Rumors regarding the expansion of the Destiny franchise to mobile platforms have been confirmed. “Destiny: Rising” is a new free-to-play, mobile, sci-fi RPG shooter featuring multiple hero characters, a shared world, and both PvE and PvP modes set within Bungie’s Destiny universe.
The development of “Destiny: Rising” has been undertaken by the China-based NetEase Games, following a $100 million investment announcement in partnership with Bungie in 2018. The game takes place in an alternate timeline of the Destiny universe, exploring the post-Dark Age period, predating the Tower and the rise of Guardians.
NetEase is utilizing the Destiny brand under a licensing agreement with Bungie, granting them creative latitude to establish their unique narrative and vision for “Destiny: Rising.” Stone Shi, senior narrative designer at NetEase, stated that the intent is to depict a period enabling players to explore and define their experiences.
In contrast to Destiny or Destiny 2, players will choose from a selection of Destiny hero characters rather than creating a unique Guardian within the Hunter, Warlock, or Titan classes. Playable characters include familiar ones such as Ikora Rey from Destiny and Destiny 2, along with new additions.
Each character will have distinct abilities and storylines, accessible in single-player, co-op, and competitive multiplayer modes. The game will also feature elements like Ghosts, Lightbearers, Iron Lords, and Warlords, set in the Destiny universe before the existence of the Last City. A trailer showcases various characters with novel abilities, including a void scythe akin to those used by Warlocks in the main Destiny series, along with recognizable adversaries such as the Hive, Fallen, and Vex.
Terry Redfield, creative lead at Bungie, noted in a press release the excitement about introducing mobile gamers to this novel iteration of the Destiny universe crafted by NetEase’s creative team.
“Destiny: Rising” will offer players the option to engage in gameplay from either a first-person or third-person perspective, using touchscreen controls or controllers. The game will include typical campaign missions, six-player co-op strikes, and replayable PvE and PvP modes.
Players can expect access to powerful exotic weapons and a new Mythic weapon rarity class, featuring a new weapon type, to combat darkness enemies in locations such as Jiangshi and the Red Sea Rift. The new narrative involves searching for seeds of hope, which are believed to “shape the future of human civilization” following the Dark Age of Destiny lore.
Questions remain regarding the monetization model for “Destiny: Rising.” While NetEase has yet to disclose specific details, it has mentioned in an FAQ that a significant portion of the main campaign will be accessible during the next month’s alpha test, along with at least one map for all game modes, allowing players to sample the game.
The closed alpha test for “Destiny: Rising” will be available in the US and Canada starting November 1st. Interested players can register for the test version on NetEase’s website.