The long running Destiny franchise is getting a mobile entry thanks to a partnership between Bungie and NetEase. Destiny: Rising will be a free-to-play shooter that is part of the official Destiny universe and will include both PvE and PvP modes. It will be coming to both Android devices and iPhones. This could be nice shot in the arm for Bungie, as the studio has faced various struggles, including layoffs, after being acquired by Sony.
NetEase will be handling both the development and publishing duties for Destiny: Rising. The company says that it will be “a brand-new adventure set in an alternate Destiny timeline, exploring a narrative in the post-Dark Age era. Featuring a diverse roster of characters, each with unique abilities and stories.” There will be several modes brought over from prior Destiny games, while introducing new modes made for this mobile version.
Destiny: Rising will be trying to deliver the full first-person shooter experience players have asked for with Destiny, instead of trying to create a custom mobile version. However, there will also be a third-person mode available for players if the first-person experience isn’t preferred. The game is being designed to take advantage of a gamepad alongside touch controls, as well.
The biggest difference with this upcoming entry into the Destiny franchise is that players will be choosing from a roster of heroes rather than using their own characters. Each of these heroes will have their own unique skills, combat styles, and different storylines for players to explore.
Bungie’s decision to license Destiny to NetEase is likely a smart move. The company has a lot of experience in developing mobile games and will open the doors to the Chinese mobile gaming market, potentially bringing in a large amount of revenue that Bungie could use to right the ship.