Earlier this year, Bungie unveiled a new expansion for Destiny 2 that’s quite perplexing. Dubbed Renegades, this addition draws heavy inspiration from the Star Wars universe, collaborating directly with Lucasfilm. It received its full reveal during a livestream earlier today, which also gave us a release date!
Regarding the core Destiny 2 gameplay additions, Renegades introduces “The Lawless Frontier,” a fresh cooperative game mode. Players will engage in challenging missions to bolster their reputation, unlocking new Renegade abilities like the deployment of airstrikes, turrets, and a futuristic sci-fi bike. Furthermore, a new social space, Tharsis Outpost, directly evokes the ambiance of the Mos Eisley Cantina – a similarity immediately apparent upon viewing it.
The visual presentation is certainly unique. Evident Star Wars elements exist, such as a vehicle reminiscent of the AT-ST Walker. Certain weapons emit the iconic “pew pew” sound effect engrained in the minds of Star Wars fans everywhere. Lightsabers also make an appearance, alongside Destiny enemies bearing a slight resemblance to Star Wars designs, though not so much as to feel jarring. It feels like a subtle Star Wars flavoring, perhaps not fully integrated.
As someone generally skeptical of live service games, and even as a Destiny 2 outsider, I remain uncertain if this expansion will achieve Bungie’s presumed goals. Regardless, Destiny 2: Renegades is slated for release on December 2nd, giving players a relatively short timeframe to determine its merits.