The former game director for Destiny 2, Christopher Barrett, has gone on record to finally explain why Oryx's name is Oryx and what the inspiration for the iconic Destiny logo originally was. As Barrett worked at Bungie during the initial conceptualization stages of the franchise, his influence stretches back far beyond Destiny 2 alone, and he appears to have had input in some of Destiny's most beloved iconography.
This news came about as part of the greater hubbub surrounding Destiny 2's final live-service content update. As the franchise was immensely popular for most of its life, it's no surprise that it left a mark on many players. People who helped make Destiny what it was are now chiming in with more design information, and Barrett is one of them, even though he parted ways with Bungie back in 2024.
There Will Never Be Another Game Like Destiny
Saying farewell to Destiny 2, a one-of-a-kind gaming experience that offered tremendous highs and significant lows.
Christopher Barrett Explains Why Oryx is Oryx, and the Destiny Logo
According to Christopher Barrett, a former game director at Bungie, the Hive God Oryx's name actually harkens back to Margaret Atwood's novel Oryx & Crake. Barrett claims he took the name of the girl as his own EVE Online and World of Warcraft character moniker, which was eventually transplanted into Bungie's iconic MMOFPS franchise as one of Destiny's best Raid boss encounters of all time. It's a surprising reveal, albeit not a mind-blowing one, as it's always been clear that Bungie staff has taken inspiration from an extremely wide range of media and real-life cosmology, religion, and other aspects of life.
In fact, Barrett also explained that he's responsible for the legendary Destiny logo, as he designed it for a publisher pitch back in 2008. There's no single thing it was originally supposed to represent, Barrett claims, but a multitude of things like symmetry, celebration, and "maybe a religious thing. Or maybe a fidget spinner." As Bungie comes to an end of an era once again, it's interesting to learn how some of its most widely recognizable iconography came to be.
Barrett isn't the only former member of the Destiny 2 staff to have chimed in now that the game is winding itself down. According to former Bungie Game Director Luke Smith, the closure of Destiny 2 "stings not because of what it was, but the realization of what it won't be," which is a somber note to leave the community on. Marathon is still here to carry the torch forward, but it's categorically different from Destiny and won't be a 1:1 stand-in for the storied franchise.
What's That Weapon?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
As it now stands, Destiny 3 isn't happening. Instead, Bungie is due to undergo "significant layoffs" as the company reels under Sony's umbrella. Despite the massive petition that the community has rallied around, it's likely that the series will simply be shelved for years to come. It's a strange thing to consider given how massive Destiny 2 in particular was for a few years, and there's no direct replacement for it available on the market, so the community is bound to be lost for some time yet. If nothing else, at least many players have made some friends along the way.
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