Destiny 2: New Light may be free-to-play, but PlayStation Plus remains a requirement for online play
Despite being free-to-play, Destiny 2: New Light continues to require PlayStation Plus if you want to group up with others online.
Destiny 2 has just been through possibly its biggest change ever: offering a no-bullshit free-to-play version dubbed New Light. New Light launched alongside Shadowkeep on Tuesday, and includes a generous amount of content for free.
This new version has generally been well-received, but PS4 players immediately noticed that the game continues to require an active PlayStation Plus subscription for non-solo activities. Destiny has always required Plus, of course, but the vast majority of free-to-play games on Sony's console do not.
Fortnite, Apex Legends - and chiefly Warframe, perhaps Destiny 2's biggest competitor today in the loot shooter world, can all be enjoyed without a Plus subscription. The game's page on the UK PlayStation Store even makes it clear that a Plus membership is required.
This also doesn't appear to be some sort of strange mishap, given Destiny 2's history as a paid game. The game is listed as free-to-play on the store, and everything else you can purchase - such as expansions and in-game currency - are listed as add-ons. In some cases, paid PS4 games offer free trials that have to be specifically selected on the store page, whereas Destiny 2 in this case is a unique application.
We've asked Bungie to clarify if this is intentional and will update this story when we hear back.
If you're enjoying Shadowkeep, you should give our updated guides for the Lectern of Enchantment and Nightmare Essence Cleansing a look to fully understand the new systems introduced in the expansion.