Destiny 2 is changing in a big way with Codename Frontiers. From free seasonal content to a brand-new release model, revamped raids, next-gen armor, and The Portal, here’s everything you need to know.
It’s been a while since Bungie dropped those Codename Frontiers blog posts, laying out some of the biggest changes coming to Destiny 2 later this year. If you’ve forgotten some details, or just want a refresher, we’ve got you covered.
Later this year, Bungie will be changing how expansions work, tweaking the core player experience, and adding new ways to play. Let’s break it all down so you know exactly what to expect.
Destiny 2 Codename Frontiers: Roadmap and Release Model
Bungie is completely changing how Destiny 2 rolls out new content. Instead of one big expansion per year, there will now be two medium-sized expansions launching every six months. Alongside these expansions, the old episodic model is getting scrapped in favor of four major updates per year, each one completely free for all players. This means you’ll no longer need to buy seasonal content, making Destiny 2 easier for everyone to jump into.
Each expansion will come with its own new destination, story missions, weapons, and gear. Bungie has already hinted that expansions may feature elements from different genres, such as roguelike mechanics, and Metroidvania-style exploration.
“We are excited to try new things that challenge your idea of what a Destiny experience can be. We are actively prototyping non-linear campaigns, exploration experiences similar to the Dreaming City or Metroidvanias, and even more unusual formats like roguelikes or survival shooters,” said Bungie. “Each expansion will present a new opportunity to try something different.”
The first expansion, Codename Apollo, will introduce a non-linear story where players can choose how they experience different threads, rather than following a strict A-to-B structure.
You can check out the complete roadmap for Codename Frontiers below:
- Summer 2025: Codename Apollo expansion and Codename Arsenal Major Update
- Fall 2025: Codename Surge Major Update
- Winter 2025: Codename Behemoth expansion and Major Update
- Spring 2026: Major Update
Destiny 2: The Portal Changes Explained
With Codename Frontiers, Bungie is introducing a new hub for core activities in Destiny 2 called “The Portal.” This tab will replace the current Director (or Destinations map) as the default option to browse and launch activities. Bungie’s goal is to make it easier to find current content without scrolling through a cluttered menu. The Portal will update every season, highlighting what’s new and what’s worth playing.
Inside The Portal, there will be several new activity categories:
- Solo Ops
- Fireteam Ops
- Flashpoint Ops
- Pinnacle Ops
- Crucible
- Events
Solo Ops are short, 10-minute missions designed for solo players, though they can be played with friends (1-3 players). These missions use a new “dynamic enemy spawning system” that reacts to how well you’re performing, adjusting enemy waves and difficulty dynamically.
“This system runs behind the scenes, monitoring how well you’re doing, how long it’s been since you’ve been in combat, and how close you’re getting to your objective, and then spawns squads of enemies when the system determines that you need to be challenged,” explains Bungie. “Solo Ops missions will spawn enemies at unpredictable times from places where you may not expect them to be.”
Fireteam Ops will be the home for standard three-player content like Strikes and Onslaught, while Flashpoint Ops will cover six-player activities similar to past modes like The Sundial, The Menagerie, Vex Offensive, and more.
High-level content such as Dungeons and Exotic Missions will be grouped under Pinnacle Ops, and Crucible and Events will have their own dedicated section.
Gambit, however, won’t be included in The Portal at launch. Bungie is still deciding how to handle it in the future. “Gambit will remain available from the Destination map but will not be rolled into the Portal Categories at the start of next year,” said the developer.
“We are still figuring out our plan for this beloved game mode, and we have some ideas ranging from closer integration into the Crucible category to standalone Events that feature it.”
Destiny 2 Codename Frontiers: Raids and Dungeons Are Changing
Endgame content is also getting a new structure. Going forward, Bungie will release one raid and one dungeon per year, rather than two of each as they’ve done in the past. While this might sound like a downgrade, there are some big changes to make up for it.
First, here’s how the new system will work:
- New Raid at the start of each year: Each year will kick off with a brand-new raid, launching alongside the first expansion.
- Raid expansion in the first Major Update: The first Major Update following the expansion release will update the raid, introducing new challenges, mechanics, and additional rewards.
- New Dungeon in the Second Expansion: The second expansion of the year will introduce a new dungeon, featuring an expanded loot pool.
- Legacy Raid & Dungeon event in the final Major Update: The final Major Update of the year will bring an event centered around legacy raid and dungeon content, similar to The Pantheon.
Raids will now feature a “Feats” system, allowing players to customize difficulty by adding extra modifiers, such as time limits or combat restrictions. The more Feats you activate, the better the rewards will be.
Additionally, each new raid will receive a major mid-year update, adding new mechanics, rewards, and possibly even extra encounters. These updates will also include a second raid race and a new Catalyst for the raid Exotic.
Dungeons are also being expanded, with larger loot pools “on par with raids” and improved reward systems. One of the biggest quality-of-life changes is that dungeon keys are being removed. Dungeons will now be included as part of the expansions they release with, rather than requiring a separate purchase.
At the end of each year with the fourth Major update, there will also be a Pantheon-style event, similar to the boss rush mode introduced in Into the Light. This event will remix “legacy raid and dungeon offerings to create surprising aspirational challenges.”
Destiny 2 Codename Frontiers: Challenge Customization and Reward Rating
One of the biggest new gameplay changes arriving in Codename Frontiers is Challenge Customization, which will let players control the difficulty of the PvE activities. Instead of being stuck with preset difficulties, you’ll be able to add new enemy combatant abilities, increase enemy power, and add new combat challenges to make activities harder. While the Reward Rating system ensures that greater risks lead to greater rewards.
This system will apply to all PvE activities, meaning you can tweak the difficulty of Strikes, Nightfalls, Solo Ops. Raids will have their own version of this system with Feats (as mentioned above), but the idea remains the same, players who push themselves further will earn the best rewards.
The Reward Rating system introduces a new way to determine the quality and quantity of loot earned from activities. This system applies to all Core Game activities. Reward Rating is calculated through a combination of a Team Rating, which is shared across all fireteam members and is based on performance during an activity, and Personal Bonuses, which factor in individual player contributions.
Here’s how it works:
- Team Rating: This score will work similarly to Nightfall points but “new activity types can have their own way to determine Team Rating.”
- Personal Modifiers: On top of the Team Rating, players can increase their individual Reward Rating through:
- Playing activities on higher difficulties.
- Applying Challenge Modifiers that further increase the difficulty.
- Personal bonuses from Power level, Artifacts, and buffs.
- Final Reward Calculation: At the end of an activity, the Team Rating is multiplied by a player’s personal bonuses to determine their final Reward Rating.
A higher Reward Rating directly translates to better loot drops. Players who take on more difficult activities will have increased chances of obtaining high-tier weapons and armor, as well as chances of getting exotic materials like Enhancement Prisms and Ascendant Shards.
Destiny 2 Codename Frontiers: Next-Gen Armor and Loot System Overhaul
Armor is getting one of the biggest reworks in Destiny’s history. Currently, armor stats work in 10-point increments, but in Codename Frontiers, every single stat point will count. The stat cap is also increasing from 100 to 200, and crossing 100 will unlock new benefits, such as gaining extra grenade or melee charges.
Armor will now have specific archetypes, meaning pieces will roll with focused stat distributions. For example, Brawler Armor will specialize in melee stats, while Grenadier Armor will focus on grenade cooldowns.
Additionally, class items (Titan Marks, Hunter Cloaks, Warlock Bonds) will now have full stat distributions, making them more meaningful in builds. Discipline will be renamed to “Grenade,” and Strength will change to “Melee.” There’s also a brand-new stat type that will be released called “Special Ammo.” Here’s what it does:
- Special Ammo stat: From 1 to 100, increases the rate at which Special ammo bricks drop from final blows. From 101 to 200, provides an increasing chance that a double-sized brick will drop.
The most exciting change is the introduction of Armor Set Bonuses. These function similarly to weapon origin traits, offering unique perks based on how many pieces of a set you’re wearing. For example, a Tex Mechanica set might improve hip-fire accuracy and movement speed, with a stronger bonus if you wear four pieces instead of two.
Weapons will also get a tier system where the “baseline tier of Legendary weapons will be equivalent to current-day Legendaries, with higher tiers being generally equivalent to Adept weapons in terms of upgrade.”
The current Heresy Episode is expected to wrap up in mid-July, leading some to speculate that Codename Frontiers could launch around the same time.
This covers all the major updates Bungie has revealed so far for Codename Frontiers. What are you most excited about? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
