Destiny 2 July update bringing 6v6 quickplay, prestige raid lairs, new seasonal event

Bungie revealed Destiny 2's Forsaken expansion, which will kick off the Year 2 content on September 4, in a livestream earlier today. Alongside other plans for the year ahead, including three upcoming expansions which are part of an "annual pass," Bungie also outlined the new stuff still to come in Year 1. The big finale is the Solstice of Heroes update, which is scheduled to drop on July 17 and comes bearing several highly requested PvP and PvE changes. 

Crucible enthusiasts will be happy to hear that 6v6 quickplay modes are returning in the July update, as is a permanent (and presumably six-player) rumble playlist. New bounties, likely styled after Destiny 1's bounties, are also included in the update, as well as Year 1 Triumph records to collect and complete. 

The raid lairs added onto Destiny 2's central Leviathan raid are also getting in on the update: both the Eater of Worlds and Spire of Stars lairs will receive prestige difficulty modes. If they're anything like the prestige mode for the Leviathan itself, they'll ratchet up the recommended power level, add some new boss mechanics, and dish out gussied-up gear to those who complete it. 

A few broader changes are also incoming, like "more exotic armor sandbox changes," which is Destiny 2 for "retooled exotic armor effects." Oh, and there's a nice PC-specific addition: text chat for clans. Meanwhile the titular event, the Solstice of Heroes, is billed as a "seasonal event" in the official roadmap, so expect something in line with Destiny 2's holiday events. 

Austin Wood
Staff writer, GamesRadar

Austin freelanced for PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree, and has been a full-time writer at PC Gamer's sister publication GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize that his position as a staff writer is just a cover-up for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a focus on news, the occasional feature, and as much Genshin Impact as he can get away with.