Olivia Richman 
Bungie is making big changes to Destiny 2 after gamers complained about time gating, but how does it work now?
Destiny 2’s Final Shape expansion has largely been a hit for Destiny fans. It not only brought new content but finished the long-running arc players have been working through for years. But there’s one part of Final Shape and previous expansions that has started to become too frustrating for players to ignore.
Time gating has long been a source of frustration for players, blocking content that players think ought to be accessible. Bungie is set to change that in what might be the game’s golden years.
What is time gating in Destiny 2?
Time gating is locking players out of content until a certain point in time time. Instead of being able to access or unlock it by completing certain in-game challenges or areas, time-gated content forces players to wait until a specific real-world date.
Destiny 2 has been a seasonal game since 2017. Each new season is released at a certain time, bringing new story elements and gameplay opportunities. Much of the other content in the game follows that same approach. Players have grown tired of having to wait to play the game the way they want, expressing that Destiny 2 is “milking” its content.
The Final Shape has been the largest culprit of this model. This expansion has three episodes rather than seasons. Each episode is divided even further into three acts, which run for six weeks each. After those six weeks pass, the new content becomes accessible. But each act is time-gated, forcing players to wait a week between each one, something that regular players have lost their patience with.
Bungie removing time-gated content in Destiny 2, will drop full episodes
Destiny 2 will have time-gated content partly removed, with Bungie planning to release the entirety of The Final Shape Episode 2 at once.
In a developer livestream earlier this week, narrative director Alison Luhrs said that there will be a big change with The Final Shape’s second act, Revenant.
“We’ve been listening to the fans, and listening to feedback, and we agree, it’s time for a change,” Luhrs said. “So we’re going to do a trial of something new in [Episode 2]. We’re going to be dropping all three beats of the [episode] at once.”
All three parts are coming “at the same time” to encourage Destiny 2 fans to play at their own pace, whether that’s spacing it out or sprinting through it right away.
This change has been met with mixed reactions. Some players thanked Bungie for listening, expressing excitement over getting to access the story without being forced to wait. Others anticipate players grinding through everything quickly, then growing bored with Destiny 2 while waiting for more. This could result in a player exodus.
Bungie also seems to share this concern. This removal of time-gated content for Destiny 2: The Final Shape was referred to as a “trial,” suggesting that the company is willing to switch things back to normal.
Destiny 2: The Final Shape Episode 2 will be released July 16. Luhrs said more information will be revealed about the structure change before then.
