Having already informed Destiny players on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 that the end is nigh for new updates, developer Bungie has now confirmed exactly when updates will end: August 16.
Starting that day, the PS3 and Xbox 360 will be considered “legacy consoles” and will no longer receive major Destiny updates or new content releases.
If you’re looking to move forward to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, you can follow the instructions laid out in this Account Import page. Additionally, people who only play on PS4 or Xbox One will also need to perform the Account Import process to keep playing.
From August 16 onward, “progression will no longer be shared between console generations within the same console family,” Bungie said.
While Destiny is staying online for PS3 and Xbox 360, there are some significant-sounding changes on the way to the gameplay experience. For one, players will no longer be able to buy the Silver currency, though people with Silver still in their accounts can use it to buy more items.
Additionally, Trials of Osiris and Iron Banner will no longer be available, while “live events” such as some specific playlists, quests, bounties, and rewards, are going away after August.
Some of Destiny’s previous live events have included holiday-themed events such as Festival of the Lost and Crimson Days, as well as the Sparrow Racing League.
Here is a rundown of the key changes, as detailed by Bungie on its website.
- Legacy Console players will have until 2:00 AM PDT on August 16th, 2016 to receive their Moments of Triumph T-Shirt code on their Year Two Triumphs page on Bungie.net.
- After this date, Legacy Console players will no longer be able to access Character data on Bungie.net, which includes the completion of the Year Two Moments of Triumph Record Book and T-Shirt code.
- Players may continue to make progress and earn in-game rewards from their Year Two Moments of Triumph Record Book through September 20th, 2016 on Legacy Consoles.
- Players who complete their Year Two Moments of Triumph Record Book on Legacy Consoles may still generate a T-shirt code, only if they perform an account import on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One prior to 11:59 PM PDT on October 4th. For more information, follow this link.
- PLEASE NOTE: The Account Import process is a one-time process that splits progress between console generations. After an account has been imported, this cannot be undone.
- Destiny Events and Activity Availability will be changing for Legacy Consoles on August 16th, 2016.
- Activities such as Iron Banner and Trials of Osiris will continue to be available to Legacy Console players through the end of August 2016.
- The ability to purchase Silver will no longer be available on Legacy Consoles starting August 16th, 2016.
- Players may still purchase items from Eververse Trading co. with Silver that is already present on their account.
Bungie previously said around 90 percent of Destiny players are on PS4 and Xbox One. Additionally, leaving last-gen systems behind allows the developer to introduce “new bells and whistles” that might not be possible on older hardware.
Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V is taking a similar approach. The game’s multiplayer mode, GTA Online, no longer receives major, content-rich updates for its last-gen versions.
Destiny’s Rise of Iron expansion is skipping last-generation consoles as well. It launches on September 20 for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One only.