At the end of last month, Destiny: Rising made its global debut, immediately claiming the No.1 spot on the U.S. iOS download chart and peaking at No.22 on the top-grossing list.
Seven years have passed since NetEase invested $100 million in Bungie in 2018 and announced a new joint project.
In that time, the mobile shooter landscape has been largely dominated by incumbents. Why, then, has Destiny: Rising managed to shake up the market—and what does this breakthrough mean for NetEase?
01.Why Destiny: Rising Stood Out
Part of the success lies in the strength of the Destiny IP. The original Destiny launched in 2014 with first-day sales reaching $500 million, while Destiny 2 became the best-selling U.S. title of 2017 within its first month.
Together, the two games built a loyal player base of over 200 million registered users worldwide, giving Destiny: Rising a strong foundation. Ahead of launch, pre-registrations surpassed 10 million.
Another critical factor is the absence of looter-shooters on mobile. Unlike team-based PvP formats such as battle royale or tactical shooters, the looter-shooter emphasizes co-op PvE, gear grinding, and progression loops.
While successful on PC and console (Destiny, Borderlands, The Division, Helldivers), the mobile market has lacked a flagship product—creating a rare opening that Destiny: Rising quickly occupied.
Quality also proved decisive. Some players jokingly refer to it as "Destiny 3," but the consistently positive feedback from beta through launch suggests that the game has delivered on expectations.
By preserving core franchise elements while introducing a new storyline, it appeals both to long-time fans and newcomers.
To fit mobile consumption patterns, NetEase streamlined key mechanics—for example, Strikes now last about five minutes, while Raids can be cleared in stages.
At the same time, the game added new modes such as The Realm of Nine (a roguelike tower climb), collectible card battles, and a shared housing system, ensuring broader appeal and long-term content depth.
02.Marketing and Launch Strategy
According to AppGrowing, NetEase began limited user acquisition about a month before launch, with daily creatives averaging just 200 placements. Spending ramped up in mid-August, peaking around launch with nearly 2,800 daily ads.
Overall, however, paid acquisition remained restrained, reflecting both the IP's strong brand pull and the publisher's reliance on brand marketing rather than pure performance buys.
Influencer engagement was another pillar. Well-known Destiny streamers such as Aztecross and Datto joined early testing, lending credibility and shaping community buzz. At launch, NetEase invited a large cohort of Twitch streamers for live challenges, highlighting the centrality of KOL marketing in its strategy.
The game also secured visibility at major gaming expos. At this year's ChinaJoy, Xbox chief Phil Spencer publicly demoed the title—a move that drew extra attention given Bungie's acquisition by Sony.
03.NetEase's Broader Shooter Ambitions
For NetEase, Destiny: Rising represents more than another successful release. The shooter genre, particularly high-DAU shooters, has long been a fortress category, with Tencent dominating China's top-grossing charts through titles such as 和平精英, 三角洲行动…
NetEase has tried for years to carve out space—launching Cyber Hunter, Disorder, Project Alpha City, and later pivoting into the "extraction shooter" trend with Badlanders and Lost Light. While innovative, most failed to achieve breakthrough success.
Overseas, however, NetEase has made progress. On PC/console, Marvel Rivals amassed over 40 million global users in its first quarter, generating nearly $3 billion in revenue. On mobile, Knives Out remains a top-grossing title in Japan, though NetEase lacked a hit capable of cracking the U.S. and European markets—until now.
By filling that gap, Destiny: Rising strengthens NetEase's global shooter portfolio and signals its transition from regional contender to global player. Still, sustaining momentum will require long-term live operations.
Looking ahead, the Chinese version of Destiny: Rising is slated for release in October, with nearly 8 million pre-registrations. Whether it can replicate its overseas success and reshape NetEase's position in the domestic shooter market remains an open question.
