the first mission is called King of the Mountain and is located on Felwinter Peak on Earth.

Need more tips and Tricks for Destiny: Rise of Iron? Visit all of our guides below:

Destiny: Rise of Iron is available now for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Source: VG247