Games Like Destiny 2 for More Looter Shooter Obsession
The best games like Destiny 2, looter shooters, sci-fi multiplayer games, and MMO-RPG hybrids with deep progression systems.
Destiny 2 from Bungie established the modern looter shooter formula. Exotic weapons that meaningfully change gameplay, raids that demand coordinated teamwork, seasonal content cycles, and the specific satisfaction of a 100+ hour grind for the perfect god roll, Destiny 2 has occupied a specific gaming lifestyle niche since its 2017 launch.
The franchise has had rough patches (Lightfall's lukewarm reception, sunsetting controversies, Final Shape's stronger comeback), but the core gameplay loop remains excellent. If you're looking for more looter shooter experiences, here's what delivers.
What are the best looter shooters like Destiny 2?
The closest alternatives to Destiny 2 are Warframe (free-to-play with a decade of content), The First Descendant (2024 Korean looter shooter), Borderlands 4, Remnant II (soulslike co-op), The Division 2, and Outriders. Each captures portions of the loot grind, co-op shooting, and build variety that define Destiny's formula.
| Game | What It Offers | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Warframe | Free-to-play looter shooter | Decade of content, ethical monetization, deep customization |
| The First Descendant | Destiny-adjacent Korean looter shooter | Launched 2024 |
| Outriders | Story-focused looter shooter | Class-based gameplay |
| Remnant II | Soulslike looter shooter | Procedurally generated dungeons, co-op |
| Anthem | Failed Destiny-alike | Bioware, now abandoned |
| Marvel's Avengers | Looter shooter mechanics | Marvel characters |
| The Division 2 | Tactical shooter with looter mechanics | Set in Washington D.C. |
| The Division | Original tactical looter | Set in New York |
| Borderlands 4 | Franchise that established "looter shooter" | Continues the series |
| Borderlands 3 | Earlier entry with massive content pools | Still playable |
| Wonderlands | Borderlands spinoff | Fantasy theming |
What live service sci-fi shooters play like Destiny 2?
For live service sci-fi shooters with ongoing content drops similar to Destiny 2's seasonal model, the top picks are Helldivers 2, Deep Rock Galactic, and Warframe. These games deliver cooperative PvE missions, regular updates, and community-driven endgames that keep players grinding week after week.
Warframe (mentioned above).
The First Descendant (mentioned above).
Helldivers 2 is cooperative sci-fi shooter with live service ongoing content.
Deep Rock Galactic is cooperative space-dwarf mining FPS.
Payday 2 and Payday 3 are cooperative heist shooters.
Back 4 Blood is cooperative zombie shooter.
What Diablo-like games have loot grinds similar to Destiny 2?
If you love Destiny 2 specifically for the loot chase, action RPGs like Diablo IV, Path of Exile 2, Last Epoch, and Grim Dawn deliver that same dopamine loop of farming for perfect rolls. These games replace gunplay with isometric combat but nail the same addictive gear progression and build optimization.
If what you love about Destiny 2 is the loot grind specifically:
Diablo IV continues Blizzard's action RPG franchise. Full Diablo coverage.
Path of Exile and Path of Exile 2 are the hardcore alternative to Diablo.
Last Epoch is indie ARPG with deep skill customization.
Torchlight: Infinite is free-to-play ARPG.
Grim Dawn is classic-style ARPG with excellent character building.
Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem is the AAA ARPG with Souls-adjacent combat.
Lost Ark is Korean MMO ARPG with massive content.
What games have raids like Destiny 2?
Destiny 2's raids are widely considered some of the best cooperative PvE content in gaming. For comparable 6-player coordinated encounters, Final Fantasy XIV's savage raids, World of Warcraft's mythic raids, Monster Hunter Wilds' cooperative hunts, and Risk of Rain 2's endgame challenges all scratch that same itch.
Destiny 2's raids are widely considered some of the best MMO-style content ever made. Games with comparable raid content:
Final Fantasy XIV has legendary savage raids. Featured in our JRPG coverage.
World of Warcraft remains the foundational MMORPG with its own raid tradition.
Monster Hunter Wilds has cooperative hunts that capture some raid-adjacent satisfaction.
Risk of Rain 2 has raid-like endgame challenges.
What FPS games have RPG progression like Destiny 2?
Shooters with meaningful RPG-style leveling and gear progression include the Borderlands series, Dying Light 2, Starfield, and Far Cry 6. These games layer stat-based upgrades, loot tiers, and character builds on top of first-person gunplay, giving you that same power-fantasy escalation Destiny 2 delivers across a season.
Borderlands series (mentioned above).
Dying Light 2 is parkour zombie FPS with RPG progression.
Far Cry 6 has RPG-lite progression.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla has gear-based progression in open-world format.
Horizon Forbidden West has Aloy's gear progression.
Starfield has Bethesda RPG progression in space setting.
What competitive shooters should Destiny 2 PvP players try?
Destiny 2 Crucible players looking for competitive PvP alternatives should try Apex Legends (hero shooter battle royale), Marvel Rivals (hero powers), Valorant (tactical precision), or Overwatch 2 (team-based hero shooter). These capture the ability-driven gunfights and class-based team play that make Destiny's PvP feel distinct from standard shooters.
Apex Legends is hero shooter battle royale.
Marvel Rivals is hero shooter with Marvel characters.
Overwatch 2 is hero shooter. Overwatch coverage.
Valorant is tactical hero shooter.
Counter-Strike 2 is classic tactical shooter.
Fortnite continues as the dominant battle royale.
Call of Duty: Black Ops series continues.
What are the best co-op shooters like Destiny 2?
The best cooperative shooters for Destiny 2 fireteam players are Deep Rock Galactic, Left 4 Dead 2, Hunt: Showdown, The Division 2, and Ghost Recon: Wildlands. These prioritize squad coordination, shared objectives, and teamwork-driven PvE encounters that reward communication the same way Destiny's Nightfalls and dungeons do.
Deep Rock Galactic (mentioned above).
Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 remain playable classic co-op zombie FPS.
Payday 2 and Payday 3 (mentioned above).
Ghost Recon: Wildlands and Breakpoint are tactical co-op shooters.
Tom Clancy's The Division 2 has cooperative endgame.
The Finals from Embark Studios is cooperative shooter with destructible environments.
Back 4 Blood (mentioned above).
Hunt: Showdown has unique asymmetric 6v6 with supernatural bosses.
What games have deep build-crafting like Destiny 2?
For players who love theory-crafting Destiny 2 builds around exotic armor, mod synergies, and subclass fragments, the deepest build-crafting games are Path of Exile (the most complex skill tree in gaming), Monster Hunter Wilds, Elden Ring, Grim Dawn, and Last Epoch. Each rewards hours of optimization and experimentation.
Part of Destiny 2's appeal is crafting specific builds. Games with similarly deep build customization:
Path of Exile (mentioned above) has the deepest skill tree in gaming.
Grim Dawn (mentioned above).
Last Epoch (mentioned above).
Monster Hunter Wilds has deep weapon-based builds.
Elden Ring has massive build variety. Our build guide.
Baldur's Gate 3 has deep character building. Baldur's Gate coverage.
What games have endgame grinds like Destiny 2?
Games with the longest, most rewarding endgame grind loops comparable to Destiny 2's seasonal pinnacle chase include Diablo IV, Path of Exile, Warframe, Borderlands 4, and Monster Hunter Wilds. These titles keep you playing hundreds of hours past the "main story" with repeatable, escalating challenges and rare loot drops.
Diablo IV and the Diablo series generally.
Path of Exile series (mentioned above).
Warframe (mentioned above).
Borderlands 4 (mentioned above).
Monster Hunter Wilds.
Hollow Knight's Pantheon of Hallownest is indie equivalent endgame challenge.
Why does Destiny 2's gameplay loop work so well?
Destiny 2 succeeds because of Bungie's best-in-class gunfeel, the satisfying balance between PvP and PvE, seasonal content that provides regular engagement points, deep worldbuilding that sustains mystery across years, and raids that genuinely reward 6-player coordination. No single competitor replicates the full package, which is why the game retains its community.
Destiny 2 succeeds through craft excellence. Bungie's gunfeel, the weight of trigger pulls, the satisfying impact sounds, the way guns reload, is among the best in gaming. The PvP and PvE balance is genuinely hard to match. The seasonal content cycle provides regular engagement points for dedicated players.
The franchise's worldbuilding (The Darkness, The Traveler, The Nine, Ahamkara) creates enough mystery to sustain curiosity across years of content. The raids genuinely reward the 6-player coordination they demand.
The criticism of Destiny 2 is fair, monetization can feel predatory, content removal (sunsetting) frustrated fans, and the narrative quality has been inconsistent. But the core gameplay loop remains excellent, and the community is dedicated enough to sustain the game regardless.
The broader live service genre produces alternatives constantly. Marvel Rivals' hero shooter approach, Helldivers 2's cooperative missions, and The First Descendant's direct competition all capture portions of Destiny 2's appeal.
| If You Want... | Play This | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Free-to-play looter shooter | Warframe | Decade of content, ethical monetization |
| Looter shooter with humor | Borderlands 4 | Franchise that defined the genre |
| Pure loot grind | Diablo IV | Blizzard's polished ARPG loop |
| Deepest build customization | Path of Exile | Most complex skill tree in gaming |
| Soulslike looter shooter | Remnant II | Procedural dungeons, co-op |
| Cooperative chaos | Helldivers 2 | Live service sci-fi missions |
All capture pieces of what Destiny 2 delivers, and together they cover the looter shooter genre Destiny helped define.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best games like Destiny 2 in 2024?
The best games like Destiny 2 are Warframe (free-to-play with a decade of content), The First Descendant (2024 Korean looter shooter), Borderlands 4, Remnant II (soulslike co-op), The Division 2, Helldivers 2, and Diablo IV for pure loot grinding. Each captures different parts of the Destiny formula.
What free-to-play games are similar to Destiny 2?
Warframe is the top free-to-play alternative to Destiny 2, offering ethical monetization where you can earn premium currency in-game, over a decade of content, and deep customization. The First Descendant and Torchlight: Infinite are also free-to-play options with looter shooter or loot grind mechanics.
What games have raids like Destiny 2?
Final Fantasy XIV's savage raids, World of Warcraft's mythic raids, Monster Hunter Wilds' cooperative hunts, and Risk of Rain 2's endgame challenges all offer coordinated group PvE content comparable to Destiny 2's raids. FFXIV and WoW come closest in terms of mechanical complexity and team coordination.
Is Warframe or Destiny 2 better for loot grinding?
Both excel at different things. Destiny 2 has superior gunfeel and raid content, while Warframe offers free-to-play access, ethical monetization, deeper customization, and over a decade of accumulated content. Warframe is the most common game Destiny fans migrate to when looking for a free alternative.
