What is Codename Apollo in Destiny 2?

Destiny 2’s 10th anniversary celebrations happened more outside of the game than in it. The litany of blog posts released on that date gave fans a glimpse of the future, including the arcane Codename: Apollo.

This new nickname appears alongside Codename: Frontiers when it comes to what’s next in Destiny 2, with the former being a general catch-all term for the future of the game. The roadmap, however, brought a taste of the upcoming content structure coming to the game, including a new cadence of two smaller expansions each year.

Here’s what we know about Codename: Apollo in Destiny 2.

Destiny 2’s Codename Apollo, explained

Codename: Apollo is the working title Bungie is using for its next expansion, which will kick off Year 11 of Destiny 2. The studio has been keeping it under wraps so far, given the announcement is still in its infancy, so there’s little to know about it other than a codename, brief explanations, and some general (and exciting) pieces of concept art.

When does Codename Apollo release?

While the next expansion doesn’t have an actual release date (or even a release month), Codename: Apollo is slated to release in the summer of 2025, according to Destiny 2’s roadmap. It’s unclear how and if that changes the episodic calendar, or what Bungie is doing to fill the time until then if necessary.

Apollo kicks off with a Major Update nicknamed Arsenal, but Bungie promises a second Major Update in the fall of 2025 to close the cycle. This is in line with the new philosophy tied to the twice-yearly expansion model, with those “Major Updates” essentially taking the place of seasons.

What to expect from Codename Apollo?

Bungie has shed some light on Codename: Apollo, but as usual, the developer brings more questions than answers. Apollo is the starting point for the next multiyear saga. The next step “will introduce plenty of new characters, factions, twists, and more,” Bungie said, and we may see some of that with the expansion.

Another key change with the expansion is that its story isn’t linear, which brings a different way to approach the narrative. “The story starts at A, and then you can choose if you want to explore C first, or try and get into B, or maybe investigate D,” narrative director Alison Lührs said. And while you can change the order in which you approach it, Apollo‘s story “always makes sense and flows from beginning to middle to end,” without any time gates or drip-fed content.

Codename: Apollo‘s concept art shows what seems to be a new destination, with derelict spaceships and mysterious man-made, balloon-like structures bearing a cryptic symbol. This could be an actual destination we’ll visit in the expansion, or it might be just a tease for the rest of the future.

Bungie will keep updating players in the long lead-up to the next expansion, so more information is bound to surface in the wait for the game’s next major release.