Updated story: Since Destiny released, the level cap has increased several times with several expansions. For an explainer, as well as strategies to reach the maximum fast, see our how to reach the Light level cap in Destiny article.

Original story: Destiny developer Bungie has detailed how you'll be able to level up beyond the game's soft level cap of 20.

You can't grow your characters beyond level 20 by conventional means - collecting experience points. Once you reach 20 you'll see XP collected into Motes of Light instead.

It's these Motes of Light which you can then craft into special armour - courtesy of the Speaker character in the game's Tower social hub.

This armour will boost your character stats higher (the highest shown so far is level 29), although the character menu itself will still show 20 as your upper limit.

These weapons have a light statistic - what we don't know is how these light numbers translate into a character level.

"[At 20], you've got all the tools in your toolbox and go out and do pretty much any activity you like," designer Sage Merrill told IGN.

But some high-level content such as raids will only be completable by those who are higher, Bungie writer Luke Smith revealed yesterday. In fact, you may need several attempts at level 25-ranked raids in order to complete them.