Let’s briefly forget the situation at Bungie and talk about Destiny Rising, an experimental new venture into mobile territory from Bungie, developed by NetEase Games. At its core, Destiny Rising is Bungie’s attempt to attract mobile users into their ecosystem while expanding the ever-growing science fiction space opera of Light and Darkness that fans have come to love.
This piece isn’t just about Destiny Rising, it’s about how the mechanics in Destiny Rising are what Destiny 2 players should’ve experienced years ago, minus the gacha elements, of course.
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Here’s What Destiny Rising Gets Right (That Destiny 2 Didn’t):
Sparrow Racing
One of the biggest missed opportunities in Destiny 2 has been the absence of a fun, dedicated game mode for Sparrows, which are the game’s trusty vehicles. Outside of some frustrating Dungeon and Raid mechanics involving Sparrows, we never got meaningful content centered around them.
Destiny Rising changes that. It features a mode where players race their Sparrows to the top. It’s not groundbreaking in terms of content, but it’s a refreshing break from the looter-shooter grind we’ve been living with for the past decade.
Interesting Weapons
As a looter-shooter, Destiny lives and dies by its weapons. Destiny Rising’s weapon system feels familiar; same Perks, same chase for god rolls, and the familiar Exotic traits, but what sets it apart is its creativity.
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+ 2Take dual-wielding, for example. It’s something fans have wanted since the early days of Destiny, and yet, for over a decade, Bungie never delivered. In Rising, dual-wielding is not only real, it’s glorious. Players can go full guns akimbo, shredding waves of Hive and Vex with style and ease.
Lightbearers > Classes
Destiny Rising’s class system breaks away from the traditional Destiny 2 trio of Hunter, Warlock, and Titan. Instead, players control Lightbearers, not quite full classes, but more like prototypes of the power fantasies we've grown used to.
From what we’ve seen in the trailers, there’s a Void Scythe wielder, a Solar Sword warrior, and one character brandishing a massive Arc shield. It’s ambitious and feels like a fresh take on what the Light can be.
READ: Is Destiny 2 Worth Playing in 2025?
These features: Sparrow Racing, dual wielding, and unique Lightbearers, set Destiny Rising apart. And while I get that these are made by two separate teams (Rising being handled by NetEase), it’s hard not to feel like Bungie missed the mark with Destiny 2’s decade-long live-service journey.
click to enlarge+ 2The silver lining? Destiny 2 doesn’t lean into the same predatory mobile monetization. No unlockable heroes are locked behind paywalls, and the RNG isn’t artificially manipulated. Destiny 2 is still your classic looter-shooter grind, for better or worse.
I’m not a massive fan of mobile games, but as a long-time Destiny fan, I’m genuinely curious about what Destiny Rising will bring to the table. Due to its mobile limitations, it won’t topple Destiny 2's core player base, but it might just start some important conversations about where the franchise is headed.
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