Borderlands 4 is the closest match for Destiny 2-style co-op loot chasing and build crafting supported by the available official information. It combines first-person shooting, branching skill trees, a deep gear hunt, local split-screen, and online groups of up to four. Dynamic level scaling and individual difficulty settings are designed to let players with different progression levels play together.
If you want a free-to-play alternative, The First Descendant shifts the formula to third-person shooting and four-player boss encounters. If you are willing to leave shooters behind, Diablo IV offers a class-based action RPG built around skills, talents, items, and legendary powers, with campaign co-op and a shared open world.
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Quick comparison
These games overlap with Destiny 2 in different ways. Borderlands 4 is the direct looter-shooter recommendation. The First Descendant emphasizes third-person gunplay, character abilities, and co-op boss fights. Diablo IV keeps the party-based loot and build experimentation but uses isometric action-RPG combat instead of shooting.
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| Game | Combat format | Co-op documented in the cited material | Build-crafting focus | Entry model | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borderlands 4 | First-person shooter | Local split-screen; online co-op for up to four | Branching skill trees, character abilities, gear and loot chasing | Paid game; verify current edition and price | Online play requires an internet connection and SHiFT account; console online play requires a separate paid subscription |
| The First Descendant | Third-person looter shooter | Four-player co-op boss fights are advertised on its Steam listing | Unique characters, gunplay and looting; the cited listing does not establish the full current build system | Free-to-play | The Steam page carried an October 8, 2026 notice about a planned November Guide Quest update; onboarding details can change |
| Diablo IV | Isometric action RPG | Co-op campaign, shared open world and parties of up to four for instanced dungeons in Blizzard’s 2019 overview | Skills, talents, items and legendary powers | Paid game; verify current edition and price | The cited overview is from 2019 and is a historical baseline, not a complete statement of current systems |
1. Borderlands 4: the closest Destiny 2-style fit
Choose Borderlands 4 first if your priority is the combination of shooting, randomized or highly varied loot, and a build that changes as you unlock abilities and replace equipment. Gearbox’s official feature material describes branching skill trees, a deep loot chase, local split-screen, and online co-op for up to four players. Those are the central ingredients that make it the strongest researched answer to “games like Destiny 2” for a group that wants to keep earning gear and refining characters.
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Why its build crafting stands out
Branching skill trees give each character more than a single linear upgrade path. A branch can establish a preferred role or play pattern, while equipment and other loot provide a second layer of decisions. The result is a system in which progression is not only about increasing a number: you are also choosing which abilities to unlock and which gear combinations support them.
The available material does not establish a fixed number of trees, skill nodes, gear slots, or legendary effects, so those details should not be assumed from earlier games in the series. What is established is the intended structure: deep trees plus a continuing loot chase. That makes Borderlands 4 a better fit than a conventional co-op shooter whose upgrades are mostly cosmetic or predetermined.
Co-op for mixed-level groups
Borderlands 4 is particularly suitable when friends do not play at the same pace. Gearbox says dynamic level scaling allows everyone to contribute even when Vault Hunters have different levels or gear loadouts. Individual difficulty settings add another layer of control, allowing players to seek different levels of challenge without forcing the entire group into one preference.
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This does not mean every progression system is automatically shared or that every activity has identical scaling. It means the documented design goal is to reduce the usual barrier created by level gaps. A new player can join a more advanced friend without being limited to watching from the sidelines, while the veteran still has reasons to keep improving a developed character.
Local and online play
For the same-room option, the official feature description includes two-player local split-screen. Online groups can include up to four players. Online play requires an internet connection and a SHiFT account, and crossplay also requires SHiFT. On consoles, online multiplayer requires the platform’s separate paid online subscription.
Check those requirements before buying for a group. A party that plans to use crossplay should create or confirm SHiFT accounts in advance. Console players should also budget for any platform subscription that their console manufacturer requires; that cost is separate from the game.
Launch-platform information and why it is dated
A 2K roadmap dated August 29, 2025 described launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC on September 12, 2025, followed by Nintendo Switch 2 on October 3, 2025. Those dates describe the roadmap at that time, not a guarantee that editions, availability, or post-launch plans remain unchanged. Verify the current store listing, platform SKU, edition contents and online requirements before purchase.
2. The First Descendant: a free-to-play third-person alternative
The First Descendant is the clearest choice when your group wants to avoid an upfront game purchase and prefers third-person shooting. Its Steam listing presents strategic boss fights in four-player co-op, distinctive characters, gunplay and looting. That gives it the basic loop many Destiny 2 players seek: assemble a squad, fight a demanding target, and return with equipment or progression that supports another build.
How it differs from Borderlands 4
The camera and structure are the immediate differences. Borderlands 4 is a first-person shooter with local split-screen documented in its official feature material. The First Descendant is third-person and its cited store description foregrounds coordinated boss encounters. If your group values seeing character animations and abilities from an over-the-shoulder view, the latter may feel more natural. If you specifically want couch co-op, the available listing does not establish local split-screen, so do not assume it is included.
The listing confirms unique characters, gunplay and looting, but the supplied information does not document the complete current skill-tree, mod, weapon or endgame structure. Treat those systems as version-sensitive and inspect the current in-game or store documentation before committing to a particular build plan.
Four-player boss cooperation
Boss fights are the strongest documented co-op identity. A four-player encounter gives each teammate a reason to coordinate positioning, target selection and survival rather than simply running through a campaign at different speeds. That can appeal to players who regard repeatable group challenges as the main reason to keep playing after the opening missions.
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Free-to-play considerations
“Free-to-play” removes the initial purchase price; it does not by itself describe the cost of every character, cosmetic item, convenience feature or future expansion. The supplied material does not establish current prices or monetization limits. Before a group starts, agree on whether everyone is comfortable with the game’s purchase model and whether optional spending could affect how you want to progress together.
Onboarding may change
The Steam listing included an October 8, 2026 notice about a planned November update to Guide Quests. That dated notice is a warning that early missions and onboarding can change. If a new player follows an older guide and sees different quest names or steps, use the current in-game objectives and the latest store or developer notice rather than treating the old route as authoritative.
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3. Diablo IV: the action-RPG route to co-op loot
Diablo IV is not a shooter replacement. It is the adjacent option for a group that cares more about class builds, gear decisions and cooperative progression than about first- or third-person gunplay. Blizzard’s 2019 feature overview describes co-op campaign play, a shared open world, parties of up to four for instanced dungeons, and customization through skills, talents, items and legendary powers.
Build crafting without firearms
In Diablo IV, your build is shaped through class skills and talents, then modified by equipment and legendary powers. That gives players several levers to adjust: which abilities are active, how passive choices support them, and which item effects change the behavior or effectiveness of the setup. The loop is familiar to Destiny 2 players who enjoy making a theme work across weapons, armor and abilities, even though the moment-to-moment combat is different.
The trade-off is tactile. You aim and fire in the shooter alternatives; Diablo IV uses an isometric viewpoint and action-RPG controls. A player who wants weapon recoil, first-person sightlines or third-person movement should choose Borderlands 4 or The First Descendant instead. A player who wants to compare class combinations and optimize gear effects may prefer Diablo IV.
Campaign and dungeon grouping
The cited overview supports cooperative campaign play in a shared open world. It also describes parties of up to four for instanced dungeons. That combination suits groups that want to move through story content together and then enter more focused repeatable challenges.
Because the overview dates to 2019, it should be read as a baseline description rather than a current feature checklist. Verify the present party rules, progression requirements, class systems and endgame activities against newer official information before buying or planning a long-term group.
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Choose by combat first
- Want a first-person looter shooter? Start with Borderlands 4.
- Want third-person combat and a free-to-play entry point? Consider The First Descendant.
- Want class-based action-RPG combat? Diablo IV is the genre-adjacent choice.
Combat is the decision that cannot be patched over by a better build. A player who dislikes an isometric camera will not be rescued by Diablo IV’s item system, just as a player who wants deliberate class specialization may find a shooter too focused on gun handling.
Match the co-op format to your group
| Group situation | Best-supported fit | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Two people on one television | Borderlands 4 | Two-player local split-screen is documented |
| Four friends online who may be at different levels | Borderlands 4 | Online groups of up to four, dynamic level scaling and individual difficulty settings are documented |
| Four players organizing around boss encounters | The First Descendant | Its Steam listing specifically highlights four-player co-op strategic boss fights |
| Campaign and dungeon party in an action RPG | Diablo IV | Blizzard’s overview describes co-op campaign play and parties of up to four for instanced dungeons |
Compare build depth honestly
Borderlands 4 has the clearest documented combination of branching skill trees and a deep loot chase. Diablo IV has the clearest documented list of build components: skills, talents, items and legendary powers. The First Descendant is confirmed to have unique characters, gunplay and looting, but the available description does not establish enough detail to rank its current build-crafting depth against the other two.
Think about the loot loop
Ask what your group wants to repeat. Borderlands 4 is framed around an ongoing gear hunt. The First Descendant emphasizes boss encounters and looting. Diablo IV combines campaign progression, open-world play and instanced dungeons with item and legendary-power customization. These are different rhythms, even though all three involve improving a character through rewards.
Check cost and platform before inviting friends
- Borderlands 4 and Diablo IV are paid games; confirm the current price, edition and platform listing.
- The First Descendant is free-to-play, but current optional purchases and account requirements should be reviewed by the whole group.
- For Borderlands 4, confirm SHiFT accounts, internet access, crossplay setup and any required console online subscription.
- For all three, verify the exact platform and edition currently sold. The Borderlands 4 dates cited above come from a 2025 roadmap, and Diablo IV’s co-op overview is from 2019.
Practical setup checklist for a new co-op group
- List each player’s platform. Separate local play from online play, and identify whether anyone is relying on crossplay.
- Choose the combat format. Decide whether the group wants first-person shooting, third-person shooting or an action RPG before comparing builds.
- Confirm accounts and subscriptions. For Borderlands 4, create or verify SHiFT accounts; console players should check the required paid online service.
- Set a progression expectation. Decide whether everyone will follow the same campaign or whether higher-level players will help newer ones. Borderlands 4’s documented scaling is designed for level differences, but the group should still agree on a shared activity plan.
- Pick a build goal. In Borderlands 4, begin with a skill-tree direction and adapt gear around it. In Diablo IV, define the class skills, talents, items and legendary powers you want to test. In The First Descendant, start with a character and weapon approach while checking current in-game descriptions.
- Recheck current information. Store pages and official announcements can change requirements, onboarding and availability. This is especially important for The First Descendant’s dated Guide Quest notice and Diablo IV’s older feature overview.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Assuming every game supports couch co-op
Only Borderlands 4 has local split-screen explicitly documented in the supplied material. The First Descendant’s four-player statement refers to co-op boss fights, not local play. Diablo IV’s overview describes online-style campaign and dungeon grouping but does not establish couch co-op in the cited passage.
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Treating “free-to-play” as “no possible cost”
The First Descendant’s free-to-play label answers the entry-price question, not every monetization question. Review the current store page and discuss optional purchases before the group commits.
Using old feature summaries as current manuals
Diablo IV’s cited overview is from 2019. It can support the broad description of co-op and build components, but current class, dungeon, progression and account rules require newer confirmation. Similarly, the Borderlands 4 roadmap is dated August 29, 2025, so its launch-platform schedule should not be treated as a live release calendar.
Ignoring account friction in crossplay
Borderlands 4 crossplay requires SHiFT, and online play requires an internet connection and SHiFT account. Set up those accounts before the first session so the group does not spend its opening night troubleshooting invitations.
Bottom line by player type
- Closest overall Destiny 2 alternative: Borderlands 4, because the documented package combines shooter combat, deep loot chasing, branching skill trees, four-player online co-op and level-gap accommodations.
- Best free-to-play direction: The First Descendant, if third-person shooting and four-player boss fights appeal to your group.
- Best non-shooter alternative: Diablo IV, if skills, talents, items and legendary powers matter more than firearm combat.
No single option reproduces every part of Destiny 2. Choose the game whose combat perspective and co-op format match your group first, then use its build and loot systems as the reason to keep playing.
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