The visual identity of DiGRA 2026 is inspired by St. Brigid’s Cross (Cros Bríde). It is traditionally associated with protection and is usually hung in homes, and sometimes even kept in places like cars, quietly doing its job of protection, no pressure!

Brigid is an important cultural figure in Ireland. She is understood as both a pre-Christian figure associated with creativity, healing, and protection, and later as Saint Brigid in Christianity. She is also closely associated with Kildare, the county where Maynooth University is located.

The cross itself is woven rather than constructed from rigid parts. Four arms extend from a central point, with each part connected and interdependent. It is a structure, but not a fixed one.

The DiGRA 2026 logo draws inspiration from the St. Brigid Cross; the design uses cross-like shapes, parallel lines, and a central circular element, also giving a feeling of dynamic structure.

The logo later evolved into the isometric 3D design you see everywhere on the website. The design includes green and purple. The green reflects Ireland’s national colour, and purple just went well with it. In the design, you can also see grass, plants, daisies, and shamrocks, which is a nod to Irish nature. I will refer to the logo's isometric 3D design as "the structure" in the next paragraph.

DiGRA 2026 Visual Identity
(Or if DiGRA 2026 was a video game concept)

From here, the visual identity extends into an imagined game concept. (This is not a game, just if DiGRA 2026 was a game, what would it look like!)

In this concept, the main character is the guardian, representing the scholar. In this imaginary game, the guardian protects the structure representing knowledge, holding it tightly as they go through different quests, keeping it safe until they reach the final destination (imagine the final destination as somewhere like Ireland). The game’s core mechanic is protection, just like the St. Brigid cross that is meant to protect. Also, the structure, being a symbol for knowledge, kinda looks like a book, doesn't it?

After the final boss fight, while the guardian finally reaches the destination and takes the structure, the guardian becomes the structure itself, and the video game finishes with another guardian emerging to protect the structure, and the cycle continues.

Somehow, like scholars creating knowledge and publishing it, and another scholar comes along, cherishes it, protects it, and continues their journey.

This is You! The Guardian (The scholar)

St. Brigid’s Cross (Cros Bríde)