Is Shadowkeep Now Free in Destiny 2?

No, Shadowkeep is not free to play currently in 2022. It remains a paid expansion that needs to be purchased separately for $34.99 to access all of its content.

With new expansions like Beyond Light and The Witch Queen releasing over the past few years, some Destiny 2 players wonder if older DLCs like Shadowkeep have gone free to play. This is not the case, at least not yet in 2022.

Will Shadowkeep Become Free in the Future?

Based on Bungie‘s past approach with expansions, Shadowkeep will likely become free sometime in 2024 or 2024.

Here‘s a brief overview of Bungie‘s pattern with making old expansions free when new DLC drops:

• Forsaken (2018) – Went partly free with the launch of Shadowkeep in 2019. The campaign and Tangled Shore destination were vaulted, but players could still access the Last Wish raid, Dreaming City destination and Forsaken subclasses.

• Shadowkeep (2019) – Did not go free with Beyond Light‘s release in 2020. Still remains a paid expansion as of 2022.

• Beyond Light (2020) – Went completely free with the launch of The Witch Queen in 2022. All of its content is now freely accessible to all players.

So there is a clear trend of the oldest expansion being made free once the next big expansion releases. Following this pattern, Shadowkeep will likely go free sometime in 2024 after Lightfall launches or in 2024 before Final Shape releases.

For now, the only way to access Shadowkeep‘s campaign, Moon destination, exotics, dungeons and raid is to purchase it. But in all likelihood, it will be the next expansion to go free to play after 3 years on the market.

Is Buying Shadowkeep in 2022 Still Worth It?

For new, returning or more casual Destiny 2 players, purchasing Shadowkeep is still very much worth it in 2022. Here are some of the main reasons why:

Access to the Moon Destination

With its eerie lunar locales like the Scarlet Keep, Hellmouth and Anchor of Light, the Moon is one of Destiny‘s most iconic destinations. Shadowkeep brings back the Moon with some revamped areas, new Lost Sectors, public events, and plenty of exploration for patrols and bounties.

Having this whole additional destination really opens up the world for new players, adding hours of potential gameplay and loot chasing. It‘s much nicer than being limited to the free-to-play destinations like Cosmodrome.

Enjoyable Campaign with Story Reveals

Shadowkeep‘s campaign takes around 5-7 hours to complete, offering an intriguing story set on the Moon. It features the return of legendary hunter Eris Morn and the reveal of the Black Pyramid, giving players their first taste of the Darkness and mysterious Nightmares.

While the plot is not as elaborate as something like The Witch Queen, it remains an enjoyable self-contained story that long time fans love revisiting. And it sets up plot threads that are still relevant in the recent Lightfall expansion.

Powerful Exotics Like Xenophage, Divinity and Monte Carlo

Some of the most coveted and powerful exotics in Destiny 2 come from Shadowkeep. These include:

• Xenophage – Top tier machine gun for PvE DPS. Earned from an exotic quest on the Moon.

• Divinity – Extremely useful support weapon that weakens enemies. Obtained by completing the Garden of Salvation raid.

• Monte Carlo – Great add clearing auto rifle that regenerates melee energy. World drop exotic.

• Deathbringer – Void rocket launcher that fires tracking projectiles. Random exotic drop.

Just having access to exotics like Xenophage alone greatly improves your loadout options for all PvE and endgame activities.

Two Awesome Dungeons – Pit of Heresy and Prophecy

Dungeons are like mini 3-player raids, offering intense combat challenges and loot. Shadowkeep gives you two of Destiny 2‘s best dungeons:

• Pit of Heresy – Located on the Moon, with boss encounters like Zulmak. Perfect for farming high stat armor.

• Prophecy – Features the infamous Kell Echo boss fight. Also great for loot and the community-favorite weapons like Darkest Before pulse rifle.

These two dungeons offer some of the most replayable and rewarding endgame content in Destiny 2. Having them alone makes Shadowkeep worthwhile.

Access to Garden of Salvation Raid and Gear

To participate in the Garden of Salvation raid on the Black Garden destination, you need to own Shadowkeep. This 6-player raid has some gorgeous environments and fun boss encounters that drop powerful items like:

• Sacred Provenance pulse rifle
• Ancient Gospel hand cannon
• Zealot‘s Reward fusion rifle
• Divinity trace rifle

The raid also has a weekly pinnacle gear drop to boost your power level. Having access to all Destiny 2 raids keeps your endgame grind fresh and exciting.

Needed to Understand Ongoing Story Content

Even the latest expansions like The Witch Queen make frequent references to Shadowkeep characters like Eris and plot threads like the Pyramid ship on the Moon.

By owning Shadowkeep, you‘ll have the proper context for the current evolving storyline about Savathun, Guardians wielding Darkness and the imminent threat of The Witness. The Moon pyramid still factors heavily into the lore.

So in summary, Shadowkeep provides:

• A whole new destination on the Moon to explore
• 5-7 hour campaign with important lore reveals
• Top tier exotic weapons and armor to earn
• Two of the most replayable dungeons
• Access to the Garden of Salvation raid
• Needed foundation for the evolving Destiny 2 storyline

Making it very much worth it for committed Destiny players who aim to experience all the top content.

Will Shadowkeep Get Vaulted or Removed?

The good news is Shadowkeep will not get vaulted or have any content removed from the game. Unlike the first two expansions, Forsaken and Beyond Light, that had certain destinations, activities and missions retired, Shadowkeep will remain completely intact.

Bungie has stated clearly that going forward, paid expansions will not have any content vaulted or removed. Players can be assured of keeping full access to everything Shadowkeep has to offer.

This means you can safely invest time earning its loot, triumphs and rewards without worrying about progression being wiped down the road. The Moon destination, campaign, exotics and endgame content will continue to stay relevant.

While vaulting helped serve a technical purpose earlier, it also upset many players who lost access to paid content. Bungie seems to have learned their lesson here. You can confidently play Shadowkeep without reservation.

What is the Community Verdict on Shadowkeep in 2022?

With a 79% positive recent review score on Steam, the Destiny community largely views Shadowkeep as still being a worthwhile purchase in 2022 for new players.

Many reviewers mention it being an important expansion for understanding the evolving storyline with the Darkness and Pyramids. Plus it provides some of the most rewarding endgame content like Pit of Heresy dungeon.

Of course, being an older 2019 expansion, some note that it lacks deeper crafting/build options introduced in newer expansions. And occasional bugs on the Moon remain annoying.

But overall, Shadowkeep is seen as a quality expansion that aged well and still offers a lot for Destiny 2 newcomers. Considering you get 20+ hours of story, exotic quests, dungeons and raids, it‘s a purchase most community members recommend.

Final Verdict – Worth Buying Shadowkeep Before it Goes Free

For any new or returning Guardians in 2022, I firmly recommend buying Shadowkeep before it eventually goes free to play.

The amount of great content you get access to for just $35 is well worth it – the Moon destination, exotics like Xenophage, two top-tier dungeons, the Garden of Salvation raid and more.

Plus with Bungie guaranteeing no content will be removed, you can play Shadowkeep‘s activities for years to come. It remains a crucial part of the Destiny 2 journey.

So don‘t wait until Shadowkeep goes free – it still offers enough value to be more than worth the purchase in 2022 and beyond. Jump in now to experience a key chapter in Destiny‘s evolving epic!