Destiny: Rising officially announced as a free-to-play game for Android and iOS

The Destiny universe is expanding again, but this time it is not a sequel, nor is it being created by Bungie. Destiny: Rising, a free-to-play sci-fi shooter, will be available on Android and iOS, according to an announcement made today.

NetEase Games, a Chinese gaming powerhouse, is working on the project, which will include hero shooter elements as well as competitive and cooperative gameplay. Watch the announcement trailer below, which includes some gameplay clips and a developer deep dive below.

Destiny: Rising, which has been officially licensed by Destiny franchise developer Bungie, is set in an alternate timeline "exploring a narrative in the post-Dark Age era." The mobile game, like the originals on current platforms, will include story missions, six-player strikes, and PVE and PVP modes with a focus on replayability. The roster of characters available to players will also feature unique skills for use in battle, with a variety of combat styles to master.

Here's how the developer explains the setting.

As a genesis of new possibilities in the Destiny Universe, Destiny: Rising delves into an unseen era where burgeoning hope blooms once again after a terrifying collapse of civilization and the dangers of the resulting Dark Age. With the help of legendary Iron Lords, humanity has broken free the shackles of tyranny and began to rally together against the alien forces intent on its extinction. Amidst the chaos of this early age for The City, a new generation of Lightbearers, resurrected by mysterious entities known as Ghosts, set out to restore humanity’s prominence and secure its future.

“With Destiny: Rising, NetEase Games is honored to partner with Bungie to deliver a Destiny-caliber experience to mobile devices,” said Ethan Wang, Senior Vice President, NetEase, Inc. “Destiny is an incredible franchise with a passionate and dedicated global fanbase. As huge fans ourselves, we are humbled and thrilled for the opportunity to bring gamers an action-packed RPG shooter set within the Destiny Universe.”

“For over a decade, we have built this universe to contain many unique and wonderful stories, and we are excited to see mobile gamers be able to experience this new take on the Destiny universe from the creative team at NetEase,” adds Terry Redfield, Creative Lead at Bungie.

Pre-registrations for Destiny: Rising are now open in the United States and Canada, with playtests scheduled to begin on November 1.