Destiny 2 Season of the Chosen Announced, Adds Battlegrounds Mode, New and Old Strikes, and Gear

Bungie revealed Destiny 2 Season 13, Season of the Chosen – and gave us a glimpse of what’s to come. Launching on February 9 and until May 11, Season of the Chosen will introduce new strikes, new gear and a brand new mode called Battlegrounds.

Battlegrounds is a three-player matchmaking activity where players will “engage in ritual combat” against Cabal warriors. Old and new strikes will also be peppered throughout Season 13, with Destiny Strikes Devil’s Lair and Fallen SABER returning at the start of the season, and a new strike called Proving Grounds unlocking later, which “will determine the fate of the last city.

Players who own the Destiny 2 Season Pass will unlock the Praefectus armor set and an exotic bow called Ticcu’s Divination, which shoots solar arrows capable of tracking “multiple targets at once”. Over 25 new weapons will also be added to the Season Pass additions.

The story of season 13 centers around a political feud between Empress Caiatl and Zavala. “With the Pyramids and Xivu Arath destabilizing the system, Empress Caiatl, leader of the Cabal and daughter of Calus, seeks an alliance. But when she demands more than Zavala can offer, negotiations collapse.” The Guardians will fight with Caiatl’s growing war council to stabilize the situation.

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In other Destiny 2 news, the community has raised concerns about Bungie’s plans for cross-play on PC and console. Bungie recently filed a lawsuit alongside Riot, targeting cheat companies that allegedly created software hacks for Destiny 2.

Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.