Destiny 2 Renegades expansion arrives on December 2, and Bungie is giving players a small window to download the update before servers reopen. Preloading can save you valuable time on launch day, especially since this expansion is unusually large and requires a significant amount of free storage space. Here’s how the preload process works across all platforms, when it begins, and what you need to do to get the update ready before the expansion goes live.
When Renegades Preloading Begins
Preloads for Renegades go live the moment Bungie begins maintenance for the update. Unlike previous expansions that kept servers offline for long stretches, this downtime only lasts one hour, making the early download window extremely narrow. Here’s the exact schedule:
- 17:55 SAST – Destiny 2 goes offline
- 18:00 SAST – Preload becomes available on all platforms
- 19:00 SAST – Servers return, update 9.5.0 goes live
- 21:00 SAST – Maintenance wraps up
Platform-specific preload notes
Bungie is giving PlayStation users a small advantage this time:
- PlayStation: Can begin preloading early on 30 November at 18:00 SAST
- Xbox: Preload begins 2 December at 18:00 SAST
- Steam: Preload begins 2 December at 18:00 SAST
- Epic Games Store: Preload begins 2 December at 18:00 SAST
- Microsoft Store: Preload begins 2 December at 18:00 SAST
This means most players only get an hour-long head start, whereas PlayStation users may have the update ready days before launch.
- Includes 16 launch 6v6 maps plus 20v20 large-scale arenas.
- Explore Japan, Mediterranean regions, and inner-mind locations.
- Round-Based Zombies with vast Dark Aether survival environments.
- Optimized performance and fast loading on PS5.
How to Preload Renegades on Each Platform
Once preload access opens, Destiny 2 should automatically present the update in your download queue. If it doesn’t, you can use these platform-specific checks to force the update to appear.
PlayStation (PS4 & PS5)
Bungie allows some PlayStation users to receive the update early through auto-updates.
To ensure it downloads:
- Highlight Destiny 2 on your home screen.
- Press Options.
- Select Check for Update.
- Make sure automatic updates are enabled.
If the preload is available, it will begin immediately.
Xbox (Series X|S & Xbox One)
Xbox players can enable universal auto-updates:
- Go to Profile & System.
- Open Settings → System → Updates.
- Turn on automatic updates for games.
Renegades should appear in the queue as soon as the preload window opens.
Steam
On Steam, the preload is tied directly to Destiny 2’s update settings:
- Open your Library and right-click Destiny 2.
- Select Properties → Updates.
- Choose Always keep this game updated.
- If the update doesn’t show, restart Steam to refresh the queue.
Epic Games Store
Epic will push the preload automatically when Bungie enables it:
- Check the Downloads section in the Epic launcher.
- Ensure auto-updates are toggled on in Settings.
Microsoft Store / PC Game Pass
The preload will become available through your Windows Store updates:
- Open the Microsoft Store app.
- Check the Downloads & Updates tab.
- Look for the new Destiny 2 update to appear.
How Much Space You Need for the Renegades Preload
The storage requirements for Renegades are significant because many platforms temporarily keep two versions of Destiny 2 during installation. This results in extremely large preload sizes—over 300 GB on some PC storefronts.
Storage Requirements per Platform
| Platform | Space Needed for Preload | Final Install Size |
|---|---|---|
| Steam | 326 GB | 170 GB |
| Epic Games Store | 325 GB | 170 GB |
| Microsoft Store | 159 GB | 159 GB |
| PlayStation 5 | 173.5 GB | 173.5 GB |
| PlayStation 4 | 204.87 GB | 172.5 GB |
| Xbox Series X | S | 171.11 GB |
| Xbox One | 161.02 GB | 161.02 GB |
These temporary spikes in required storage are normal for major Destiny 2 expansions, but Renegades pushes the total even higher than average—especially on Steam and Epic, where both the existing build and the incoming expansion must coexist during installation.
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