Love or hate Diablo Immortal and its pay-to-win design, there is no denying that it has been a giant monetary success for Blizzard and NetEase. So, it stands to reason more big names in the gaming industry will want to see similar success. Bungie looks to be the next in line, having licensed the popular first-person shooter to NetEase to create a mobile version of Destiny. Keep in mind this new project isn’t a port of the first or second game but a new entry in the series known as Destiny: Rising. Announced by NetEase, this mobile interpretation of the looter shooter will be free to play, where the game will be set in an alternate timeline offering single-player, co-op, and competitive multiplayer, and you can pre-register right now.
Destiny is coming to mobile
Courtesy of NetEase Games
Perhaps it is inevitable that the biggest names in gaming will license their brands to studios like NetEase to create free-to-play mobile versions that appeal to mass audiences. You can’t deny this practice rakes in money, just look at Diablo Immortal and its wild success. So you can’t really blame Bungie for licensing Destiny to NetEase, as the studio has proven itself that it can create mobile versions that straddle the line of heavy monetization and fun. At the very least, this provides a little bit of hope that Destiny: Rising will be more than a simple cash grab. Thankfully, NetEase has already shared a trailer that showcases a little bit of gameplay, and so far things are looking pretty good.
While the trailer doesn’t show a ton of gameplay, what is shown looks the part, with slick FPS running and gunning action. Of course, looking the part is only one of the necessities of success, and since we know the game will be free to play, it will be interesting to see how it is monetized. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait long for the first closed alpha (beta?, both terms are used across the site and YouTube) test, which is expected to land on November 1st in the US and Canada.
If you’d like to sign up to be part of the closed alpha, NetEase offers a form on the brand new Destiny: Rising website. Beyond the recent official announcement, website, and trailer, there is also a developer preview fans can watch that covers the ideas behind the game’s design. Mostly, buzzwords are tossed around ad nauseam, but it does provide a closer look at the game compared to the trailer. Watch below.
And there you have it. Destiny: Rising is a fresh entry in Bungie’s franchise coming to mobile, with its first alpha test slated for next month. You can sign up to potentially take part in this alpha, with a FAQ available for any questions you have about said alpha. Destiny: Rising is expected to launch across Android and iOS, but we will first have to make it through the closed testing phase, which will kick off in November. So expect to hear more about the game in the buildup to its release.
