Destiny Info Blowout: $150 Ghost Edition Revealed, Two Expansion Packs Announced, Beta Details for Xbox

Struggling to recover from the long weekend? Here's some news to liven things up. Activision today announced a host of details for this September's first-person shooter Destiny, the latest project from the creators of the esteemed Halo franchise.

First up are details about the game's beta, which we already knew would kick off on July 17 for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. Now we know you'll be able to start playing at 10 a.m. PDT. We also now know that the Destiny beta will be available for Xbox 360 and Xbox One on July 23, also beginning at 10 a.m. PDT. The beta includes a "diverse sampling of major activities" from the full game and is available to anyone who preorders Destiny.

The Destiny beta will be offline July 21-22, and will come to a close on July 27 at 11:59 p.m. PDT.

"As we prepare to launch our first beta on multiple console platforms around the world, we are excited and eager to open the floodgates," Bungie president Harold Ryan said in a statement. "We already love to play Destiny, and with your help we can be ready for our launch in September."

Activision and Bungie also announced today the Destiny Expansion Pass. It costs $35 and includes access to two expansions that feature new story missions, cooperative activities, and competitive multiplayer arenas. Also included are new weapons and gear to earn. The first expansion is called The Dark Below (set beneath the surface of the Moon), while the second is titled House of Wolves. Details about this expansion will be announced later.

Buying the Destiny Expansion Pass will save you money, as the expansions will be sold for $20 each when released. There was no mention of when that will be.

Destiny players on PlayStation consoles will also receive additional bonus content for The Dark Below and House of Wolves, which will remain exclusive until "at least" fall 2015. Further, Activision and Bungie announced today that all preorders for Destiny will come with the Vanguard Armory pack that includes early access to weapons, gear, and an exclusive player emblem.

Lastly, Activision today announced three collector's edition versions of Destiny. These are listed below, along with details regarding what each contains.

Destiny Limited Edition ($100):

• Limited edition SteelBook Case and Game Disc.
• Destiny Expansion Pass.
• Guardian Folio: Arms & Armament Field Guide, Postcards from the Golden Age, Antique Star Chart.

• Collector's Edition Digital Content Pack: Unique Ghost Casing, Exclusive Player Emblem, Exclusive Player Ship Variant.

Destiny Ghost Edition ($150):

• Everything from the Destiny Limited Edition
• Ghost replica, featuring motion-activated lights and voice recordings from award-winning actor Peter Dinklage, voice of the Ghost character, the player’s personal companion in the game.
• Letter of Introduction.
• Golden Age Relics, which include a Photo, Patch, Sticker, and two Chrome slides of the Traveler.

Destiny Digital Guardian Edition ($90):

• Digital copy of Destiny.
• Destiny Expansion Pass.
• Access to the content from the Collector's Edition Digital Content Pack listed above.

Destiny launches September 9 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, and PS4. In addition to the collector's editions revealed above, Sony will offer a special $450 Destiny PS4 hardware bundle that includes a copy of the game and a "glacier white" system.