If we imagine a mix of GTA’s iconic open world and driving, the charismatic characters of Genshin Impact, and the mobility and abilities (why not?) of any of Imsomniac’s Spider-Man games, the result, if it ever became a reality, could perhaps be something extremely ambitious, right? Well, ambitious it definitely is, that’s not up for debate, but it also has other super positive aspects, such as the fact that we’re talking about a completely free MMO here.
Yes, you read that right, we’re talking about Ananta, the upcoming free to play MMO from NetEase Games, the company responsible for the already massive Where Winds Meet. Whether you like the genre or not, you’ve probably heard of that open-world monster based on the mythology of ancient China that already has (officially) more than 100 million players worldwide to date. Well, for their next title, they plan to swap those ancient Eastern landscapes for an ultra-modern, semi-futuristic city with a unique color and bustle that we’ve rarely seen before. Want to take a look? Check it out below:
A Game with an Anime Aesthetic That Could Rival GTA?
The truth is, yes. Even if you haven’t heard of Ananta until now, the video you just watched illustrates the whole concept we described before well enough. Now, if you think saying it could rival GTA is going too far, well… we invite you to watch it again and pay attention to the details. Ananta has everything it needs, and more, to be a worthy rival to the iconic GTA, and even to Imsomniac’s wall-crawler. Okay, don’t hate me, what I mean is that it’s definitely up there, and the milestones achieved by Where Winds Meet could suggest that we probably won’t want to miss this upcoming release.
The game is being developed by Naked Rain, a division made up of veterans from ThunderFire Studio, part of NetEase, a team that has already spent more than 10 years working on free to play games for consoles and PC as well as mobile devices. In this case, they plan to give us an experience that will stand out because of the freedom of action we’ll have in its world, and this could be much more literal than you might imagine…
Welcome to Nova City
Taken directly from its Steam description:
“Welcome to ANANTA, an Urban Open World RPG with no rules. Step into the shoes of a diverse cast of characters and forge connections as you build a team all your own. Join forces against the threats lurking in the shadows, or live it up and take in the nightlife under the neon glow. The choice is yours.”
In Ananta, a completely new world awaits us, one where we’ll be able to live and relax while enjoying the incredible nightlife, or put together a team to face the threats lurking throughout the city, all while forging bonds with countless super charismatic characters, and never missing the chance to attend that party all the influencers will surely be going to… Want to be an influencer too? Of course! Ananta wants you to be exactly what you feel like being: you and only you will be the one who decides who you’ll be in Nova City. Build your reputation, and if you have time, you can save the world while you’re at it 😀
Ananta invites us into a unique city, with a living and dynamic open world, full of activities 24/7. Sometimes, you’ll even have a little trouble remembering exactly which universe you’re in, and I say this as a reference to the franchises that seem to have contributed their DNA to the creation of this beauty. World exploration will be literally unlimited, whether you want to travel on foot, by bicycle, boat, motorcycle, or car, or fly and swing between buildings if you feel like it, your imagination will be the only limit. Name whatever you want to use to get around the city and Ananta will surely have it.
Gacha Mode Off
Despite the aesthetic similarities with several Gacha titles on the market, such as Genshin Impact, NetEase has made it explicitly clear that Ananta will not feature this system, and instead all of its characters, items, and mechanics will be unlockable simply by playing. Yes, it is literally and completely free to play, and of course, there will be microtransactions, but they will be purely and exclusively focused on cosmetics, which reminds me of other f2p MMOs that have managed to become great precisely because of that, like Warframe by Digital Extremes, just to name one.
Personally, I can’t help but think of other giants that are on the way, like the mysterious Varsapura, which we previously talked about here, and which was originally supposed to arrive at some point this year, but since there has been no news, I assume it will arrive after Ananta, which already has an official release date for January 2027.
A GTA with superpowers, colorful parties, and a rich and living world to immerse yourself in. No Gacha, completely free, and arriving very soon. Can you really ask for more?
So…
Okay, let’s recap. Ananta, developed by Naked Rain and NetEase, will be released on January 15, 2027, on PS5, iOS and Android devices, and on PC through Steam, as well as through its own official client. Obviously, you’ll find all the links below, so if I were you, I’d add it to my Wishlist right now. What are you waiting for? And after that, it would be great if you headed down below and told us what you think about this spectacular project! Are you ready to move to Nova City? You know gamer, we’ll be reading you! 😉
Images Source: Ananta Official YouTube Channel, Ananta Official Website, Ananta on Steam
