‘Destiny: Rise Of Iron’ Finally Official, Details On Story, Flaming Axe, And ‘Death Zamboni’

After a series of leaks, Destiny: Rise of Iron was made official by Activision and Bungie on Thursday. The expansion was revealed via a Twitch stream and is confirmed to be a PlayStation 4 and Xbox One only release. The last-gen consoles have finally been put out to pasture.

Destiny: Rise of Iron is scheduled for a September 20 release and will cost $30. It does require The Taken King release from September 20. Those who pre-order the expansion will receive a black and gold Iron Gjallarhorn after completing an in-game quest. Those who don’t pre-order can still complete the quest to receive the Exotic Rocket Launcher, which involves forging an all-new weapon.

The theme of Destiny: Rise of Iron is exploring and dealing with the remnants of the Golden Age. The Iron Lords sacrificed themselves to stop the spread of a plague called SIVA. This technological plague has returned.

It will also explore the history of the Iron Lords, who they were, and why they have weapons named after them. This includes a journey to Felwinter’s Peak, which holds the Iron Temple, a mausoleum for the Iron Lords, and the new social space for Destiny. The expansion will begin with players ascending the peak to take back the mountain and the temple.

Fallen Splicers have dug deep into old technology and have begun to use the SIVA virus to augment and mutate their bodies. This plague has been unleashed from the Cosmodrome and used to transform the surrounding area into the Plaguelands. This is the new playable zone players will encounter and includes its own separate spawn point from the rest of the Cosmodrome.

The expansion will feature a new story campaign and quests, a new Strike, and a new Raid. Bungie has only provided teasers so far, but the developer says it will reveal more in the months leading up to the Rise of Iron release. What we’ve seen so far is a new Strike boss plus a Raid encounter atop the wall, which is jokingly referred to as the “Death Zamboni.”

New Crucible multiplayer maps and modes are also promised, but will be revealed at a later date. The developers did confirm Trials of Osiris will receive all new gear, however.

Meanwhile, the Guardians will have the opportunity to take their Light level even higher with Destiny: Rise of Iron. An exact number has not been announced yet.

And that Flaming Battle Axe seen in the trailers and wielded by Lord Saladin? It is a power-up that can be picked up during missions similar to the Scorch Cannon. It is an encounter specific weapon and not an item that can be placed in your inventory and equipped.

“Rise of Iron is an exciting addition to the Destiny universe,” said Pete Parsons, the CEO of Bungie. “We are continually blown away and inspired by the growing Destiny community’s energy and enthusiasm.”

“We have been working hard with our partners at Bungie and are planning great, new content for Destiny’s 30 million registered players. Rise of Iron is the first step in fulfilling that promise,” said Eric Hirshberg, the CEO of Activision. “There’s a ton of content packed in Rise of Iron, including a new location, a new Raid and a new Strike, combined with more quests, weapons, gear, a competitive multiplayer mode and more that we think players are going to love.”

You can find additional details on the official website, but expect to see more about Destiny: Rise of Iron during E3 next week and in the months leading up to its September 24 release on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

What do you think of the Rise of Iron expansion for Destiny? Sound off in the comments below.

[Image via Bungie]