OnceBeyond Lightbegins this November, much of the originalDestiny 2content is being vaulted to both reduce the game’s file size as well as make way for new content. While it will be useful for implementing new content add-ons over time, it does mean a lot of the base content fromDestiny 2and early DLC expansions likeCurse of OsirisandWarmindare leaving the game as well. Several planets that have been in the game since the beginning are being vaulted, but there could be an in-game reason for it as well.
Clearing out space to make way for more relevant in-game content makes sense for the sake of players' hard drives, but since a game likeDestiny 2is so driven by its dedication to lore and story, Bungie could also have a lore-based reason for the Destiny Content Vault as well. Consider the overarchingDestinycanon is reaching a tipping point with the introduction of the Darkness, theoretically the Destiny Content Vault process could be contextualized with the Darkness' invasion, or any other villainous force for that matter.
RELATED:Destiny 2: Xur Exotic Armor, Weapon, and Recommendations for October 23
Vaulting Several Planets Could Be Justified in the Story
Planets like Mars, Mercury, Titan, and Io areheaded for the Destiny Content Vault on November 10, but that might not be the whole story. For players the reason why this content is leaving, for the most part makes sense. For the guardians inDestiny 2, however, Bungie could imply a very different story if that content is intended to leave.Destiny 2’s always had elements of mystery throughout its expansive and occasionally subtle lore, but it’s never left any details by the wayside, at least not for very long. Considering these are four major planets in the solar system, the game will almost certainly provide a reason for it.
ConsideringDestiny 2utilized a full-on live event toshowcase the destruction of the Almighty at the end of Season of the Worthy, no matter how painstakingly slow that process took, it was still necessary lore-wise to depict that destruction.Destiny 2will almost certainly prepare a similar situation with the Destiny Content Vault, though it may not be on as grand of a scale as the Almighty’s destruction. What would be interesting would be some kind of cutscene or dialogue with Zavala stating that Guardians are being priority-tasked to Europa, or steered away from the vaulted planets to deal with the incursion of the Darkness.
Balancing Legacy Content vs. Vaulted Content
Any kind of reasoning like that would at least utilize story to contextualize the disappearance of those maps from the Director, but could also leave the option for legacy content to return later on as necessary. During the announcement forDestiny 2: Beyond LightandDestiny 2’s future withThe Witch QueenandLightfall, game director Luke Smith had mentioned that any game content placed in the DCV could be brought back toDestiny 2for a limited time. Even more legacy content from the originalDestinycould theoretically return, with Smith directly hinting at a return of the Vault of Glass raid from the first game.
Raids returning is great, especially considering the five existingDestiny 2raids leaving the game, but it could be just as small as Crucible maps as well. There’s a ton of potential with limited-time legacy content making its way into the game.Things like weapons and armorprobably wouldn’t be limited-time additions because limited time loot probably wouldn’t fly with players, but other content could certainly work. Plus, the DCV could come into effect again onceThe Witch Queenand “Lightfall” expansions come out, vaulting any irrelevant content fromBeyond Lightas necessary to save on the game’s file size.
RELATED:Destiny 2 Changes Forever in November, and the Impact Could Be Huge
Logistical Issues and Potentially High Narrative Demand
However, having a fluid DCV system could be hurtful from a logistical perspective as well as fan response. Having a consistently flexing storage size for a game could be annoying forplayers with stricter storage usage for games, especiallyDestiny 2. Besides that, theDestiny 2narrative would probably need to do plenty of story gymnastics to balance the addition and removal of legacy content if that were the case. If a new patrol sector returns for a limited time and then leaves, the story’s going to need to justify why guardians would need to spend a comparatively brief amount of time there.
These are conceptual issues that theDestiny 2narrative team could certainly tackle, but it would be a lot to juggle alongside working on futureDestiny 2expansions as well. So, too, do those expansions need to tie into andresolve any loose story threads fromBeyond Lightand the returning legacy content as well. The disappearance of several maps would probably be contextualized in a quick and clean way, whether it be the destruction of those planets entirely, or them being overrun by a strong Darkness.Destiny 2’s story will certainly find a way to do so, and it may not be the most riveting story, but at least it will provide a reason that can be interwoven into the rest ofDestiny’s story.
Destiny 2: Beyond Lightlaunches on June 25, 2025,
