Destiny 2 Season 18 – which has no title yet – is the third major update of this year.
The new season will introduce a revived Raid, the return of the Festival of the Lost, and two additional weeks of Iron Banner.
There’s also the usual power level boost and new Exotics to look forward to.
This is when Season 18 will be releasedand everything we know is coming.
On this page:
Destiny 2 Season 18 Release Time: What time will Season 18 start?
Destiny 2 Season 18 has a Tuesday, August 23 release dateand will be posted at the following address outing hours:
- UK: 7:00 p.m. (BST)
- Europe: 8:00 p.m. (CEST)
- US East Coast: 2:00 p.m. (EDT)
- US West Coast: 11:00 a.m. (PDT)
Downtime for the new season will begin 1 hour and 15 minutes before the above times – so 4:45pm UK or 9:45am PST – with the patch being moved when the weekly reset goes live. Once downloaded, you should be free to start playing.
During this time you should check in to the Destiny 2 Showcase, which streams two hours before the above times at 9 a.m. PDT / 5 p.m. UK on the various Bungie streaming channels. (Or three hours, at 8am PDT / 4pm UK, if you want to catch the pre-show as well.)
This is where you’ll hear the first details of Season 18, as well as details of what’s to come in the next major expansion, Lightfall.
Destiny 2 Season 18 Preparation Checklist
While you wait for all that, here’s a quick checklist of things to do before the new season arrives, including:
- Claim all Season Titles you have earned.
- Watch the end of the Haunted Season storyline, which requires you to visit the HELM and Zavala, earning an Ascendant Shard and an Exotic Sparrow in the process. No need to complete the Bound in Sorrow seasonal quest first either!
- While the Haunted Season storyline will be playable until the next major expansion, that ending will expire when Season 18 arrives.
- Reach Legend Rank in any matchmaking activity – Crucible, Gambit, or Strikes – and redeem their vendor-specific rewards.
- Use all remaining Season Pass rewards in all classes.
- Have a few completed bounties ready, as well as max out relevant materials and Glimmer, to give you a head start for the start of next season.
Destiny 2 Season 18 roadmap
The Season 18 roadmap, which takes us from August to November, includes:
- Friday August 26: Retaken Raid
- Tuesday, September 6: Iron Banner (Week 1)
- Friday, September 16: The Trial of Osiris Returns
- Tuesday, October 4: Grandmaster Nightfalls is back
- Tuesday, October 18: Festival of the Lost 2022
- Tuesday, November 15: Iron Banner (Week 2)
The release of season 18 is almost here! Before that, haunting season continues. Familiarize yourself with our leveling guide before tackling the Duality dungeon and learn how to collect Calus Bobblehead locations, Calus Automaton locations, and find all Opulent Key chests. For The Witch Queen, find out how to get Exotics including Dead Messenger and Parasite. Late last year, we saw Bungie’s 30th anniversary, which introduced the Grasp of Avarice dungeon, weird rooms, and new Exotics including the Gjallarhorn and Forerunner.
What else is coming in Destiny 2 Season 18?
Pending confirmation of the Season 18 name and theme, we know the following is on the way:
- A new Season Pass and artifact mods.
- A revamp of Arc 3.0, which can be customized with Skins and Fragments. This deep dive from Bungie has the details.
- Sandbox changes weapons (improving scout rifles and heavy grenade launchers in PvE), adding Anti-Champion functionality to Exotics, and more. You have read all the changes in this TWAB.
- Adjustments to Crucible matchmaking, with the goal that “all players…can enter the Crucible and consistently get matches where they can feel competitive and have a reasonable chance of winning/compete”. More details can be read in this TWAB.
There’s plenty to look forward to in the days to come when the full season is revealed – and more will be added to the roadmap in the weeks and months to come. Until then – we’ll join you to watch Tuesday’s Showcase…
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