Former Bungie Director Finally Explains What the Destiny 2 Tricorn Logo Really Means Nearly 20 Years After Creating It

Destiny logo creator and former Bungie director Christopher Barrett has shared new details on what the iconic tricorn logo means.

For years, Destiny fans have had one big question sitting in the background: what does the franchise’s famous tricorn logo actually mean? The symbol has been everywhere since Destiny was first revealed, appearing across the original game, Destiny 2, expansions, trailers, merch, and community art. But despite all that, Bungie never really gave players one clear, official explanation for it.

That question has come up again as more former and current Bungie developers have been speaking publicly about their time at the studio after the studio announced this week that it is ending live service support for Destiny 2 with the launch of the upcoming Monument of Triumph update launching on June 9, 2025.

The game will still be playable after that, but it won’t be receiving any new content updates after that.

One of the devs who has been sharing tidbits online is longtime former Bungie director Christopher Barrett, a veteran developer who worked on Destiny, Destiny 2, and Marathon. Barrett was fired in 2024 after alleged misconduct, and he is currently involved in a lawsuit against Bungie and Sony.

Now, separate from all that, fans finally have an answer from the person who says he created the Destiny logo himself.

Christopher Barrett Shares the Origin of Destiny’s Tricorn Logo

Yesterday, Barrett posted on X that he created the Destiny logo around 2008 for a publisher pitch, long before the franchise became what it is today.

“Created this logo around 2008 for a publisher pitch – not knowing the impact it would have almost 20 years later.” Barrett wrote, alongside an image of the Destiny tricorn logo.

Naturally, fans jumped at the chance to ask the question that has been around for more than a decade. One user asked, “It’s been so long, what does the tricorn mean!?! Please tell us!”

Replying to the user’s question, Barrett explained what the iconic Destiny tricorn actually meant. According to him, the logo was not built around one strict lore meaning. Instead, it was more about the feeling it gave off. He said the shape suggested symmetry, “a person raising their hands in celebration,” maybe even something religious. He also joked that it could be seen as a fidget spinner.

“It evoked symmetry, and a person raising their hands in celebration. Or maybe a religious thing. Or maybe a fidget spinner. I was trying to channel the Alien movie iconography,” Barrett replied.

In a follow-up, Barrett pointed specifically to Ron Cobb from Alien, sharing an image of Cobb’s semiotic sign designs.

Barrett’s name has also been in the news recently because of his ongoing lawsuit against Bungie and Sony. His original lawsuit was dismissed over jurisdiction, and he later refiled it in Delaware Superior Court, seeking a jury trial.

All of this comes at a time when Destiny’s future feels more uncertain than ever. Bungie is ending Destiny 2’s active live-service development, with several reports saying that Destiny 3 is not currently in development, and fans have started a petition asking Sony to make Destiny 3. That petition has already received 100,000 signatures in a day.

What do you think of Barrett’s explanation for the Destiny logo? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!