Here’s how Destiny: Rising can succeed where COD: Warzone Mobile failed

Earlier this month, Destiny: Rising was announced to be a mobile title for Android and Apple iPhone handsets, developed by NetEase Games as a spinoff of Bungie’s mainline Destiny franchise. Another free-to-play shooter set on Earth, a closed beta test was announced for May 29, which players can sign up for here.

For those unaware, Destiny debuted in 2014 as Bungie’s next major game after it handed over the Halo series to Microsoft and 343 Industries. Launching on PlayStation 4, Xbox, and PC, players take on the role of a Guardian, destined to protect Earth’s last city by wielding The Light, a power given by The Traveler, an alien being. Across many planets, players must take on different enemies across a wide variety of missions to protect Earth, while managing the Guardian powers. A sequel, Destiny 2, launched in 2017, building on its predecessor but refining many of the gameplay quirks that were hampering the experience for some.

The series has been a huge success for Bungie, with countless DLC packs that refresh Destiny 2 constantly. These offer new raids, characters, and more. With Destiny: Rising, NetEase wants to repeat the success of Marvel Rivals by positioning this game as a spinoff, while keeping the elements that made Destiny successful. With Activision discontinuing Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile on May 18, here’s why NetEase could avoid the same fate in time.

Destiny: Rising is a mobile game spin-off of Bungie’s mainline Destiny series, which first debuted in 2012 after handing off the Halo franchise to Microsoft. Developed by NetEase, who also manage the popular Marvel Rivals game, this spinoff is set in an alternate timeline of previous Destiny games, making it easier for existing players to follow the plot of this mobile version.

Although there have been no in-game screenshots as yet, NetEase describes the game on its site with the following: “… familiar Destiny faces meet intriguing new characters, each with a rich story, unique personality, and formidable skills. Experience top-tier sci-fi shooting action in FPP or TPP as you embark on a new adventure in an alternate Destiny timeline. Play as these unique characters to defend Earth and reclaim humanity’s future!” From this statement, Destiny: Rising characters will be brand new and completely separate from what players have been encountering in the console and PC versions.

A closed beta test opened for compatible iPhone and Android users on May 29.

Fans of Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile were surprised to hear from developer Activision that the game has been discontinued on mobile devices. This lets players access their account on iPhones and Android handsets, similar to how others use Fortnite and PUBG on the same devices. Its failure has been attributed to ‘not meeting expectations’, according to Activision, even though it was generating substantial revenue. However, fans have mentioned how they’ve experienced many crashes when playing Warzone: Mobile, as well as having no choice but to play the game at low graphical settings, even though they own high-end devices like the Samsung S25 Ultra. Ultimately, Activision decided to cut its losses early, instead focusing on Warzone via consoles and PC.

But this loss could be a gain for the Destiny: Rising mobile game. What made Destiny successful since its 2014 debut was its narrative-driven missions, and its gameplay revolving around Guardians and the special abilities afforded to them. There’s also been a focus on exploration across Earth’s last safe city, also thanks in part to the countless expansions that Bungie has released since Destiny 2’s release in 2017 to keep the game fresh for new and existing players. It’s also important to mention VALORANT Mobile, developed by Riot Games, is about to start its own beta test in China in June. Instead of a spinoff, this is essentially a mobile version of the main game available on consoles and PC, so it will be interesting to see if players prefer a spinoff or a miniaturised version of the main game.

Despite taking place in an alternate timeline, Destiny: Rising could draw inspiration from Destiny 2’s success and implement much of the player vs player vs environment (PVPVE) raids, narrative-driven missions, and exploration that looks and feels as fun on mobile devices as it has on consoles and PC for years.

For Destiny: Rising, success would be measured by consistent engagement, much like other free-to-play first-person shooters. The franchise has gained a reputation as a casual experience between friends when taking on raids and more, which could be valuable for this mobile port if NetEase does the series right.

There’s already a thriving, passionate community thanks to the success of Destiny 2 — NetEase simply needs to carry that on for mobile devices, especially for the narrative that will drive this alternative timeline for Destiny: Rising. If done correctly, existing players may be curious to try out this game to look at ‘What If’ scenarios, perhaps looking at alternative outcomes of previous missions. This could attract even more from the community and drive even more engagement.

Having this recognition would not only help the Destiny brand, but mobile esports gaming as a whole, especially with Fortnite returning to the U.S. iOS App Store recently. It could also set a precedent for how a game can be transferred from a mainline console/PC entry to a mobile device, encouraging other developers to look into doing something similar for their franchises for mobile devices. With the discontinuation of Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile, there’s an opportunity for NetEase to seize.

Destiny has already proved how well a free-to-play first-person-shooter can work with missions that carry on the story, as well as refreshing the gameplay to keep new and existing players engaged. If NetEase can achieve something similar with Destiny: Rising after its closed beta test winds down, it could already exceed expectations, something that Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile lacked, leading to its demise.

When it comes to esports, Destiny has never been one for the events, but for mobile esports, perhaps Destiny: Rising may have a chance of appearing at certain tournaments to showcase how well certain teams perform during major, game-critical missions. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting time for mobile gaming, and like Marvel Rivals, NetEase could be the right developer to take Destiny: Rising to places Activision merely envisioned with Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile.