Destiny 2 Lightfall: Root Of Nightmares Raid - Start Date And Time

With the latest expansion for "Destiny 2," "Lightfall," now available, players have no shortage of new content to explore. Between the futuristic Neptunian city of Neomuna and the new Strand subclass, there's plenty to keep Guardians busy until one of the juiciest parts of any expansion drops — the new Raid. 

Akin to Raids in an MMO like "World of Warcraft," "Destiny 2" Raids stand as one of the title's pinnacle activities, asking a full fireteam of six to solve complex puzzles and defeat mechanic-heavy bosses. Each expansion features one Raid that moves the ongoing narrative a bit further. And since the "Beyond Light" expansion, Bungie has even added a second, reintroduced Raid from the original "Destiny" in a later Season of the expansion.

While some have put their money on seeing Wrath of the Machine in "Destiny 2" before the end of the year, it hasn't been confirmed by Bungie yet. That said, players do already know what Raid they'll be able to dive into a little while after starting their "Lightfall" experience. The Root of Nightmares will be the first new Raid for "Lightfall," and while it's not available at launch, players will be able to dive in soon.

Here's the start time and date when players will be able to assemble their fireteam and head into the Root of Nightmares raid.

Players will have some time to gear up and familiarize themselves with new weapons and loadouts, as the new Root of Nightmares Raid will not open until a little over a week after the launch of "Lightfall." A tweet from the official account for "Destiny 2" noted, "The Root of Nightmares raid opens on March 10, 2023 at 9am PST." The tweet also mentioned that Contest Mode (an extra hard version of the Raid available for a limited time) would follow suit with 2022's Vow of the Disciple Raid and allow players 48 hours to test their mettle, as opposed to the previous standard of 24 hours.

Ferried from an unknown time and place, a haunting presence has been detected. We must now confront the ancient threat growing at our doorstep.

The Root of Nightmares raid opens on March 10, 2023 at 9am PST. Contest Mode will be enabled for 48 hours.https://t.co/856URKsgYp pic.twitter.com/8hJQcrqJxC

— Destiny 2 (@DestinyTheGame) February 27, 2023

While Contest Mode may not be for everyone, players are still trying to unravel exactly what or who awaits within the depths of the Raid. The tweet revealing the release of the new activity offered just a tiny tease at what Guardians can expect when they load into Root of Nightmares. "Ferried from an unknown time and place, a haunting presence has been detected. We must now confront the ancient threat growing at our doorstep."

Though the mention of a 'haunting presence' and the title of the Raid fuel some suspicions that players will be facing off against the mysterious Nezarec and the Nightmare entities featured throughout Season 17 and on the Moon, fans will have to wait until they make landing in the Root of Nightmares before they'll know for sure.