Which raid could return in Destiny 2 Season 18?

Bungie has spoken about bringing back a popular raid from the archives; expected to go live with Destiny 2 Season 18. The developers have been very secretive when it comes to the upcoming season, but there aren't that many raids in the archive, so it isn't really difficult to put a finger on the upcoming one.

Raids are one of the most difficult PvE activities in Destiny 2. Unlike Grandmaster Nightfalls, this activity comprises of a six-man Fireteam, and can last for a good while. Guardians need to effectively communicate with each other in order to successfully clear this activity.

Note: This article reflects the opinion of the writer.

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Bungie to reprise one of the vaulted raids for Destiny 2 Season 18

Just like the Vault of Glass raid, the upcoming will be one of the few that were seen in Destiny 1. Since the time Destiny 2 went live, the game and the community have grown substantially.

Since the first installment was restricted to consoles only, an old and refurbished raid would sit well, not only with the newer players but with the veterans as well.

That said, there were three raids other than Vault of Glass in Destiny 1. These are as follows:

• Crota's End
• Wrath of the Machine
• King's Fall

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Will Crota's End make it to Destiny 2 Season 18?

Truth be told, it's unlikely that Crota's End could be returning in Season 18. Back in 2021 in an interview with PC Gamer, Joe Blackburn, the game director of Destiny 2 hinted at the fact that Crota's End wouldn't be returning.

When asked about the raid that the developers were planning to reprise, here's what he had to say:

"I'm going to give you the really boring technical answer. We know we want to bring back a banger. So it's really about the complexity of bringing the raids from D1 to D2. I think by saying it will be one of the big raids, that takes one out of the equation."

He further went on to give an overview of the future content:

"Then it becomes: 'Hey, we're making a [new] raid, two dungeons, and reprising an old raid this year... How can we choose a raid that's going to not sink the ship?' And make it as awesome as the Vault of Glass reprise. So that's really where the team has been at."

This very statement rules out the fact that Crota's End will be making a return. The raid was small, compared to the other two. So, if Bungie does decide to bring it back in Season 18, it will have to be heavily altered.

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What about Wrath of the Machine?

It's difficult to say if Bungie is willing to focus on another Fallen-heavy season in Destiny 2. The Season of the Splicer heavily revolved around Mithrax, the House of Light and the Endless Night.

If Bungie were to bring back the Wrath of the Machine raid in the game, it would have to introduce another season revolving around the Fallen. Given the state that the story in Destiny 2 is in right now, a Fallen-themed season wouldn't really make sense.

However, it won't be the first time a season that isn't related to the overall story will be seen in the game. Moreover, the Wrath of the Machine is within the Cosmodrome itself. Hence, it is slightly difficult not to expect a return of the Wrath of the Machine in the game.

But then again, the signature weapon of the raid is already present. In fact, the Outbreak Perfected is an upgraded version of Outbreak Prime. If Bungie was to refurbish this raid, it would have to introduce a new weapon for it.

Now, it could introduce a brand new raid Exotic to begin with, but it's unlikely that the developer would put in so much effort.

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So, will it be King's Fall that finally returns in Destiny 2 Season 18?

For now, everything points to the fact that the King's Fall could be the raid Bungie is planning to reprise. There are a few reasons to say this: First of all, in the original raid, Oryx, one of the three Hive Gods, was killed. However, many believe that their Worm Familiar is still alive.

Now, these Worm Familiars have been aligned with the Darkness since the beginning of time. It wouldn't be surprising to see a resurrected Oryx, who is now a Disciple, just like Calus and Rhulk. Also, the raid Exotic related to King's Fall is yet to make its debut in the game.

Finally, during the Destiny 2 Showcase back in 2021, Justin Truman, the General Manager of the title, wore a Taken King t-shirt during the event. Joe Blackburn also goes by the name @joegoroth on Twitter. Many consider this to be a reference to Golgoroth from the King's Fall raid.

These two instances could be a mere coincidence, but game developers are very sneaky and love hiding easter eggs in plain sight. Moreover, they use these subtle tactics to foreshadow upcoming events as well.

For what it's worth, both King's Fall and Wrath of the Machine are iconic raids, and the community would be happy to see either one of them return. However, every bit of evidence till now points towards the return of King's Fall. Finally, Bungie has another Destiny 2 Showcase lined up, and it'll be revealing more details about the upcoming raid and the season during it.