Destiny 2: Heavy Metal & Event Home UI

2025 · UI/UX

UI Visual Design for the new Event Home Framework and Heavy Metal's theming.

Our team reimagined how we present all recurring and future Events across Destiny 2, with a focus on consolidating several different UI systems into one place, making it easier for users to navigate and jump straight into the action.

We got to debut this with the Heavy Metal event, which also gave me the opportunity to contribute HUD Reticle designs for the new playable Brig and Combat Sparrow vehicles.

Credits

Visual Design: David Castillo
UX Design: Stephen Cleland (Skybox)
UI Tech Design (Events UI): Clint Walsh (Skybox)
Tech Design (Vehicle Reticles): Chris Proctor
Events Feature Lead: CJ Payne

Event Home UI Framework

Event Home Overview screen — This screen introduced players to new and returning events with a description and instructions of the event, a rewards track at the bottom that tracks player progression, as well as daily and weekly challenges that players work to complete for additional rewards.

Event Home Play Now screen — The Play Now screen is an avenue for players to launch directly into the activities related to the event without needing to back out and into several other screens to engage with the event.

Event Home Shop screen — Players could use the Shop screen to acquire rewards directly from the UI. Previously, players were required to travel to a social space to talk to a vendor in order to exchange currencies for rewards.

Event Home Seal screen — Seals are collections of specific Triumphs that reward players with an in-game Title displayed underneath their character's name that were coveted by players. Players can manage their progression with full functionality directly from this screen without needing to navigate to a completely different area of the UI.

Event Home UI framework and theming — An example of how the new framework themes and expands across all of Destiny 2's seasonal events.

Heavy Metal Event UI Art

The Event Home UI Framework premiered with the launch of the new Heavy Metal event in 2025. The event leaned on the games pre-existing theming for the Crucible (PVP) and

Heavy Metal hero artwork composite — Key Art Composite for the Heavy Metal Event Home UI Background + Quests. Resources on our marketing teams were very constrained at that time and I took the initiative to create the art in order to avoid using a generic placeholder asset throughout the game's UI.

Heavy Metal Crucible node art — Initial Branding created for the Heavy Metal Event, and it's activity node.

Brig combat reticle designs — I had the opportunity to contribute HUD Reticle designs for the new playable Brig and Combat Sparrow vehicles.

Combat Sparrow reticle designs — Both vehicles (Brig above & Sparrow) have a neutral crosshair and an expanded crosshair that auto-highlights targets with red diamonds.

Public Reception

A preview from a popular Destiny streamer Aztecross walking players through the Event Home UI and how to engage with the Heavy Metal event.