Cryptic Destiny 2 audio teaser sends players on a creepy wild goose chase

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That's a pyramid, alright

(Image credit: Bungie)

A creepy new audio file posted on the official Destiny 2 Twitter account has sparked a firestorm of speculation ahead of the launch of Season 11 and the expected reveal of the 2020 fall expansion. 

You can listen to the one-minute clip above. Before you do, take note of the pyramid-shaped waveform shown in the video. The actual waveform produced by the audio looks nothing like this, so the pyramid silhouette here is a pretty clear reference to the Darkness-adjacent Pyramid Ships which have been featured throughout Destiny 2's story, most recently in the alert system in the Rasputin bunkers introduced this season. 

Now, onto the audio itself, which sounds like the PS2 startup sound spliced into Dreaming City ambiance. The audio starts with an ethereal chime that fades into whispers and a gravelly cascade, and this is the baseline for the whole track. However, new sounds slowly creep in - crackling, thrashing, swelling. The sounds of the chime grow louder and more complex as rhythmic rushing sounds echo on, and near the end, we hear a distinctly mechanical sound that almost resembles a voice. 

So what is this audio, exactly? Well, as is often the case with Destiny 2 teasers, there are several theories - many of which tie into the disaster which is said to be coming to Destiny 2 in the months ahead. The audio is similar to some snippets from the Dreaming City, the final area of the Garden of Salvation raid, and even parts of Black Garden missions, but it's not quite a dead ringer for any of them. 

As Destiny sleuths pointed out on Reddit, it also sounds a bit like the eerie radio emissions detected around Saturn, which has played a significant role in the Destiny universe in the past. As PC Gamer pointed out, one of Saturn's moons is Titan, a destination in Destiny 2 which is also rumored to be involved in an upcoming disaster-grade event. NASA has a clip of Saturn's sounds here, and it happens to be the exact same length as today's teaser. If that is just a coincidence, it's a spooky one. 

Another compelling theory is that these sounds were produced by a new threat - presumably the things piloting the aforementioned Pyramid Ships. We may be hearing the first traces of a new alien race - which many believe to be the long-rumored, still-unconfirmed Veil - that may be introduced in the fall expansion.

Whatever this is, we ought to learn more about it soon. Season 11 is just days away, and in its latest blog post - released just one day before this audio file - Bungie said it will have more to share on Destiny 2's next fall expansion soon. 

"If you are familiar with the rituals and cycles that mark a year in the life of a Guardian, you must be curious as to when we'll begin a conversation about what is next," said community manager David 'Deej' Dague. "We can't put a date on that just yet, but we will very soon. That's a promise. We know you're hungry for that news and we're just as eager to deliver it."

Bungie is now independent and platform-neutral, but it's possible Destiny 2 will make an appearance at the PlayStation Future of Gaming event next week. 

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.