PC players can get Destiny 2 for free this month and keep it forever

The base version of Destiny 2 will be free to all PC players through Sunday, November 18, Bungie game director Steve Cotton announced at Blizzcon today. PC players can now download Destiny 2 via Blizzard's Battle.net client, and as long as they get it by November 18, they can keep it forever. 

Cotton said the goal of this freebie is to make it easier for PC players - who never had the chance to play the original, console-exclusive Destiny - to try Destiny 2. In a similar vein, another free trial for Gambit, the exhilarating PvPvE mode introduced in Destiny 2: Forsaken, will run from Friday, November 9 through Sunday, November 11. On top of that, last week's update added a great refer-a-friend program which will make it easier for newcomers to learn the ropes.  

As Destiny 2's DLCs have piled up, more and more players have asked Bungie to lower or outright remove the price tag on the base game to make it easier for new players to try it out. Last month, Bungie simplified the buying process considerably by bundling the game's year one DLC with Forsaken. So, PC players who grab Destiny 2 during this month's free trial will only need to buy Forsaken, which is absolutely worth the money. That being said, note that Destiny 2's "annual pass", which comes with three smaller DLCs starting with this winter's Black Armory, is still sold separately. 

To reward players who purchased Destiny 2 early on, Bungie is giving early adopters a special in-game emblem this December. It sounds like this emblem is separate from the "Veterans of the Hunt Bundle" that early Forsaken buyers will also receive this December. 

There's never been a better time to get into Destiny 2. Here are some essential Destiny 2 tips to help you get started. 

Austin Wood

Austin freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree, and he's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize that his position as a senior writer is just a cover up for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a focus on news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.