The Destiny universe is expansive, its lore almost mythical, often defying players' attempts to piece together its mysteries. Yet, even as players traverse the universe, battling forces beyond human comprehension, the real world occasionally goes on a collision course with the virtual in the most unexpected ways.
As part of the ongoing Season of the Deep, Destiny 2 unveiled a new cutscene that might as well have dropped a narrative bombshell. In a brief three-and-a-half-minute video, the curtain was drawn back on the origins of the Witness, a key figure, and the Veil, an enigmatic force woven into the fabric of Destiny's universe. However, the controversy wasn't so much in the reveal itself, but rather in how it was presented.
The plot twist unfurled through a specific image, whose uncanny resemblance to a piece of fan art created two years ago by Julian Faylona, professionally known as ELEMENTJ21, caused a storm on Twitter. Faylona pointed out the similarities as it soon sparked an outcry within the Destiny community.
For many, it felt like a slap in the face, especially considering Bungie's prior entanglements in accusations of plagiarism.
However, as per PC Gamer, when Faylona was contacted, the artist displayed a surprising level of excitement about the situation. Instead of voicing resentment, the artist was exhilarated that their work had found its way into the fabric of the game, even if by inadvertent means.