Smartphone Destiny Spin-Off Attracts Over 5 Million Pre-Registrations

Update [Fri 4th Jul 2025, 8:15pm]:

It indeed seems that Destiny: Rising will be Sony’s genuine first smartphone triumph. (If we exclude Aniplex’s Fate/Grand Order, as noted in the comments.)

The title has exceeded five million pre-registrations since announcing its launch date this week.

For those unfamiliar, pre-registrations share similarities with pre-orders, but you simply commit for your mobile platform of choice to install the free-to-play game on your device once it becomes available. No money exchanges hands, leading to usually high numbers.

Corporations often provide incentives for hitting pre-registration milestones, with 10 Bon Voyage Charms promised at launch here. We speculate they might play a role in the game’s gacha system, likely used to unlock new characters and weapons.

Original Story: Destiny: Rising – a smartphone-oriented iteration of Bungie’s looter shooter franchise – will debut on 28th August, potentially marking Sony’s first hit in mobile gaming.

The Japanese behemoth has been keen to launch its own array of smartphone games for quite a while, recruiting talent from Apple Arcade and even acquiring developer Neon Koi – yet it has struggled to truly get this initiative underway.

This project has been crafted by experts NetEase, and it appears to be a solid adaptation of the console versions.

Here’s the narrative setup for those of you who follow the franchise’s mythology:

“As a beginning of new opportunities in the Destiny universe, Destiny: Rising explores an invisible era where new hope flourishes once more after a devastating breakdown of civilization and the perils of the ensuing Dark Age. With assistance from legendary Iron Lords, humanity has liberated itself from the chains of oppression and commenced to unite against the alien forces intent on its annihilation. Amidst the turmoil of this nascent period for The City, a fresh generation of Lightbearers, revived by enigmatic beings known as Ghosts, sets forth to restore humanity’s significance and secure its future.”

The game guarantees “top-tier sci-fi shooting at your fingertips,” with both first-person and third-person perspectives available.

You’ll have the choice of various heroes, each endowed with their own “backstory, distinctive personality, and remarkable abilities.” The developer indicates that “selecting the appropriate character and mastering their combat techniques will be pivotal in overcoming the formidable foes that block your path.”

And naturally, as one would expect from Destiny, there will be a plethora of loot to amass:

“Countless potent exotic weapons can be tailored to fit your combat style. Discover diverse weapon and trait combinations, vanquish foes using various gameplay techniques, and become the next weapon master.”

Honestly, we wouldn’t be astonished if this gained tremendous popularity, especially in regions like China and parts of Asia, where mobile gaming dominates.

Clearly, fast-paced shooters can be a tougher sell on touchscreen devices, but the production quality here is exceptional, and NetEase has evidently discovered a way to adapt Bungie’s signature gameplay style for smartphones.

Is this something you’d be inclined to explore? Do you believe this could awaken Sony’s interest in the potential of the mobile market? Share your views in the comments section below.