Unfortunately for Destiny 2 fans, the upcoming Shadow and Order major update appears to be getting hit with a delay, moving out of the way of Bungie's upcoming game, Marathon. While the start of Destiny 2's Year of Prophecy seemingly got off on the wrong foot with all the changes added in Edge of Fate, the Star Wars-inspired Renegades expansion has been a hit with players, bringing a much-needed boost to the game.
Renegades added a big mix of Star Wars to Destiny 2, two things that went together much better than fans likely though. Although the content doesn't use any Star Wars-specific names or locations, fans can clearly see major inspirations in game, with the new Tharsis Outpost social hub representing a cantina from Tatooine. Many weapons, like the Uncivil Discourse, A499 heavy sniper rifle, and The Heirloom all take cues from classic Star Wars weapons used by Han Solo, Din Djarin, and Chewbacca respectively. Not only that, Destiny 2 fans could finally earn the Praxic Blade, Bungie's take on the iconic Lightsaber. However, for those looking for new content to pursue, the wait appears to be even longer.
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Destiny 2 Shadow and Order Reportedly Delayed
For Destiny 2 fans, it seems the wait for the next big update will be a little longer than anticipated. Although Bungie previously revealed a Destiny 2 roadmap for its Year of Prophecy roadmap last year, which indicated the Shadow and Order update would launch on March 2, 2026, things have changed a bit. While Bungie has yet to officially comment on the updated change, the report comes from Forbes writer Paul Tassi, who has heard from his sources that Destiny 2's March update is being moved, though details on for how long or when it will be officially announced are currently unknown.
While details remain very slim on Shadow and Order, it represents a similar mid-season update to Destiny 2's previous Ash and Iron release during The Edge of Fate. Unfortunately, Ash and Iron wasn't the slam dunk that fans were hoping for, leaving fans in a state of continued frustration at the state of the game. Although Destiny 2's player count hasn't recovered to pre-Edge of Fate levels, the Renegades expansion has been well received by players who have been taking with many of the new gameplay elements like the Praxic Blade, the Lawless Frontier activity, as well as core mechanic changes like the Vanguard Alerts system, which brings back popular activities like the weekly Nightfall and rewards.
The reason for the delay isn't hard to figure out, as Bungie confirmed that Marathon finally has an official launch date, with the upcoming extraction shooter launching on March 5. Naturally, Bungie isn't too keen on having two of its games competing for attention, so to give Marathon some breathing room and a chance to capture the entire spotlight, it appears to be moving Destiny 2 aside for the time being. With that said, Bungie is preparing some crossover content as well, also announcing special cosmetics like the "Waiting for Exfil" emote, Modern MIDA Multi-tool exotic weapon ornament, and the Silkworm Weave Shader.
After a concerning 2025, which included an underwhelming testing period and controversy stemming from plagiarism accusations regarding Marathon's art, the game has seemingly turned a corner following its delay and re-reveal by Bungie. Seeking a fresh start, it appears Bungie has taken much of the criticism and feedback to heart, implementing common features like a solo queue, proximity chat, and a variety of maps each featuring dynamic weather, better lighting, and improved visuals. With things seemingly heading in a much more positive direction, the early March release date may indicate a higher level of confidence in the title. Even with ARC Raiders still dominating the genre, it'll be interesting to see how Marathon is able to fit in.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 88%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S
- Cross Save
- yes
- Expansions
- Destiny 2: Forsaken, Destiny 2: Shadowkeep, Destiny 2: Beyond Light, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, Destiny 2: Lightfall
- Franchise
- Destiny
- Number of Players
- 1-6 (Co-Op)
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- no
- Genre(s)
- FPS
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, Stadia
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
- How Long To Beat
- 100+
- X|S Optimized
- YES
- PS Plus Availability
- Essential, Extra, & Premium (The Witch Queen)
