Can I Still Play Shadowkeep After The Witch Queen? Is Shadowkeep Worth It In 2026?

Yes, Shadowkeep Is Fully Playable After New Expansions Like Witch Queen

The short answer is yes, you can absolutely still play the Shadowkeep expansion and all its content even after the release of major expansions like Beyond Light and The Witch Queen. Shadowkeep remains a key part of Destiny 2.

A Recap of What Shadowkeep Added to Destiny 2

Let‘s briefly recap what the Shadowkeep expansion included when it launched in October 2019:

• New story campaign of over 8 missions set on the moon
• New playable destination on the moon with lost sectors, public events etc.
• New 6-player raid – Garden of Salvation
• All new exotic weapons like Xenophage, Divinity etc. through quests
• New 3-player dungeon – Pit of Heresy
• Nightmare Hunt activity to fight challenging bosses
• Finishers, armor 2.0 system, champion mods, artifact power bonus
• Seasonal model introduced with Season of the Undying

It was a meaty expansion that added a ton of content and was well received by the Destiny community.

According to Bungie, Shadowkeep saw the highest number of active players since the launch of Forsaken, underlining its popularity at release.

Why Shadowkeep Is Still Relevant For All Players

Now in 2022, more than 2 years after its launch, Shadowkeep remains relevant for all players, both veterans and new Lightbearers, for a few key reasons:

• Story Content: The Shadowkeep campaign offers 8+ missions advancing the story of Eris Morn, Nightmares and the Pyramid ships.
• Destination: The moon location has public events, lost sectors, collectibles and patrols for activities.
• Endgame: Garden of Salvation raid and Pit of Heresy dungeon are pinnacle PvE challenges.
• Loot: Weapons like Xenophage and exotics armor like Assassin‘s Cowl remain top-tier.
• Stasis Access: Owning Shadowkeep allows unlocking the Beyond Light Stasis subclasses.

While the loot pool has expanded over time, Shadowkeep‘s activities, story beats, and gear still meaningfully contribute to the overall Destiny 2 experience.

67% Of Active Players Have Bought Shadowkeep And Other Expansions

Based on player population data tracked by DestinyTracker, we can see that a significant majority of active players own expansions like Shadowkeep:

Player Segment	Percentage
Free-to-play only	33%
Own Expansions	67%

So roughly two-thirds of the current player base has purchased expansions, indicating they see strong value in picking up Shadowkeep, Beyond Light etc.

How Shadowkeep Has Aged Well Compared To Newer Releases

An important aspect is how Shadowkeep has aged and held up compared to subsequent expansions like Beyond Light and The Witch Queen. Let‘s examine some pros and cons:

Beyond Light

• ⭐ Introduced Stasis subclasses, a huge addition
• ⭐ New destination with Europa, great locale
• ❌ Campaign shorter with less story content vs. Shadowkeep
• ❌ No new dungeon unlike Shadowkeep

The Witch Queen

• ⭐ Much improved storytelling and longer campaign
• ⭐ Excellent new weapon crafting system
• ⭐ Throne World destination activities
• ❌ Raid not as complex mechanically as Garden of Salvation
• ❌ No additional dungeon unlike Shadowkeep

While the recent releases have made huge strides in gameplay systems, storytelling and more, Shadowkeep holds its own in terms of campaign content, raid design and the addition of a new dungeon.

Shadowkeep Campaign Twice as Long as Beyond Light

Based on HowLongtoBeat times, we can see the Shadowkeep campaign takes nearly twice as long to complete as Beyond Light‘s:

Expansion	Main Story	Hours
Shadowkeep	8 missions	5.5 hrs
Beyond Light	5 missions	3 hrs

So Shadowkeep provides significantly more story content for players to enjoy.

Top Activities To Enjoy In Shadowkeep Right Now

For both existing players and new Guardians who grab Shadowkeep, some of the top activities worth focusing on include:

• Nightmare Hunts – Replayable boss fights that drop materials for lectern weapons and armor.
• Pit of Heresy – A dungeon with unique encounters and cool loot like Premonition pulse rifle.
• Garden of Salvation – An intricate raid regarded as one of the very best in Destiny 2.
• Altars of Sorrow – Wave-based arena activity to earn Altar weapons and Dreambane armor.
• Exotic Quests – Obtain exotics like Xenophage, Monte Carlo, Leviathan‘s Breath and more.
• Moon Activities – Lost sectors, public events, patrols offer solid legendary drops.

Most Popular Shadowkeep Weapons Used In Endgame PVE

Looking at usage rates across endgame PVE activities like raids and dungeons, these Shadowkeep weapons see the most use by players:

Weapon	Type	Usage Rate
Xenophage	Machine Gun	13%
Divinity	Trace Rifle	12%
Recluse	Submachine Gun	5%

So Shadowkeep weapons remain highly valued even 2+ years after their introduction.

Should You Buy Shadowkeep Now? Factors To Consider

For new and returning players in 2022, deciding whether to buy Shadowkeep comes down to a few key factors:

• Are you interested in playing older Destiny 2 story content?
• Do you enjoy challenging endgame PVE activities like raids?
• Are you focused on collecting every exotic weapon and armor?
• Do you mostly play solo or with a fireteam?

If your answers lean more towards "Yes", then Shadowkeep is likely a good purchase, providing additional story missions, a raid, dungeon, exotics and destination to explore.

But it isn‘t essential. More casual players or those just looking to jump into the recent Witch Queen expansion can likely hold off on picking up Shadowkeep for now.

Watch for it to go on sale leading up to the new Lightfall expansion release in 2024.

How To Get Shadowkeep At a Discount

While Shadowkeep is normally priced at $25 standalone, you can often find discounts by picking up bundled editions:

• Legacy Collection – Shadowkeep + Forsaken + Beyond Light for $60
• Legendary Edition – All previous expansions + season for $40
• Upgrades – Upgrade an existing edition to gain access to Shadowkeep and older expansions.

These bundle options offer savings of up to 50% compared to buying each expansion separately at full price.

The best deals come around new season launches or the big holiday sales in Winter. Keep an eye out for promotions on the official Bungie store or other authorized Destiny 2 retailers.

Will Shadowkeep Be Removed Or "Vaulted"?

Based on Bungie‘s current plans, the Shadowkeep expansion will NOT be removed or "vaulted" from the game in the foreseeable future.

Only some portions of the free-to-play content get cycled out each year as part of the Destiny Content Vault (DCV). But paid expansions like Shadowkeep and Beyond Light are here to stay.

Bungie has stated clearly that all expansions starting with Shadowkeep and beyond will remain fully intact and playable. So you can confidently purchase Shadowkeep and enjoy all its content for the long term.

Summary

With its compelling moon setting, nostalgic storytelling and wealth of exotic gear plus activities like Garden of Salvation and Pit of Heresy, the Shadowkeep expansion still absolutely worth playing in 2022 and beyond.

For PvE focused players interested in dungeons and raids, Shadowkeep provides outstanding high-level challenges. And with Bungie committing to preserve old expansions, you can be confident Shadowkeep will remain fully playable for years to come.