The latest Weekly Update on Bungie's official blog confirms that the game has "gone gold", the industry term for when a game completes its initial development and manufacturing of retail game discs commences.

Now, we’re very close to launch – the final weeks. This next milestone carries a heavier weight of finality. Destiny is Gold. Discs are being pressed and packed into crates. Destiny is done, in some respects. Even now, so close to the end, it still feels like we’re just getting started.

Have we said that before, too? As the saying goes: This is not even our final form. Though Destiny may be basking in the gold light of release, we’re already looking ahead to the next milestone, and the next one after that

Destiny is due to launch on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 worldwide on September 9th 2014, but one hotly requested feature that apparently won't be making it to launch is loot trading, as the developer confirms toward the end of its weekly update that although players will be able to swap gear around between characters on the same account, there won't be a facility to share your spoils will fellow players:

Only with your enemies. Trade your ammo for their loot. You know the best way to deliver ammo to a Cabal Centurian? You’ll figure it out, and it’s tons of fun.

As for swapping irons in the Tower? Nope. We want you to earn ‘em. You should be able to tell a badass story for every sweet jewel in your arsenal.

An odd omission for such an MMO-inspired social online multiplayer game, but perhaps they need more time to consider and refine the economic machinations of trading or similar.