Bungie on the future of Destiny 2’s pyramid ships in Season of Dawn

Destiny 2’s Shadowkeep reintroduced the ominous pyramid ships earlier this year. The pyramid ships belong to the Darkness, an enemy faction that looms over everything going on in Destiny’s story right now.

In an interview with Bungie senior narrative designer Jonathan To and Season of Dawn design lead Tom Farnsworth, the developers teased how much we’ll see of Shadowkeep’s evil pyramids this season.

“The pyramids are going to be an ongoing concern for our players,” said To. “We can’t speak to the exact scope of that concern across the next couple of seasons, but we’re definitely concerned about them.”

To wouldn’t go into how involved the pyramids would be in the season, or if they’ll show up at all. Both Farnsworth and To spoke about the team’s desire to weave the yearlong narrative — set up originally in Shadowkeep — through the upcoming season. But during a later question, Farnsworth spoke to the different tone the studio aimed for in Season of Dawn.

“It’s a brighter, more hopeful season,” said Farnsworth. “If you look at Shadowkeep, it’s dark and dire psychological horror. And in many ways the Season of Dawn, right in the name, is a reaction to what’s going on there. And when the players set things in motion for our season, it’s a story of death and resurrection, of brothers and tragedy and redemption.”

With the death of Cayde-6 in Forsaken and the Darkness looming in Shadowkeep, it’s easy to feel the hopeful world of Destiny slip away. This is by design, but the hopelessness has certainly permeated the game’s story and feel. Season of Dawn is a brief step back from the darkness — both figurative and likely literal, in this case. Season of Dawn is about returning a famed hero back to life.

Where the story goes in Season of Dawn, Bungie wouldn’t say. Shadowkeep was about realizing the threat of the Darkness was close. But with Saint-14 at Guardian’s backs, they may just stand a chance. That’s the hope Bungie aims to instill in players after a year of loss and darkness in the Destiny world.