When I first played Delta Force two years ago at Gamescom, its Battlefield-like scale and focus on pure mayhem hooked me immediately. The excellent mobile version strengthened those impressions. But with so many experiences under its banner, I wonder whether Team Jade sees that variety as a strength or a challenge for keeping players satisfied across its many game modes. I caught up with Delta Force game director Shadow to discuss whether the game welcomes competition from CODM or Rainbow Six Mobile.
Since I last sat down with Team Jade, the shooter landscape around Delta Force has changed significantly. Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile is gone, but new experiences like the previously mentioned Rainbow Six Mobile and The Division Resurgence are stepping in to fill the gap. Although Ubisoft’s offering isn’t an FPS game, it’s still worth mentioning as one of the strongest examples of a console-quality free mobile game. That same approach is exactly what makes Delta Force so compelling.
So, how is Team Jade keeping players engaged? Shadow explains that “there are already many strong games in the mobile shooter market, but most of them build their strengths around one core gameplay experience.” That philosophy has defined shooters for years. When you think of Call of Duty, you think of fast-paced multiplayer matches. Delta Force, meanwhile, feels like it’s learning from the experimentation happening across the genre.
You’ve got Hazard Operations, its extraction mode built for players chasing high-risk gameplay. Raids scratch the itch for Destiny fans looking to take down AI enemies while hunting valuable loot. Meanwhile, Warfare focuses entirely on large-scale skirmishes built around controlling and defending territory. These ideas aren’t entirely new, but Shadow remains confident that Delta Force executes them at the highest level.
He tells me Team Jade’s shooter is “different because it does not rely on only one pillar […] A player might come in today for the large-scale battlefield experience, and then come back tomorrow because of the risk decisions, asset management, and the excitement of finding a high-value red-tier item in Operations.” Delta Force updates arrive at a relentless pace, something Team Jade clearly takes pride in.
Shadow says those updates are driven directly by player expectations. “They are not only looking for one quick, satisfying match. They also care about visuals, performance, controls, content depth, social coordination, and long-term progression. Retaining players is not something that can be achieved through one update alone. It comes from every season of content, every optimization, and every response to important player concerns.”
For me, the parity between content is what truly makes Delta Force shine. There’s a clear synergy between its console and mobile updates, bringing players together instead of splitting them apart with different offerings. On that topic, Shadow says, “This is important because we want players, no matter which platform they come from, to feel that they are participating in the same Delta Force.”
Whether it’s progression or the fundamentals of gameplay, Shadow believes “mobile players should not feel that they are receiving a version that is ‘one step behind'” its console counterparts. That doesn’t mean simply copying the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X and Series S versions outright, though.
“Our goal is not to make every platform look exactly the same. It is to make sure each platform preserves Delta Force’s core decision-making, combat pressure, and seasonal weight, while still feeling reasonable and natural to play on that specific device.”
By the end of our conversation, I wanted to know what Team Jade asks itself with every update. What’s the long-term goal for Delta Force? The answer, according to Shadow, is simple: “We want Delta Force to become a long-lasting benchmark for tactical shooters on mobile.”
With nine major seasonal updates already planned, alongside crossovers with Metal Gear Solid and Tomb Raider, Team Jade is clearly committed to making that ambition a reality. “We cannot predict every detail of what the game will look like five years from now, but the direction is clear. Trust is not earned all at once. It is built season by season, through consistent updates and continuous improvement.”
Are you still playing Delta Force? Tell us what you think and what you’d like to ask Team Jade over at the Pocket Tactics Discord server.
