Lightfall is here and with it comes a brand new Raid to dive into, full of challenging encounters and menacing bosses to face off against. They’ll also be a new arsenal of endgame Raid weapons and armour to earn, so you’re going to want to know the Destiny 2 Lightfall Raid release date so that you can plan your next The Root of Nightmares Raid run.
For more on the exciting future of Destiny 2, check out the Destiny 2 Lightfall release date, story, and more that we currently know about the game. In Lightfall, we’ll also get access to a new subclass, so it’s good to know all you can about Destiny 2 Strand before diving in and exploring the new Destiny 2 Strand subclasses.
Destiny 2 Lightfall Raid release date
The Destiny 2 Lightfall Raid release date is set for Friday, March 10, 2023, with a raid release time of 9am PST/12pm EST/5pm UTC. This is when The Root of Nightmares Raid opens up for the first time, with Contest Mode enabled for the first 48 hours.
With the Destiny 2 Lightfall Raid, Root of Nightmares, Contest Mode will be active for the first 48 hours, rather than the usual 24 hours. This gives players longer to earn the unique limited-time emblem for completing the Lightfall Raid during Contest Mode.
Contest Mode will restrict player’s Power level 20 Power below the Destiny 2 Lightfall Raid Light level and Power level requirements. This will up the challenge even further for those aiming to get the World’s First completion of the Root of Nightmares, or just playing during the first 48 hours of Lightfall Raid release time.
Bungie typically releases the expansion Raids on, or just before, the second weekend following the release date of the expansion. For example, Destiny 2’s last expansion, The Witch Queen, launched on February 22, 2022, and the Raid launched on March 5, 2022. This gave players just over a week to level up and prepare for the Raid. So, it isn’t too surprising to see this date.
The Raid description on the Bungie website alludes to a “haunting presence”, which some fans believe is a callback to Season of the Haunted. This Season heavily involved Destiny 2 Nezarec, so it’s possible that the Destiny 2 Lightfall Raid could relate to this character or possibly a new Disciple of The Witness.
This is further supported by the official art showcased in the post, depicting the traditional Darkness Pyramid architecture we’ve come to know. Likewise, it points out that an ancient threat has been growing at our doorstep, which could hint towards Nezarec, though no further official details are given.
However, if you’ve had the chance to explore Neomuna for yourself, you may have noticed haunting whispers around the city. If you’ve got one of Nezarec’s items equipped, such as Nezarec’s Sin or Nezarec’s Whisper, then these whispers will be translated, revealing the presence to be Nezarec. Furthermore, Nezarec also plays a key part in the Hypernet Current Strike added in Lightfall. With their increased activity as of late, this haunting evil may be returning once and for all in the Lightfall Root of Nightmares Raid.
Luckily, you don’t have to leave all your preparation until The Root of Nightmares Destiny 2 Lightfall Raid release date arrives. You can get a head start by using our handy best Destiny 2 Titan build, best Destiny 2 Warlock build, and best Destiny 2 Hunter build to give yourself a leg-up before the Lightfall Raid release date and start time arrives.