Destiny 2 poster claims a September 8 release date and a beta

An image of what some are claiming is a Destiny 2 poster advertising a September 8 release date and what looks to be beta access for those who pre-order is making its way 'round the internet, generating a bit of pre-official hype. The poster features the usual Titan, Hunter, Warlock trio of Guardians, along with some PlayStation branding.

But is it legit or a fake? Let's take a closer look:

The poster seems to originate from Italy, what with the PEGI rating instead of an ESRB rating and all the Italian words printed on it. And right away, we have a bit of evidence pushing this into the "legit" category: the fact that there's two versions. Italian website Lega Network has what looks like a slimmer version up top, while Imgur is home to a wider version. The release date also lines up with what we've been told to expect.

Now for the things that make us narrow our eyes in suspicion. First off, the art style is a bit muted. True, the first cover for Destiny was likewise drab and somewhat lacking in color, but The Taken King and Rise of Iron were both far more saturated. This looks more like a live-action movie adaptation than a sequel to a game that's evolved to become quite colorful.

Second, what are all these humies doing here? And why do they have their helmets off? The only theoretical explanation I can think of is that the marketing department thought players would identify better with the ad if they saw another human's face, but this ignores how much Destiny players love their crazy armor sets. And what, no love for the Awoken or Exo races?

I honestly don't lean one way or the other on whether this is legit or not, so I'm gonna ask for your help. What do you see that I've missed? Do you think it's real or fake? Leave your thoughts in the comments and give a vote on this poll.

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Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.