Destiny fans have been begging for Destiny 3 since The Final Shape concluded the ten-year Light and Darkness saga in June 2024. Instead of a sequel announcement, Bungie kicked off the Fate saga with Edge of Fate, which landed with a thud. Now, a leak from a credible source suggests Bungie is finally listening. Destiny 3 is in development, and they’re working on something called Destiny 2 Classic too.
The information comes from Colony Deaks, a Destiny leaker and dataminer with a proven track record. On November 25, 2025, they posted on X that Destiny 3 has entered extremely early development at Bungie. But here’s the kicker: they also mentioned Destiny 2 Classic got the green light. Both projects are happening alongside Marathon, Bungie’s extraction shooter scheduled for 2026.
What We Know About Destiny 3
According to Colony Deaks, Destiny 3 is in extremely early development. That means concept work, engine decisions, and high-level design discussions. Don’t expect to see this game for at least four to five years, putting a realistic launch window somewhere around 2029 or 2030.
The leak aligns with previous rumors from earlier in 2024 suggesting Bungie was working on Destiny 3 in the background while pushing Marathon as the priority. One earlier leak claimed the game would allow Guardians to mix abilities from different subclasses, something that actually came to life with the Prism subclasses added to Destiny 2. That lends credibility to the idea that some Destiny 3 concepts are being tested in the current game.
Another interesting detail from previous leaks is that Destiny 2 items might carry over into Destiny 3. When Destiny 2 launched in 2017, players lost everything except their character’s appearance. That was a disaster Bungie doesn’t want to repeat. If items do carry over this time, it would keep veteran players invested while making the transition smoother.
Colony Deaks mentioned they’ll share more information in the coming months as things develop on a larger scale. That suggests the leak isn’t just speculation. They’re hearing things from inside Bungie or from sources close to the studio.
Destiny 2 Classic Sounds Like a Nostalgia Play
The mention of Destiny 2 Classic is fascinating because it’s vague enough to mean several things. Is it a version of Destiny 2 that rewinds to Year 1 before all the expansions? Is it a standalone experience that brings back vaulted content like The Red War campaign, Curse of Osiris, and Warmind? Or is it something closer to World of Warcraft Classic, where the game exists in a frozen state separate from the live version?
Destiny 2 Classic would make sense as a response to player frustration over the Destiny Content Vault. When Beyond Light launched in November 2020, Bungie removed the original base campaign and several expansions from the game entirely. Planets like Titan, Io, and Mars disappeared. Strikes, raids, and quests vanished. Players who paid for that content lost access to it.
Bungie’s justification was that the game had become too big to manage and maintain. Every update risked breaking old content, and testing took too long. The Content Vault was supposed to be temporary storage, with the promise that vaulted content might return. Some of it did. Mars came back with The Witch Queen. But most of it is still locked away.
Destiny 2 Classic could be Bungie’s way of giving players access to that content again without the maintenance burden on the live game. It would also serve as a nostalgia hook for lapsed players who miss the simpler days of vanilla Destiny 2 before the game became a confusing mess of seasonal content and systems.
Why Bungie Delayed the Roadmap
Bungie recently pushed the full Destiny 2 roadmap and State of the Game into 2026, saying it needs more time to lock in long-term plans. At the time, that seemed odd. Why delay the roadmap when you already know what you’re releasing? Now it makes sense. If Destiny 3 is in early development and Destiny 2 Classic is being planned, Bungie needs to figure out how those projects fit into the overall Destiny ecosystem.
The studio is also dealing with the aftermath of layoffs, restructuring, and the troubled development of Marathon. Bungie laid off 17% of its workforce in August 2024, and many veteran developers left the studio. Marathon was delayed indefinitely after harsh feedback from the April closed alpha. Sony stepped in to reaffirm commitment to a March 2026 release, but confidence is shaky.
Managing three major projects at once is a massive undertaking, especially for a studio that’s been bleeding talent. Destiny 2 is still the cash cow that funds everything else, but player engagement has dropped since The Final Shape. Edge of Fate didn’t bring back the lapsed audience, and the current seasonal model feels exhausted.
The Community Reaction Is Mixed
When the leak hit Reddit, reactions ranged from excitement to skepticism to exhaustion. Some players are thrilled at the prospect of Destiny 3 finally happening. Others are tired of waiting and would rather Bungie fix Destiny 2 instead of starting over. A vocal group pointed out that Destiny 2 Classic sounds pointless if it’s just old content we already played.
One of the top comments on the Reddit thread summed up the frustration: “I simply wish for a remastered version of Destiny 1, particularly as it was during The Taken King era or even a new installment like Destiny 3.” That sentiment captures what a lot of fans feel. They don’t want another half-measure. They want Bungie to commit to a real sequel or bring back the glory days of Destiny 1.
The leak also sparked confusion because the original post abbreviated Destiny 3 and Destiny 2 as D3 and D2, leading people to think it was about Diablo or other franchises. That’s Reddit for you.
What About Marathon?
Marathon is still Bungie’s main focus for 2026. The extraction shooter is scheduled to release before March 31, 2026, and Sony is counting on it to succeed after Concord’s spectacular failure. If Marathon flops, the pressure on Destiny 3 to deliver will be enormous.
Bungie is hosting another Marathon playtest from December 12 to 16, and they’re preparing a new ViDoc to showcase updated systems and visuals. That suggests the studio is trying to rebuild confidence after the leaked gameplay footage showed early work-in-progress content that wasn’t ready for public eyes.
The question is whether Bungie can juggle all these projects without collapsing under the weight. Destiny 2 needs ongoing support. Marathon needs to launch successfully. Destiny 3 and Destiny 2 Classic both need resources and staff. Something has to give.
FAQs
Is Destiny 3 officially confirmed by Bungie?
No, Bungie has not officially confirmed Destiny 3. The information comes from Colony Deaks, a credible Destiny leaker with a proven track record. The leak suggests Destiny 3 is in extremely early development, but Bungie has not commented publicly.
When will Destiny 3 be released?
If the leak is accurate and Destiny 3 just entered early development in late 2025, a realistic release window would be 2029 or 2030 at the earliest. Early development typically lasts several years before a game is ready to ship.
What is Destiny 2 Classic?
Destiny 2 Classic is a rumored project mentioned alongside Destiny 3 in the leak. Details are scarce, but it could be a version of Destiny 2 that brings back vaulted content like The Red War campaign, or a frozen version of the game from an earlier era similar to World of Warcraft Classic.
Will Destiny 2 items carry over to Destiny 3?
Previous leaks suggested that Destiny 2 items might carry over into Destiny 3, but nothing is confirmed. When Destiny 2 launched in 2017, only character appearance carried over from Destiny 1, which frustrated many players.
Why did Bungie delay the Destiny 2 roadmap?
Bungie pushed the full Destiny 2 roadmap into 2026, stating it needs more time to finalize long-term plans. If Destiny 3 and Destiny 2 Classic are both in development, the delay makes sense as Bungie figures out how these projects fit into the franchise’s future.
Is Bungie working on Marathon and Destiny 3 at the same time?
Yes, according to the leak. Marathon is scheduled to release before March 31, 2026, and remains Bungie’s main focus. Destiny 3 is in extremely early development in the background, along with Destiny 2 Classic.
Who is Colony Deaks and are they reliable?
Colony Deaks is a Destiny leaker and dataminer who has shared accurate information about Destiny and Marathon in the past. Several of their previous leaks were verified by gaming outlets, giving them credibility in the community.
What happened to the Destiny Content Vault?
The Destiny Content Vault was introduced with Beyond Light in November 2020. Bungie removed the base campaign, Curse of Osiris, Warmind, and several destinations to reduce the game’s size. Some content has returned, but most remains vaulted with no confirmed plans to bring it back.
Conclusion
The leak about Destiny 3 and Destiny 2 Classic gives fans something to hope for after a rough year for the franchise. Edge of Fate didn’t deliver the excitement The Final Shape generated, and player engagement has dropped noticeably. If Bungie is finally committing to a proper sequel while also addressing nostalgia with Destiny 2 Classic, it could signal a reset for the franchise. But early development means years of waiting, and Bungie has a lot on its plate with Marathon launching in 2026. The studio needs Marathon to succeed, Destiny 2 to stay profitable, and enough resources left over to build Destiny 3 properly. That’s a tall order for a company that just laid off nearly 20% of its staff. Only time will tell if Bungie can pull it off, but at least now we know what they’re working toward. Whether that’s enough to keep players invested until 2029 is another question entirely.