Its been well over a month since the release of Destiny 2: Renegades, and while there is still plenty of work to be done on the overall game, the reaction to Destiny’s first crossover expansion has been largely positive. While some fans had concerns about how overtly Star Wars the expansion would be, most players and critics applauded the balance Bungie hit in style and tone while still feeling like Destiny.
It then begs the question – what other universes could Destiny 2 explore in future expansions?
Bungie has already said there are no immediate plans for more crossover expansions, with the next expansions Shattered Cycle and The Alchemist already announced for 2026. It would not be surprising to learn early development has already started on whatever content is planned for Destiny 2 in 2027 and with no guarantees of any crossover content.
Even so, Renegades’ success may push Bungie to look at what other universes they could find a way to Destiny-fy in future expansions.
Here are just a couple that could easily find their way to Destiny 2 down the road –
Warhammer 40,000
A relatively easy first option, especially with its recent surge in mainstream popularity, is the grimdark universe of Warhammer 40,000.
Some content creators such as MyNameIsByf have previously pointed out that Destiny, itself, can be considered grimdark given the state of humanity in this universe. They have been reduced to a single safe city on Earth being defended by, effectively, undead demigods imbued with powers by a god-like entity locked in an intergalactic conflict with another god-like entity and its many forces.
While humanity may be more populace in the 40K universe, it is effectively in a similar state between the xenos and god-like threats bearing down on the Imperium on all sides.
It is another universe that, narratively, could easily be tweaked to fit in Destiny 2 the way Star Wars was in Renegades. It may be doubly so in 40K’s case as Destiny 2 is currently embroiled in the Fate Saga, the current overarching narrative for the universe centered on the mysterious Nine. Following the reveal the role the Outer Nine, Six especially, have played in setting the Fate Saga in motion with the death of Three in Renegades, Bungie could easily use the four Outer Nine as narrative proxies for the four major Chaos gods in a 40K-inspired narrative.
There’s no shortage of material to use when creating 40K-inspired gear for players to chase. The Imperium of Man, alone, provides plenty of variety between the Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Sisters of Battle, Adeptus Custodes, Inquisition, and Adeptus Mechanicus. That’s not to mention the various other forces including the Eldar, Dark Eldar, Orks, Tau, Necrons, and forces of Chaos, among others.
It isn’t that difficult to imagine a Titan rocking Space Marine-style armor and armed with an exotic clearly inspired by a Bolt Rifle while fighting Scorn that look like Chaos worshippers.
Lord of the Rings
Going from the grimdark far future to the mysterious and mystical world of Middle-Earth created by JRR Tolkien.
While the science fiction inspirations are more obvious, Destiny 2 isn’t shy about sharing its fantasy inspiration across so much of the universe. The Iron Lords serving as an analogy for Arthur and the Knights of Camelot, the powers of Light and Darkness being almost magical in nature, and Guardians actively using swords, glaives, and bows along with the rest of their arsenal.
A more fantasy-centric expansion is not out of the picture for Destiny 2, and if it were to be a crossover, what better to do it with than Lord of the Rings.
Tolkien’s Middle-Earth is one of the most easily recognized fantasy worlds in modern media and is another that could easily be translated to the Destiny universe. A narrative could easily center on the Awoken, who serve as almost a stand-in for Elves in this universe, and one of the Outer Nine serving as the narrative’s Sauron.
Xivu Arath and her Hive could be involved, as well, effectively as the expansion’s stand-in for Orcs.
Bungie has already shown it can easily draft up gear and ornaments that can let players turn their Guardians into the ultimate expression of space fantasy. From swords that resemble medieval claymores to armor pieces made to look like wizard robes, Destiny 2 oozes fantasy.
There was also the overt fantasy tones in Destiny: Rise of Iron with its focus on the Iron Lords. This juxtaposed the deep sci-fi visual tone of the Fallen Devil Splicers and SIVA nanotechnology they got their hands on.
Why not let players channel their inner Fellowship of the Ring in this space fantasy universe?
Minimum Wage Nerd 