Destiny Is Showing Up As "Free," But Here's What's Actually Going On

If you've searched for Destiny on a digital storefront recently, you might have been surprised to see that the base game is listed as being free. Now, developer Bungie has come forward to stress that the game has not switched business models or anything like that.

In a statement on its website, Bungie acknowledged the situation and explained what's going on.

"The original Destiny adventure may appear to be free on some digital console marketplaces," Bungie wrote. "While players may download the Destiny base game, they will only be granted access to the Destiny Trial Mode for free. If players wish to progress through the original Destiny adventure via digital download, they will be required to purchase Destiny - The Collection to gain access to this content."

The Collection, which was announced last week, includes the base Destiny game and all DLC, including September's Rise of Iron expansion. The package will go for $60 when it launches in September, but pre-buying it now on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 unlocks everything except Rise of Iron right away.

Rise of Iron launches on September 20 for Xbox One and PS4, but not last-generation systems. It's Destiny's fourth expansion, following The Dark Below, House of Wolves, and The Taken King. The expansion adds new content in the form of quests, gear, and a raid. The Gjallarhorn is also coming back.

A full Destiny sequel is also on the way and is scheduled to come out in 2017.