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All Seasons and release date order - Destiny 2

Discover the release date and order of each Season in Destiny 2, from the time the game first launched to the latest Season announced.

Sam Chandler

April 26, 2024 12:10 AM

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Destiny 2 has received about a dozen Seasons since its release. Every few months, a new Season begins, giving players new Power to chase, Exotics to unlock, and hopefully, new and exciting activities to experience. It can get a bit murky after all these years for any players looking to think back on a Season or work out how many there are. To help with this, below you’ll find a list of every Season in Destiny 2, in order, as well as a brief description of what it included. Expect for this guide to be updated every few months.

Last updated on June 2, 2024.

All Seasons in Destiny 2

There are technically 20 Seasons in Destiny 2, with the seasonal model officially beginning after the release of Forsaken. Before then, Bungie was still utilizing a traditional DLC release schedule. Though they weren't officially called Seasons until much later, the base game and the first few DLC drops were retroactively numbered and are considered Seasons by Bungie and the community. 

Each Season typically brings with it some new stories, Exotics to chase, and better gear to unlock. Bungie has also taken to releasing a new dungeon and a new/reprised raid on alternating seasons.

With the launch of The Final Shape, Bungie shifted away from the traditional Seasonal model and name and referred to them as Episodes. For simplicity, I've still used the traditional S-number format for these Episodes to keep it consistent.

Use the below Destiny 2 Season names to jump to the appropriate Season and read a brief overview of what it introduced. Some of these Seasons will be blank, pending further information and announcements from Bungie.

Season 1: Destiny 2 base – Year 1

Destiny 2 originally launched back on September 6, 2017, on console and then on PC on October 24, 2017. This base game introduced players to new mechanics, a double-primary weapon setup, as well as other new and strange changes from the original game. Players would fight against Ghaul and the Red Legion, ultimately defeating the Cabal leader, and seeing the Traveler wake up from its slumber. It was here that players got their first glimpse of the Pyramid ships that would eventually be the focus of Shadowkeep some two years later.

• Power cap: 300 (305 with mods)
• Raid: Leviathan

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 2: Curse of Osiris

Curse of Osiris was the first DLC added to Destiny 2 on December 5, 2017, and is often considered the lowest point in the series. Players were jetted off to Mercury, where they helped Brother Vance and Osiris fight against Panoptes, a Vex Mind. Aside from forging a few weapons, there was really nothing going on in this season.

• Power cap: 330 (335 with mods)
• Raid: Eater of Worlds

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Season 3: Warmind

Warmind was the third and final mini-DLC released on May 8, 2018, before Bungie shifted to a seasonal model. Warmind took players back to Mars, where they helped Ana Bray and Rasputin take on a Hive worm god. The big appeal of this season was Escalation Protocol, a pseudo-wave defense activity, as well as the brutally-challenging quest, The Whisper, which rewarded Whisper of the Worm, a new version of Black Hammer/Black Spindle.

• Power cap: 380 (385 with mods)
• Raid: Spire of Stars

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Season 4: Forsaken / Season of the Outlaw – Year 2

Released on September 4, 2018, Forsaken marked the first massive shift in direction of Destiny 2 and started Year 2. This major expansion changed just about every facet of the game, and is often considered Destiny 2’s own “The Taken King”. It also marked the introduction of a new end-game activity called a dungeon. These three-player activities are a mini-raid of sorts, demanding high Power levels, skill, and puzzle-solving. Those seeking more PVE-cross-PVP content were rewarded with Gambit, a mode that tasks two teams with defeating PVE combatants and invading the other team's world for a bit of PVP.

• Power cap: 600
• Raid: Last Wish
• Dungeon: The Shattered Throne

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 5: Season of the Forge

Season of the Forge was the first time a piece of DLC was officially classified as a "Season" and was released on December 4, 2018. Though there was a rocky launch with players unable to experience the first new activity due to a demanding Power requirement, Season of the Forge offered plenty of new gear for players to chase. This Season also went by the title, Black Armory.

• Power cap: 650
• Raid: Scourge of the Past

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Season 6: Season of the Drifter

Season of the Drifter was released on March 5, 2019. This Season was also known as Joker’s Wild. Though light on new PVE activities, Season of the Drifter’s main focus was on Gambit, and the newly-introduced Gambit Prime and The Reckoning. Players were also able to unlock Outbreak Perfected, an Exotic Pulse Rifle that was called Outbreak Prime back in the original Destiny.

• Power cap: 700

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Season 7: Season of Opulence

Season of Opulence was the next Season to join the ranks of Destiny 2 on June 4, 2019. The Season was an instant-success thanks to The Menagerie, a new PVE activity that allowed players to farm the exact weapon they wanted. The story also shined more light on the jubilant Emperor Calus and his Leviathan ship, which had been overrun with Hive.

• Power cap: 750
• Raid: Crown of Sorrow

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 8: Shadowkeep / Season of the Undying – Year 3

Shadowkeep was the second major expansion to hit Destiny 2 on October 1, 2019, and sets in motion Year 3. Though not as impressive as Forsaken, Shadowkeep seemed to finally hit some story notes players had been waiting for since the base game released two years prior. Players came face-to-face with the Darkness and its Pyramid ships, which would path the way for future releases.

The release of Shadowkeep also kicked off a new Season, Season of the Undying, which introduced a 100-rank Season Pass for the first time and a new mechanic, the seasonal artifact. This artifact would allow players to gain as much Power as they could by gaining exponentially more XP. Players would also be able to chase higher Power levels with a new Pinnacle system, which would grant 10 Power above the Season's soft cap, a difficult task for even the veteran players.

This Season also marked the release of a free version of Destiny 2 called New Light.

• Power cap: 950 (960 with Pinnacle gear)
• Raid: Garden of Salvation
• Dungeon: Pit of Heresy

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 9: Season of Dawn

Season of Dawn was released on December 10, 2019, and took players back to Mercury for the first time since Curse of Osiris. This time, the story was far more impressive, with players rescuing Saint-14 (a legendary figure players have discussed since the original title) from the time-bending Vex.

• Power cap: 960 (970 with Pinnacle gear)

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 10: Season of the Worthy

Season of the Worthy was the tenth season added to Destiny 2 on March 10, 2020. The primary focus of this season was Trials of Osiris, the new Seraph Tower public event, and the Seraph Bunkers. This Season culminated with the Warmind Rasputin destroying the Cabal-controlled ship, The Almighty, in Destiny 2’s first live event.

• Power cap: 1000 (1010 with Pinnacle gear)

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 11: Season of Arrivals

Though the previous seasons were by no means unpopular, Destiny 2 really hit another stride when Season of Arrivals released on June 9, 2020. This Season added Umbral Engrams, which allowed players to chase very specific weapons with greater ease. The story also reached a new height, with Pyramid ships appearing around several planets including Io, Titan, Mars, and Mercury.

• Power cap: 1050 (1060 with Pinnacle gear)
• Dungeon: Prophecy

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 12: Beyond Light / Season of the Hunt – Year 4

Beyond Light released on November 10, 2020, and was Year 4 of Destiny 2. This new Season looks to add new elemental powers for the first time since The Taken King in the original Destiny several years ago. Players will be able to wield the power of the Darkness in the form of icy “stasis” abilities. Beyond Light will also be the first time Bungie removes massive amounts of content, with Io, Titan, Mars, and Mercury being “vaulted”, along with any activities tied to those locations. Beyond Light also included Season of the Hunt, which started on November 17, 2020.

• Power cap: 1250 (1260 with Pinnacle gear)
• Raid: Deep Stone Crypt

If Beyond Light follows the same seasonal model, players could likely expect three additional Seasons before the next major expansion.

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 13: Season of the Chosen

Season of the Chosen is the thirteenth Season in Destiny 2 and was released on February 9, 2021. The new Season focuses on the Cabal Empress, Caiatl, and her fight against the Vanguard after Zavala refuses to kneel. A new activity called Battlegrounds was introduced for the Season, along with Destiny 1's Devli's Lair and S.A.B.E.R. Strikes returning to the Cosmodrome.

• Power cap: 1300 (1310 with Pinnacle gear)

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 14: Season of the Splicer

The Season of the Splicer is the fourteenth Season in Destiny 2 and was released on May 11, 2021. This Season focuses on the Vex and humanity's new allies, the Splicer Fallen, led by Mithrax.

• Power cap: 1310 (1320 with Pinnacle gear)
• Raid: Vault of Glass

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 15: Season of Lost

Season of the Lost started on August 24, 2021. With The Witch Queen scheduled for release in February 2022, this Season is shaping up to be one of the longest in the game's history. On December 7, 2021, the Bungie 30th Anniversary Pack was released, which included a dungeon and a brand new mode, Dares of Eternity, hosted by Xur.

• Power cap: 1320 (1330 with Pinnacle gear)
• Dungeon: Grasp of Avarice

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Season 16: The Witch Queen / Season of the Risen – Year 5

The Witch Queen was announced in June 2020 as part of a special Bungie stream and is planned for release on February 22, 2022. The Witch Queen will be the start of Year 5 of Destiny 2. This major content release will likely focus on Savathun, the sister to Or, the Taken King. The release of this expansion also marks the beginning of the Season of the Risen, which focuses on Empress Caiatl.

• Power cap: 1550 (1560 with Pinnacle gear)
• Raid: Vow of the Disciple

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 17: Season of the Haunted

Season of the Haunted started on May 24, 2022. This Season focused on the relationship between Crow, Caiatl, and Zavala and the return of the Exiled Emperor Calus and his Leviathan. The season also brought a new dungeon to the game and raised the Power level by another 10 points.

• Power cap: 1560 (1570 with Pinnacle gear)
• Dungeon: Duality

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 18: Season of Plunder

Season of Plunder started on August 23, 2022. This season focused on Eramis, who escaped from her Stasis imprisonment.

• Power cap: 1570 (1580 with Pinnacle gear)
• Raid: King's Fall

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 19: Season of the Seraph

Season of the Seraph launched on December 6, 2022 and focused on Rasputin, Osiris, Ana Bray, and Clovis Bray as well as the threat from Xivu Arath.

• Power cap: 1580 (1590 with Pinnacle gear)
• Dungeon: Spire of the Watcher

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 20: Lightfall / Season of Defiance – Year 6

The title for Year 6 of Destiny 2 is called Lightfall and is planned for a release on February 28, 2023. Previously, it had been scheduled for a 2022 release, but with the delay of The Witch Queen to 2022 saw Lightfall's launch pushed back. Lightfall continues the story of the Witness and its fleet of Pyramid ships finally reaching Earth, where the Traveler awaits. 

• Power cap: 1800 (1810 with Pinnacle gear)
• Raid: Root of Nightmares

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 21: Season of The Deep

The Season of the Deep sees the return of Titan and  the character Sloane. The weekly story includes underwater gameplay and the new activities, Deep Dives and Salvage. Season 21 also sees the launch of the new dungeon, Ghosts of the Deep, which also features underwater gameplay. This was the first season since the introduction of Power and Pinnacle caps that Bungie did not raise the maximum Power.

• Power cap: 1800 (1810 with Pinnacle gear)
• Dungeon: Ghosts of the Deep

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 22: Season of the Witch

Season of the Witch kicked off on August 22, 2023 and concluded on November 28, 2023. The season focuses on Eris and Xivu Arath.

• Power cap: 1800 (1810 with Pinnacle gear)
• Raid: Crota's End

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 23: Season of the Wish

Season of the Witch was announced on November 7, 2023 and began on November 28. The season is the longest one in Destiny 2 history, totalling 189 days between its release and its conclusion on June 4, 2024.

• Power cap: 1800 (1810 with Pinnacle gear)
• Dungeon: Warlord's Ruin

Back to the Destiny 2 Seasons list.

Season 24: The Final Shape / Episode 1: Echoes – Year 7

In a Destiny update called, The Road to the Witch Queen, Bungie revealed that it would need an additional chapter after Lightfall to wrap up what it refers to as the "Light and Darkness Saga". The Final Shape will also shake up the seasonal model, shifting to an Episode structure with three Episodes each consisting of three Acts which last for six weeks each. The first Episode (Echoes) will begin one week after the release of The Final Shape on June 11, 2024 (though this is subject to change).

On October 30, 2023, reports surfaced that Bungie fired numerous members of its development team and that The Final Shape would be delayed until June 2024. At the time, it wasn't clear whether the fourth season in Lightfall would last several months or if there would be another season or two between it and the release of The Final Shape.

• Power cap: 1990 (2000 with Pinnacle gear)
• Raid: Salvation's Grip

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Season 25: Episode 2: Revenant

Pending announcement.

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Season 26: Episode 3: Heresy

Pending announcement.

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There are a lot of Seasons in Destiny 2, with each one adding new gear for players to chase, stories to experience, and things to discover. With the announcement and release of each new Season, expect this list to continue to evolve over time. Be sure to check out the Shacknews Destiny 2 guide for an exhaustive coverage of all things Destiny.

Sam Chandler

Guides Editor

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as a Guides Editor. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler