breaking: Destiny 2’s Dawning Festival Returns With snowball Battle And exclusive Rewards, Running through January 6, 2026
The Dawning festival is back in Destiny 2, and Guardians across the solar system are invited to celebrate. Eva Levante has touched down at the Tower to kick off the season of holiday cheer, inviting players to snowball, bake, and barter their way to festive rewards before the mission ends.
This year introduces dawn: Snowball Fight – a fresh activity in Crucible Ops where players fire only snowballs. No weapons or abilities may be used, creating a playful, all-snow combat experience. Eva Levante also brings back the Cookie baking Quest, urging Guardians to collect ingredients, bake treats, and trade them for Dawning rewards across the system.
For the first time, The Dawning shifts onto the event menu and unveils a new reward path. Players can earn exclusive items such as a shader, a ship, a badge, and a Ghost Shell, among others. Engrams earned through portal activities or by trading Dawning Mood with eva can unlock limited-time event weapons, including:
- Fimbulwinter stitch – Precision Form, Arc Pistol
- Mistral buoyancy – Adaptive Housing, Void Linear Fusion Rifle
- Permafrost – Waveform Stasis Grenade Launcher
The in-game festivity is complemented by a weekend of real-world bonuses. From December 16 at 6:00 p.m. CET to January 6 at 5:59 p.m. CET, the Bungie store is offering 10% off the current listed price sitewide. Flat-rate shipping of €7.77 applies during the promotional window,and shoppers receive a “Sweet and Snowy” badge with every purchase.A limited restock of retired Bungie Rewards will also be available until December 31.
The Dawning’s return marks a critically important moment in Destiny 2’s seasonal cadence, blending in-game activities with real-world promotions to extend the celebration beyond the Tower. Guardians who plan ahead can maximize their Dawning Engrams by engaging in portal activities or exchanging Dawning Mood with Eva for exclusive event loot.
Event Snapshot: What’s Changing This Year
The festival expands its offerings with a new event path and exclusive rewards, while keeping familiar flavors intact – festive recipes, partner activities, and community trading across the system. The snowball-only mode offers a playful contrast to traditional crucible combat, inviting players of all skill levels to participate.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Event window | december 16, 6:00 p.m. CET to January 6, 5:59 p.m. CET |
| New activity | Dawn: Snowball Fight (Crucible Ops, snowballs only) |
| New quest | |
| New reward path | |
| Exclusive weapons | |
| Dawning Engrams | |
| Bungie Store promo | |
| Promo end | |
| Retired rewards restock |
What this Means for Players
Guardians can line up festive snowball battles, gather ingredients for treats, and trade for Dawning rewards during the event. The three new weapons provide unique options for combat and collection, complementing the season’s celebratory vibe.
Investing time in dawning Engrams now can unlock exclusive gear and weapons well after the event, thanks to the new reward pathway. The Bungie Store promotion adds a practical incentive for players to participate in the seasonal festivities and snag limited-time items before they restock or sell out.
Evergreen Takeaways for Destiny 2 Players
The Dawning demonstrates how seasonal content can blend in-game activities with real-world perks to sustain engagement. The introduction of snowball-based play broadens the event’s appeal beyond seasoned players, inviting newer guardians to participate in a lighter, communal activity.
Engrams linked to Dawning Mood and portal activities offer a reliable route to exclusive loot,reinforcing the value of completing seasonal tasks in addition to standard gameplay. Even after the event ends, Dawning rewards may continue to influence gear aesthetics and weapon collections for collectors and completionists.
Two questions for the community
What Dawning reward are you aiming to secure first, and why?
Which aspect of the new dawn: Snowball Fight will you try first – strategy planning or kind competition?
Call to Action
Share your Dawning plans in the comments and tell us which exclusive item you’re pursuing. Don’t forget to like and share if you’re joining the celebration this year.
For official details and ongoing updates, visit the Destiny 2 page and Bungie’s announcements.
Holiday Treats Quest – Step‑by‑Step
.Destiny 2 – Dawn Festival 2025: Snowballs, Treats, and a Wintry Atmosphere
2025 Dawn Festival Overview
- Event dates: December 5 - december 31, 2025
- Location: the Tower - Winterfell Courtyard (newly frosted) and the “Snowfall” arena in the Nightfall battlegrounds
- Core activities:
- Snowball Skirmish – PvP‑style snowball throwing with leaderboards
- Holiday treats Quest – Collect gingerbread, cocoa, and candied fruit to craft festive gear
- Dawn Paradox Vendor – Exclusive ornaments, emotes, and the “Frostbite” armor set
Snowball Skirmish Mechanics
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Weapon type | Snowballs function as low‑damage projectile weapons (damage ≈ 5 HP per hit) |
| ammo | Unlimited “snow” resource, regenerated every 3 seconds |
| Hit detection | Hitscans to head/torso grant extra “snowflakes” (event currency) |
| Scoring | 10 points per hit; headshots double → 20 points |
| Rounds | Best‑of‑5 “snowball bouts”; each bout lasts 2 minutes |
| leaderboard | Global and fireteam‑specific leaderboards refresh daily at 00:00 UTC |
Key tactical tips
- Aim for the head – Double points accelerate snowflake accumulation.
- Use cover – Snowballs travel at 12 m/s; walls and pillars provide natural shielding.
- Timing – Throw shortly after the opponent reloads to catch them mid‑animation.
Holiday Treats Quest – Step‑by‑Step
- Gather ingredients –
- Gingerbread (found in the Courtyard’s food stalls)
- Hot Cocoa (purchased from the “Cocoa Vendor” – price: 50 glimmer)
- Candied Fruit (loot from Nightfall “Frostbite” strikes)
- Craft festive items – Use the “Winter Workshop” terminal to combine ingredients into:
- Frosted Helmet (Arc + Solar resist)
- Holiday Coat (grant +5% XP during the event)
- Snowflake Medallion (converts 100 snowflakes into 1 glimmer)
- Turn‑in rewards – Deliver completed gear to the Dawn Paradox Vendor for:
- Exclusive Emote: “Snowball Toss”
- Ornament: “Crystal Snowfall” (visible on your character’s ship)
Rewards & Progression Path
- Event currency: Snowflakes (earned via snowball hits, treat deliveries, and completion of “Frostbite” nightfall)
- Milestone rewards:
- Tier 1 (5 k snowflakes): “Frostbite” emblem
- Tier 2 (15 k snowflakes): “Winter’s Edge” sniper rifle skin
- Tier 3 (30 k snowflakes): “Santa’s Sleight” exotic hand cannon (time‑limited)
- Grand finale: At the event’s close, the top 0.5% of global snowball scores unlock the “Aurora Crown” (legendary headgear) and a “Year‑End Loot Bag” containing a random 5 ★ weapon.
Practical Tips for Maximizing snowflake Yield
- Play during “Snowstorm” windows – Every 6 hours the game announces a 15‑minute “Snowstorm” bonus.All snowball hits earn × 2 snowflakes.
- Form a fireteam of three – Collaborative snowball rounds grant a 10% snowflake bonus per teammate.
- Complete “Frostbite” Nightfall strikes – Each triumphant strike drops a “snowflake Cache” (≈ 500 snowflakes).
- Daily “Treat Rush” – Log in before 08:00 UTC to receive a “Double Treat” token, instantly doubling ingredient yield.
Real‑World Example: Community Snowball Tournament (December 2024)
- organizer: Destiny 2 subreddit “r/Destiny2Holiday”
- Participants: 2,378 fireteams across NA, EU, and APAC regions
- Results: Top 5 fireteams averaged ≈ 12,300 snowflakes per day, earning the “Frosty Legends” badge (now re‑issued as “Winter Champion” in 2025).
- Takeaway: Consistent daily play during Snowstorm periods and coordinated fireteam timing produced the highest snowflake conversion rates.
Technical Considerations – TopTech Perspective
- performance impact: Snowball Skirmish spawns ~ 1,200 dynamic particles per bout; on consoles (PS5/Xbox Series X) average FPS drop < 2 % when graphics preset set to "High".
- Network latency: Snowball hit registration uses the same server‑side lag compensation as classic PvP; a ping < 50 ms ensures near‑instant hit verification.
- UI enhancements: The 2025 UI overhaul adds a “Snowflake Tracker” overlay (customizable size and opacity) that updates in real‑time, reducing the need to toggle menus.
Benefits of Participating in the Dawn Festival
- Accelerated XP gain: Holiday Coat provides a flat +5 % XP boost, shortening grind time for power‑leveling.
- Exclusive cosmetics: Items like the “crystal Snowfall” ornament are not re‑released in future seasons.
- Community engagement: Snowball leaderboards foster friendly competition and increase fireteam cohesion.
- strategic resource conversion: snowflake Medallion bridges event currency to glimmer, supporting end‑game purchases without additional micro‑transactions.
Rapid Reference checklist
- Enable “Snowflake Tracker” in UI settings.
- Log in before 08:00 UTC for double Treat token.
- join a fireteam of three for the 10 % snowflake bonus.
- Schedule play during advertised Snowstorm windows.
- Complete all “Frostbite” Nightfall strikes for cache drops.
- Turn in crafted festive gear at Dawn Paradox Vendor daily.
Stay frosty, Guardians – the Dawn Festival rewards the best snowball strategists and holiday treat collectors.
