Aiming to start the new year with one of their more anticipated titles, NetEase Games and developer Naked Rain have locked in a release date for their free-to-play urban open-world RPG ANANTA, which is set to launch worldwide on 15 January 2027.
At launch, the title will be playable through ANANTA’s official PC client, Steam, PlayStation 5 and mobile platforms. The date reveal came alongside a new story trailer that formally introduces Chongxiao as the game’s second major city.
ANANTA is built around the premise of “Go Viral. Save the World.”, with its systems centred on social influence and the pursuit of attention. Players step into the role of an influencer in a modern city shaped by algorithms and online culture, engaging with the urban environment through the lens of a content creator. Missions, crises, and citywide events all feed back into reputation, with growing social influence unlocking new resources and influencer perks. Interconnected stories, chance encounters, and player-driven moments serve as the connective tissue of the open world.
Progression involves recruiting a cast of agents to rebuild the A.C.D. team. Players can switch between playable characters, each with a separate perspective, storyline, and approach to exploration and combat. Confrontations run on a dynamic martial arts system that folds in interactive surroundings, allowing everyday objects to be repurposed as weapons.
The game’s cities take cues from real-world metropolises including Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Tokyo, each with its own culture, atmosphere, and set of challenges. Naked Rain has broken down the wider gameplay offering into five areas:
- Explore a Living Modern World: cinemas, mahjong parlours, arcades, cat cafés, gyms, restaurants and clothing stores are among the venues open to players.
- Travel Without Limits: cars, motorcycles, helicopters, yachts, subways and hang gliders feature among the available transport options.
- Build Your Own Yeet Squad: NPCs carry individual stories and quests, with relationships and recruitment unlocking exclusive items, badges and combat abilities.
- Experience Multiple Lives: available roles include NCCA officer, hacker, delivery rider and content creator, each offering a different way to interact with the city.
- Fight Your Way: martial arts techniques can be combined with environmental elements to shape a personal combat style.
NetEase Games and Naked Rain aim for the final base game build to offer players a combination of urban exploration, character-driven storytelling and creative freedom, with player choice determining how each journey plays out.
