Destiny 2 beta times: this is when it goes live in your region on PS4 and Xbox One
Destiny 2 offers players on all platforms a chance to try out the second shared-worlds shooter – and incidentally test Bungie's network infrastructure, which the studio worries may melt under launch demand.
The Destiny 2 beta kicks off on PS4 and Xbox One this week, with first access going to PS4 pre-orders or early access codes.
When you can begin playing the Destiny 2 beta depends on platform and whether you've pre-ordered, so consult the information below to get the times relevant to your situation.
We've listed the Destiny 2 beta start times in PT, which is Bungie's own timezone and the one it always refers to, as well as ET and BST. Live somewhere else? No worries. If you click the time links in the Destiny 2 start times details below, you'll open a new tab showing the exact time in major cities in every time zone with daylight savings differences accounted for, making it easy to be certain you've got the correct information for your region.
- Destiny 2 beta – PS4 start times
- Pre-order early access: July 18 10:00am PT/1:00pm ET/6:00pm BST
- General access: July 21 10:00am PT/1:00pm ET/6:00pm BST
- Destiny 2 beta – Xbox One start times
- Pre-order early access: July 19 10:00am PT/1:00pm ET/6:00pm BST
- General access: July 21 10:00am PT/1:00pm ET/6:00pm BST
- Destiny 2 beta – PC
- Pre-order early access: “late August”
- General access: “late August”
Activision Blizzard sent along the time and dates for the Destiny 2 beta during E3 2017, so we had all the details you're after well in advance. No excuses for not having booked time off or planned a sickie!
Destiny 2 beta end times
Bungie and Activision Blizzard have not yet confirmed exact end times for the Destiny 2 beta. However, we do know the Destiny 2 console beta is scheduled to end on July 23, US time.
The first Destiny beta was extended and expanded after its initial success, so keep your fingers crossed the Destiny 2 beta end time will be pushed back, too. With any luck we'll get another few days out of it, although at six days we're already looking at a pretty generous amount of time. You should have plenty of opportunity to see and do everything in the initial offering by then. Speaking of which…
Destiny 2 beta content
Having initially only vaguely sketched out its plans, Bungie revealed the full Destiny 2 beta content two weeks before kick off.
Playing solo or in co-op, Destiny 2 beta testers can try out the Homecoming mission shown at the Destiny 2 reveal event, matchmake or group up for the Inverted Spire strike, and check out two Crucible (PvP) modes, Countdown and Control, on two maps, Midtown and Endless Vale.
You will need PlayStation Plus or Xbox Live to participate in the Strike and Crucible activities in the Destiny 2 beta.
Here are the full details from Activision:
- Homecoming: The opening mission and cinematics from Destiny 2's Red War story campaign
- Countdown: Battle other Guardians in a brand new Crucible mode. Attack or Defend the base on a new map custom-built to support this new game type.
- Control: The original standard for Crucible combat is back, with some changes. Control the zones on another new map built with this objective in mind.
- The Inverted Spire: Strike at the heart of a Vex stronghold. Bring two willing allies, or let Matchmaking introduce you to a Fireteam of Guardians.
- New Subclasses: The new fighting style for each Class will be at the ready. Choose from the Dawnblade and Voidwalker for the Warlock, Arcstrider and Gunslinger for Hunters, or Sentinel and Striker for the Titan.
- Weapons and armour: the beta will feature over 20 weapons, including three Exotics (Sweet Business, Sunshot, and Risk Runner), and three armour sets for each class, for a total of nine.
The strike, and both Crucible modes support matchmaking, but the story mission is only playable in single-player.
Destiny 2 beta download size
The download size for the PS4 beta is 15GB, and 13GB on Xbox One. On Xbox One, you only need to free up 13GB, but on PS4, you'll need at least 30GB of free space. This is needed for the download to start, after which the system should automatically release the remaining space.
The Destiny 2 beta client has been available for preload since July 13, but has been updated since first release. Make sure to log into your console well in advance of the test kick-off time and check for updates to ensure you have the latest version.
Destiny went down for extended maintenance a few weeks before the Destiny 2 beta. Since we know there will be no major updates to Destiny moving forward, this suggests Bungie is preparing its technology for the onslaught.
We expected to see a few more bursts of downtime before the beta, and indeed Bungie has announced another outage on July 13 – this time for two hours between 8:00am PT and 10:00 PT. We may see further windows of Destiny downtime before the Destiny 2 beta kicks off – and almost certainly a few after it closes.
Destiny 2 beta code redemption
There's been some confusion around Destiny 2 beta codes. Here's the deal:
- If you pre-ordered Destiny 2, you should receive a beta code before the test kicks off. If not, reach out to your retailer!
- Log into (or join) Bungie.net with your console ID and use the menu in the top right to find the code redemption screen.
- If you are not redirected, open your profile via the menu in the top right. Look for the Codes section in the menu along the top of your profile.
- Once on the Codes screen, you'll see a section devoted to the Destiny 2 beta. Select your platform and region, and you'll be given a console network code.
- Note: if you live in Australia, New Zealand or another PAL territory and are playing on PS4, be sure to select “Europe” when choosing your region.
- Note: if you live in Australia, New Zealand or another PAL territory and are playing on PS4, be sure to select “Europe” when choosing your region.
Destiny 2 beta known issues
Bungie released a list of problems that you may encounter in the beta. It's not a big list, but it's worth taking a look at.
When announcing the Destiny 2 beta times and dates during E3 2017, Activision Blizzard also confirmed Destiny 2 releases September 6 on PS4 and Xbox One, two days earlier than anticipated. The PC version of Destiny 2 will release on October 24, the publisher added.
As ever, our Destiny 2 guide is freely available if you want to learn more about Bungie's next big thing. It's got subclass guides for the four we've seen so far, details on Exotics, and explanations of the new ammo and weapon systems. Bone up before the Destiny 2 beta.
