Destiny 2 reveal invitation hints at a huge storyline upset and fundamental gameplay changes

So, a big, big hint has landed as to Destiny 2’s storyline, as well as a possible, major shift in its core systems. And would you believe it, it ties very, very well indeed into the Destiny 2 story theories I’ve been put together over the last year based on the game’s existing lore. 

“Welcome to a world without Light”, says the enigmatic invitation to Bungie’s Destiny 2 reveal event, which is happening in LA later this month. As Destiny fundamentals go, that’s as big a change as it gets, Light being the essence of all power (and levelling) that fuels (almost) all of Destiny’s Guardians and their abilities. Sourced from the now-dormant Traveler - Destiny’s mysterious, assumed space-messiah - and also carried by the Ghosts who accompany each Guardian and resurrect them upon death, it’s fundamental to the entire world and the Guardians’ ability to stay in it. 

A world without Light though? That ties in very well with the theory that the Traveler isn’t just on fire in the Destiny 2 trailer, but shut down and restrained, leaving the Cabal able to finally storm the Tower and defeat the Vanguard forces, just like no-one has ever been able to before. Even more troubling, the invitation includes an image of a dead Ghost, life-light extinguished, lying on the ground. Just like all of those dead Ghosts we’ve picked up as collectibles throughout the three years of the original Destiny. 

So, Traveler offline, Ghosts dead, Guardians de-powered. How is all this going to shake down, and how are we going to pull it back? All will be revealed in LA on May 18th, but for now, you can find some very probable answers in my full, Destiny 2 story analysis. Clue: We don’t need the Traveler any more, and Dark Guardians might totally be a thing. 

David Houghton
Long-time GR+ writer Dave has been gaming with immense dedication ever since he failed dismally at some '80s arcade racer on a childhood day at the seaside (due to being too small to reach the controls without help). These days he's an enigmatic blend of beard-stroking narrative discussion and hard-hitting Psycho Crushers.