Hey there, fellow Guardians! As a long-time player who's seen it all since the early days of the Cosmodrome, I've got to say, the announcement of Destiny: Rising has me genuinely excited. It's 2026, and after a decade of adventures on console and PC, we're finally getting our first official spinoff—and it's landing right in our pockets. Developed by NetEase Games, Rising is currently in pre-alpha, with eager testers getting their first hands-on experience on November 1st this year. Now, I know what some of you might be thinking: a mobile Destiny? But trust me, from what I've seen and read, this isn't just a simple port. It's a whole new chapter set in an alternate universe, a time before the Tower was built, before the Vanguard was formally established. While it's designed for iOS and Android, it promises to capture that core Destiny feel we love, while introducing some fresh twists that might just surprise us veterans.

Let's talk about the familiar ground first. Stepping into Destiny: Rising, I was relieved to find the soul of Destiny intact. It's still a first-person shooter at heart, focused on those epic PvE moments we crave. You'll be tackling campaign missions, exploring destination free-roam areas, and diving into strike missions, all playable solo or with your fireteam. And yes, even in this early timeline, the Crucible calls—PVP matches are very much a thing here. Both PvE and PvP content is built to be replayable, just like we're used to in Destiny 2. The arsenal feels right, too. You'll be hunting down a variety of primary weapons, and despite the game being set shortly after The Collapse, those coveted Exotic weapons are still out there to discover and wield. Creating your Guardian—named Wolf in this universe—is as satisfying as ever, with choices of species, gender, class (though that's changing, more on that later!), armor, and cosmetics. You'll still interact with vendors and face down familiar foes like the Fallen and the Vex. It feels like home, but... different.

Now, here's where Rising starts to carve its own path, and honestly, some of these changes are thrilling. The biggest shift? Class freedom is gone, and in its place is legendary hero choice. Instead of being locked into the Hunter, Titan, or Warlock archetypes, we can play as established legends like Ikora Rey, each with their own unique ability sets. This is a game-changer for build-crafting and personal playstyle. Speaking of perspective, combat isn't restricted to first-person! Rising offers a full third-person mode option, something we've only ever had in the main games while in vehicles or using relics. This alone will make the moment-to-moment gameplay feel distinct and potentially more tactical.

The weapon system has undergone a significant overhaul. Gone are the dedicated Special and Heavy weapon slots. Instead, we have a streamlined system:

• Primary Weapon Slot: Your standard workhorse guns (Auto Rifles, Hand Cannons, etc.).

• Power Weapon Slot: This singular slot replaces both Special and Heavy, housing your big-hitting tools like Grenade Launchers.

But the real new toy is the Relic. Every Guardian is equipped with a unique, modifiable Relic that comes with two Signature abilities and various perks. For example, Kabr can wield the mighty Thunder Shield (reminiscent of the Aegis from the Vault of Glass), while Wolf might have something entirely different. This adds a whole new layer of strategy to your loadout.

And get this—there's a weapon tier above Exotic now: Mythic. One of the first shown is a type of crossbow, which hints at entirely new weapon archetypes coming to the Destiny universe. The potential here is massive!

Core Change	Description	My Take
Perspective	Optional Third-Person View	🎯 Great for situational awareness!
Class System	Play as specific Legends (Ikora, etc.)	🤔 Miss my Titan, but excited for new kits.
Weapon Slots	Primary + Power (replaces Special/Heavy)	🔄 Will take some getting used to.
New Gear Tier	Mythic weapons (e.g., Crossbow)	🔥 Can't wait to hunt these down!

The activity lineup is getting a refresh too. Instead of standard Strikes, we have Haven Ops Strikes—bite-sized, intense missions designed to be completed in just a few minutes, named after the game's new social hub, Haven. For the hardcore among us, there's Gauntlet Ops, which sounds like it will scratch that raid-like challenge itch. But that's not all! The developers have teased several other mysterious modes that have my curiosity piqued:

• Morgran's Prey 👹

• Legacy ⏳

• Realms of the IX ❄️

• Shifting Gates 🔮

What are these? We don't know yet, but signing up for the Closed Alpha is the only way to find out first. The promise of entirely new ways to engage with the world is perhaps the most exciting part of Rising for me.

So, what's the final verdict from this old Guardian? Destiny: Rising looks like it's shaping up to be far more than a companion app. It's a legitimate, full-fledged Destiny experience rebuilt for a new platform and a new era. It respects the past—the gunplay, the loot, the enemies—but isn't afraid to innovate with its hero system, third-person combat, relic focus, and new activity types. As we look ahead to late 2024 and beyond, Rising represents a bold new branch on the Destiny family tree. Will it feel like the Destiny we know? Absolutely. But it will also challenge our expectations and, I hope, introduce a whole new generation of players to the joy of being a Guardian. I, for one, am ready to log in on November 1st and see what this alternate universe has in store. See you starside, in Haven.

The following breakdown is based on data cited from Statista - Video Games, a leading source for global video game industry statistics. Statista's recent reports highlight the explosive growth of mobile gaming, which now accounts for nearly half of worldwide gaming revenue. This trend underscores why major franchises like Destiny are expanding onto mobile platforms, aiming to capture new audiences and adapt to evolving player habits.