Why Did the Voice Actor for Ikora in 'Destiny' Change? Worried Fans Scramble for Answers

To say that gamers have a high expectation of game continuity is somewhat of an understatement. So when something happens with a game or franchise that seems completely out of left field and out of alignment with what they expect, it can be jarring and lead to some pretty serious backlash.

This is exactly what happened when the expansion Destiny 2: Edge of Fate launched in July 2025, and one of the main characters, Ikora, seemed to have suddenly changed voice actors. So what happened, and will Ikora ever get her voice back for the Destiny 2 fans who are worried? Here's what we know.

There's nothing quite as jarring as turning your game on for a new expansion and hearing a new voice come out of a familiar face. After all, there are long stretches of time when you won't even see a character's face, and you'll only hear their voice, due to things going on with the screen. So, to change voice actors, especially without any sort of warning, is a bit of a shock.

However, fans technically did get a warning.

Back in May, game owners Bungie announced via a blog post that "some voice talent has been unavailable for recordings." They added that "certain characters will have different voices," including Ikora. There was a SAG-AFTRA gaming actor strike, which resolved in June (via Games Radar), and it may have been responsible for the unavailability of Ikora's original voice actor, Mara Junot. When Edge of Fate launched in July 2025, Debra Wilson filled in for Ikora.

Luckily, they have plans to remedy it.

On July 15, 2025, the Destiny 2 team announced on X (formerly Twitter), "We are happy to announce that these conflicts have been resolved, and we’re actively re-recording lines for affected characters." They added, "While we do not have a specific date for when these lines will be updated, we are aiming for a future update."

Which comes as a relief to fans worried that Ikora would sound different forever and the new recording would interrupt game continuity.

Destiny may only be two games deep into the franchise, but there's something the Bungie and Activision team-up does well: expansions. While fans may be out of luck waiting for news on Destiny 3 for the time being, they're being happily plied with expansion after expansion.

To date, Destiny 2, which launched in 2017, has 10 expansions and 1 rumored for release in December 2025 (via Blueberries). Not only have the expansions brought new weapons and armor options, but they've added to gameplay options and story.

Destiny's success is somewhat of a roadmap for how to keep a game afloat for years, proving that the winning formula isn't always in churning out new game after new game.

Sometimes the best successes come from honing something good and adding to it over time. Destiny's format lends itself to these expansions, and Activision has found a way to make it work.

So while a Destiny 3 isn't currently in development, fans can rest assured that they'll keep getting content and add-ons that keep the experience fresh and challenging.