The short answer is – no, The Witch Queen dungeons are not free content. To access the two dungeons released during Year 5 of Destiny 2, players need to purchase the The Witch Queen Deluxe Edition or the separate Witch Queen Dungeon Key.
But let‘s take a deeper look at The Witch Queen expansion, what it includes, how the dungeons work, and options for gaining access. As a hardcore Destiny player myself who has completed all the raids, I‘ll provide detailed info to help players understand what‘s free vs. paid.
Overview of The Witch Queen Expansion
Released in February 2022, The Witch Queen is the latest expansion for Destiny 2, introducing a thrilling new chapter to the epic sci-fi shooter. Here‘s a quick overview of what it added to the game:
- Brand new campaign set in Savathun‘s throne worlddestination
- Raid – Vow of the Disciple
- New weapon archetypes like Glaives
- Legendary campaign difficulty
- Weapon crafting
- Void 3.0 subclass rework
This highly acclaimed expansion can be purchased alone for $39.99 or as part of the Deluxe Edition bundle for $79.99. The Deluxe Edition will get you the most content which I‘ll cover next.
What‘s Included in The Witch Queen Deluxe Edition?
The Deluxe Edition is the best value option, offering the most content for your dollar. Here‘s everything it includes:
- The Witch Queen expansion
- Seasons 16-19 (Year 5 seasonal content)
- Two Year 5 dungeons
- Exotic SMG pre-order bonus
- Throne World Annual Pass
It‘s quite a bit more than the standard edition. Notably, it includes access to the two dungeons in Year 5, compared to none with the standard edition.
Breaking Down Each Piece of Deluxe Edition Content
Let‘s take a closer look at everything you get with the Deluxe Edition bundle:
Expansion Campaign & Destination
Obviously you get the critically acclaimed Witch Queen expansion campaign set in Savathun‘s Throne World, plus the new destination to explore. This alone offers hours of content.
Four Season Passes
The Deluxe Edition includes passes for all four seasons in Year 5 – Season of the Risen, Haunted, Plunder, and Seraph. That‘s a $40 value for all the seasonal activities, loot, and story content.
Two New Dungeons
This is the big one – you gain access to the two brand new dungeons released in Year 5. Let‘s take a closer look:
| Dungeon | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Duality | Season of the Haunted |
| Spire of the Watcher | Season of Plunder |
These challenging 3-player endgame activities offer new loot to chase and some of the toughest combat in Destiny 2. The dungeons alone are worth the Deluxe Edition price tag.
Exotic SMG Pre-Order Bonus
You also get the new Exotic Submachine Gun, Osteo Striga, which packs a serious punch with poison damage. It‘s an excellent addition to your Exotic arsenal.
Throne World Annual Pass
This grants bonus seasonal content like Exotic quests, lore books, cosmetics, and currency bundles for The Throne World destination.
As you can see the Deluxe Edition is jam packed with content and offers a lot of value for the avid Destiny player. You really get your money‘s worth.
What Do You Get with The Witch Queen Standard Edition?
If you opt for the Standard Edition at $39.99, you get less content:
- The Witch Queen expansion campaign
- Throne World destination
- Vow of the Disciple raid
- Some new weapons and gear
Notice it does not include the two Year 5 dungeons. That‘s the big distinction. You‘ll need to buy those separately.
Are The Dungeons Free Content?
Now to answer the key question – no, the Witch Queen dungeons are not free content if you just buy the Standard Edition. Those are premium extras sold separately.
To access the Duality and Spire of the Watcher dungeons, you need to:
- Upgrade to the Deluxe Edition
- OR buy the separate Witch Queen Dungeon Key
Let‘s look at the Dungeon Key option specifically.
Buying the Witch Queen Dungeon Key
For players who already bought the Standard Edition, you can get the dungeons by purchasing the separate Witch Queen Dungeon Key. This costs 2000 Silver from the in-game Eververse store, roughly $20 in real money.
What you get:
- Access to the Duality and Spire of the Watcher dungeons
- Exotic Sparrow, ship, emblem and emote
- Rahool mask
This is the most direct way to unlock the dungeons after already owning The Witch Queen expansion.
Are There Any Free Dungeons?
While the newest Witch Queen dungeons require purchase, there are some free dungeon options:
- Prophecy – Free for all players
- Shattered Throne – Requires Forsaken ownership
The Prophecy dungeon introduced in Year 4 does not require any expansion ownership and is completely free to all players. It‘s an excellent endgame activity for New Light players.
Meanwhile Shattered Throne from Year 2 requires owning the Forsaken DLC. So some past dungeons can be accessed for free or with older DLC.
Free Trial Weekends
Occasionally Bungie will make parts of The Witch Queen free temporarily as a promotional event.
For example, they unlocked The Witch Queen campaign and Throne World destination for all players for a weekend. However, the dungeons remained locked during the free period.
So you can get a small taste of the expansion content through limited time events, but the dungeons always require purchase.
Is The Witch Queen Worth Buying?
In my opinion as an avid Destiny 2 player, The Witch Queen is a fantastic expansion that‘s absolutely worth buying. Here‘s a quick recap of why:
- Excellent, cinematic campaign
- Fun new destination to explore
- Incredibly fun raid – Vow of the Disciple
- Craftable weapons add replayability
- The dungeons offer some of the best PvE content in Destiny
For any active Destiny 2 player, The Witch Queen is a must buy. And you‘ll want to spring for the Deluxe Edition to get the full experience including dungeons.
Key Takeaways on Witch Queen Dungeon Access
To summarize this detailed breakdown of dungeon access:
- The Witch Queen dungeons are not free – they require purchase
- Owning just The Witch Queen does not grant dungeon access
- Players must buy the Deluxe Edition or Dungeon Key
- Some past dungeons like Prophecy are free
I hope this guide has provided plenty of clarity and insider tips on what content comes with The Witch Queen and how to access the dungeons. Let me know if you have any other Destiny questions!
