Bungie today announced that the next big Destiny 2 expansion has been pushed out of 2021.

First announced last summer, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen would serve as the middle chapter in an ongoing arc that started with Beyond Light. Expected to release this year, Bungie has since confirmed that The Witch Queen has been delayed to early 2022. They also announced that there will be a fourth expansion after Destiny 2: Lightfall so that they can fully complete the saga.

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen has been delayed for a handful of reasons. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is a big one, and the ongoing need to refine and balance the meta of the game. It also has to do with the story Bungie is attempting to tell. The Witch Queen sets the stage for an interconnected narrative across Lightfall and this mysterious new fourth expansion that will ultimately close the books on the 'Light and Darkness Saga.' Bungie stresses that they need more time to build out the story the right way. For these three reasons, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen will now launch early 2022. It remains unknown how this delay effects Lightfall's release.

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is expected to launch on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia. Bungie confirmed they'll share more details about the expansion later this summer.