Tag Archives: NetEase Games

Game News

Ananta Sets January 15, 2027 Release — No Character Gacha

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The wait is finally over for one of the most-watched free-to-play games on Singapore fans’ radars. NetEase Games and developer Naked Rain took the stage at Gamescom Opening Night Live on 25 August to drop the launch date for their open-world urban RPG Ananta: January 15, 2027, worldwide. The studio also confirmed that the game’s full roster of playable characters can be unlocked through story progression — no gacha pulls required.

Ananta World Premiere Trailer | gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 — via The Game Awards on YouTube

From Project Mugen to Ananta — What Singapore Fans Watched Grow

The game first turned heads at Gamescom 2023 under the working title Project Mugen, earning comparisons to Grand Theft Auto for its dense open-world city design layered over anime-style characters and supernatural combat. It was renamed Ananta — meaning “infinity” or “without end” in Sanskrit — in November 2024. As we covered ahead of this year’s ONL, the game had been quiet for nearly a year before this week’s reveal, making the release date confirmation all the more welcome.

Ananta key art featuring three main characters against a city skyline
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

January 15, 2027 — Platforms and Availability

Ananta launches simultaneously worldwide on:

  • PlayStation 5
  • PC — via Steam and NetEase’s own client
  • iOS and Android

No Nintendo Switch 2 or Xbox version has been announced. Singapore players on PS5 and PC have a clear path to the game on day one; mobile availability makes it accessible to the large share of the SEA market that plays on phone. No SGD pricing has been announced for cosmetic items yet, but the base game is free-to-play.

Ananta industrial city district with cranes and neon signage
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

No Character Gacha — How You Build Your Roster

This is the headline for anyone burned by the standard free-to-play model. According to information published ahead of the gamescom reveal, Naked Rain confirmed that playable ACD agents are obtained by progressing through the story, not through random banner pulls. Monetisation instead focuses on cosmetics — outfits, vehicles, and housing customisation — rather than the characters themselves.

For Singapore and SEA gamers who have watched years of gacha fatigue accumulate across mobile RPGs, that framing matters. Free-to-play with no character gacha positions Ananta closer to titles like Fortnite or Path of Exile than a typical mobile gacha. Whether the cosmetics pricing stays reasonable is something only the live game will confirm — but the baseline commitment is the right one.

Ananta open world scene with characters watching a levitating car
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

Two Cities, Infinite Chaos — What the Open World Looks Like

The game spans Nova City — a neon-lit Japanese-style metropolis — and Lingyun City in Chongxiao, drawing from the architecture of Shanghai and Hangzhou. The gamescom trailer doubled down on the “anime GTA” comparisons with parkour, wall-running, rope-swinging between skyscrapers, vehicle hijacking, flying cars, yachts, helicopters, and hang gliders, all set inside a city dense enough to get genuinely lost in.

Combat is built around martial arts — Shaolin kung fu techniques learned from NPC masters — and the four-character squad system gives each member distinct abilities. Over 100 NPCs carry individual storylines; building bonds with them unlocks new skills for your team.

Ananta gameplay showing a character rope-swinging between city buildings
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

Ananta lands on January 15, 2027 on PS5, PC, iOS, and Android. Wishlist it now on Steam. We’ll keep tracking it in our game news section.

Game News

Once Human Is Free on PS5 and Xbox This Week — PC Players Can Carry Over Their Progress

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Singapore gamers who’ve spent hundreds of hours in Once Human on PC are about to get a second home for their survivors: Starry Studio and NetEase Games are bringing their post-apocalyptic open-world shooter to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on 25 August 2026 — completely free. Asia players see the launch on 26 August.

Once Human on Console: What’s New

Once Human console version first-person gameplay showing players battling a giant mutant monster
Image courtesy of Starry Studio / NetEase Games

The headline feature for the console launch is a brand-new first-person perspective that PC players have never had — you can toggle between first-person and the existing third-person camera at will, giving a more immersive feel for exploration and combat. On PS5 and Xbox Series X|S you also get a choice between two graphics presets:

  • Quality Mode: 4K at 60 fps
  • Performance Mode: up to 120 fps

PS5 players get full DualSense integration: distinct low-frequency rumbles for the game’s towering Deviants, precise trigger resistance calibrated to different weapons during boss fights, and elastic tactile feedback on loot pickups. It’s the kind of haptic work that rewards playing with a headset on.

Once Human | Global Console Launch on Aug 25 (PT) — via Once Human on YouTube

Cross-Play and Cross-Progression with PC

Once Human giant Deviant creature towering over a ruined post-apocalyptic cityscape
Image courtesy of Starry Studio / NetEase Games

For the SEA community that has been grinding Once Human on PC since the July 2024 launch — and it was genuinely massive here — the most important detail is this: full cross-play and cross-progression across PC, PS5, Xbox and mobile. Link your existing account through Settings → Account → Link Account before the console launch and your character, items and progress carry over seamlessly.

That means Singapore’s PC squads can now recruit their console-only friends without splitting lobbies, and anyone who wants to switch to a controller on the sofa keeps their full save intact.

What You Get at Launch

Once Human co-op combat showing two players with custom gear fighting mutant enemies in an industrial zone
Image courtesy of Starry Studio / NetEase Games

Console players start with access to all six complete scenarios, dedicated PvP modes and Starry Studio’s stated 300+ hours of content at launch — this isn’t a stripped port. Co-op scales from four-player squads up to eight-player Hive groups, and base-building remains as deep as the PC version.

The game is free to download with optional cosmetic packs (a US$9.99 Starter Pack and US$14.99 Radiance Pack for pre-orders if you want early cosmetics), but nothing paywalled affects gameplay.

If you haven’t tried Once Human yet, the console launch is an easy entry point — it’s one of the better-executed survival games to hit Asia in recent years, and free is hard to argue with. Check it out on the PS5 and Xbox storefronts from 26 August SGT.

Game News

ANANTA at Gamescom ONL: Fresh Footage Coming 25 August

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It has been nearly a year since ANANTA — the free-to-play anime open-world RPG from Naked Rain and NetEase Games — last made waves in public. Singapore gamers who’ve been tracking this one since its Project Mugen days finally have a date: ANANTA is confirmed for Gamescom 2026‘s Opening Night Live showcase on 25 August, delivering a fresh gameplay look at what may be the most ambitious anime open world currently in development.

ANANTA gameplay — explosive combat sequence in the streets of Nova City
Image courtesy of NetEase Games / Naked Rain

What Is ANANTA?

Originally announced at Gamescom 2023 as Project Mugen, the game was officially renamed ANANTA — Sanskrit for “without end” — in November 2024. Built by the 800-strong team at Hangzhou studio Naked Rain, it is one of the most sprawling free-to-play titles in active development: an open-world urban RPG set in the stylised metropolis of Nova Inception Urbs, where players lead a four-character squad, parkour and rope-swing across rooftops Spider-Man-style, and dive into combo-driven melee combat against gangs and supernatural threats alike.

What sets ANANTA apart from most gacha-adjacent titles is its monetisation model: no gacha for characters. Every playable character unlocks through in-game progression — real-money spending covers cosmetics like outfits, vehicles and apartments only. For Singapore players worn down by banner pulls and limited banners, that is a genuinely meaningful distinction.

ANANTA open world — city street scene with anime protagonist in Nova City
Image courtesy of NetEase Games / Naked Rain

Watch the Gameplay Trailer

ANANTA | Gameplay Trailer — via Ananta on YouTube

Gamescom ONL — When Singapore Fans Can Watch

Geoff Keighley confirmed during pre-show announcements that players will get “a fresh look at the game live on the Opening Night Live stage.” The ONL stream begins at 8pm CEST on 25 August — which lands at 2am SGT in the early hours of Wednesday, 26 August. Not the most forgiving watch time, but recordings go live on the official ONL YouTube channel immediately after broadcast. We’ll cover whatever is revealed as soon as it drops.

ANANTA combat — martial arts battle against masked enemies in Nova City
Image courtesy of NetEase Games / Naked Rain

Will ANANTA Still Launch in 2026?

The Famitsu special supplement for Tokyo Game Show 2025 listed ANANTA as targeting a 2026 release window, but the developers have consistently declined to commit to a specific date. Given the game’s scope — a living city with dozens of mini-games, a day-night cycle, and what NetEase describes as a fully voiced narrative campaign — many in the industry have quietly revised their expectations toward 2027. A Gamescom showing could either confirm a surprise near-term window or set up a global pre-registration push ahead of a longer wait.

ANANTA is in development for PS5, PC (Steam), Android and iOS. As a free-to-play title, the base game will cost nothing at launch — particularly relevant for Singapore players wanting to experience the open world before deciding whether cosmetics are worth their SGD.

Follow GameTrader.SG’s game news for our full Gamescom ONL coverage after the show. Set that alarm or check back on the morning of 26 August.

Game News, News

Marvel Rivals Gets a Free Age of Ultron PvE Mode on 30 July

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NetEase Games unveiled the next chapter of Marvel Rivals’ “Path to Doomsday” event at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 on Thursday — a free co-op PvE mode themed around Avengers: Age of Ultron, dropping in-game on 30 July 2026. Singapore players can jump in without any paywall.

Avengers Tower Under Siege

The mode, officially titled “Path to Doomsday – Avengers: Age of Ultron,” sends teams of players against Ultron’s mechanical army across two locations: Avengers Tower and Ultron’s Data Space. According to Beebom’s coverage of the SDCC panel, the in-game storyline opens with the Ultron Virus breaching Avengers Tower, corrupting F.R.I.D.A.Y. and unleashing a relentless swarm of sentries. The new Avengers Tower map is exclusive to this PvE event and will not appear in standard PvP playlists.

Marvel Rivals – Official Age of Ultron Mode Teaser Trailer | Comic Con 2026 — via IGN on YouTube
Marvel Rivals gameplay screenshot showing hero combat
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

New MCU-Inspired Costumes

Three new costumes inspired by Marvel Studios films arrive with the update, as shown at the SDCC booth:

  • Scarlet Witch — Avengers: Age of Ultron outfit
  • Ultron — Avengers: Age of Ultron armour variant
  • Winter Soldier — Captain America: The Winter Soldier look

A physical merchandise line was also revealed: Mattel’s Jeff the Land Shark 12” plush ships with an in-game costume code, while a Hot Toys Luna Snow 1/6 scale figure includes a “Mirae 2026” in-game skin code. New Funko Pop figures for Jeff the Land Shark, Cloak, Dagger, and Deadpool variants were shown as well. Pricing for in-game cosmetics has not been disclosed; local Singapore retail availability for the physical merch is to be confirmed.

Marvel Rivals heroes in action
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

“Path to Doomsday” Continues in December

The Age of Ultron mode is Chapter 2 of Marvel Rivals’ ongoing “Path to Doomsday” event. NetEase confirmed at SDCC that additional game modes and in-game events are planned for December 2026 — timed to coincide with Avengers: Doomsday’s theatrical release on 18 December. More details are expected closer to the film’s launch window.

Singapore fans who followed Marvel Rivals Season 9’s Jubilee arc will see the Doomsday roadmap as the biggest in-game story event the game has run so far. Crucially, the free PvE structure means there’s no ranked pressure and no paywall — a format that typically pulls in lapsed players across the region and lowers the entry bar for newer fans joining before Doomsday drops in December.

Marvel Rivals team battle scene
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

For more upcoming game news, keep watching as the Avengers: Doomsday content slate builds through the second half of 2026.

Game News

Where Winds Meet 2.0 — Hidden Mountain Expansion Drops 23 July, Free for All Players

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If you have been sleeping on Where Winds Meet, the wuxia open-world RPG from Everstone Studio, this Thursday is the wake-up call. Version 2.0 — dubbed the Hidden Mountain expansion — launches globally on 23 July (UTC), and it is entirely free for every player on every platform.

A warrior gazes up at towering mountain cliffs in Where Winds Meet Hidden Mountain
Image courtesy of Everstone Studio / NetEase Games

What Is the Hidden Mountain Expansion?

Hidden Mountain introduces an entirely new region built around the Mohist Hill Sect — a legendary order of engineers who, in the game’s lore, transformed an entire mountain into one colossal working machine. The zone itself is unlike anything in the base game: instead of the usual open plains, it stacks multiple distinct layers vertically, taking players from underwater trenches and underground palaces all the way up through cloud-piercing peaks and, at the very top, floating sky cities suspended above the clouds. The developers are calling the visual direction Eastern Steampunk, and from the screenshots it is exactly what that sounds like — traditional Song-dynasty architecture wrapped in clockwork gears, rope bridges and mechanical cranes.

Bird's-eye view of the Mohist Sect mechanical engineering complex in Where Winds Meet Hidden Mountain
Image courtesy of Everstone Studio / NetEase Games

A Mountain Turned Into a Machine

The Mohist Sect is the first faction in Where Winds Meet built entirely around construction and crafting. Joining them unlocks a DIY building system that lets you assemble custom mechanical contraptions and vehicles from collected components — not just for base decoration but for actively navigating the terrain. These mechanical vehicles are a new traversal tool, letting you ride up steep cliff faces and reach hidden enclaves that Lightness Skill alone cannot reach.

Player using the Mohist crafting system to assemble a mechanical contraption in Where Winds Meet
Image courtesy of Everstone Studio / NetEase Games

The expansion carries a new main storyline that follows directly from the Imperial Palace arc, so returning players will have immediate narrative context for why they are venturing into this mountain stronghold.

Where Winds Meet – Hidden Mountain Expansion Official Trailer — via PlayStation on YouTube

New Weapons and Bosses Built for the Mountain

Two new disciplines arrive with the expansion. The Gauntlets are close-quarters fist weapons designed for rapid combos and burst damage — martial-monk brawling that prioritises aggression over distance. The Rope Dart pairs well with the vertical terrain, swinging players across gaps and pulling enemies into range. Both weapons feed into new boss encounters tuned for the mechanical theme: a massive insect-like construct with a bulkhead weapon, a serpentine enemy whose pincers can snare players mid-dodge, and the most visually striking of the three — groups of marionette puppets that attack in eerie synchronised patterns.

Player fighting the marionette puppet boss in Where Winds Meet Hidden Mountain expansion
Image courtesy of Everstone Studio / NetEase Games

Ray-Tracing, Wind Dynamics and Reworked Textures

The 2.0 label is not just branding: Everstone Studio has shipped a significant technical overhaul alongside the new content. Rock textures across the mountain have been rebuilt to show realistic weathering from wind, water and time rather than the static tiling of before. A new light rendering and ray-tracing system handles the complex, layered illumination of a multi-altitude environment — think shafts of sunlight cutting through underground caverns, then golden-hour glow at the sky-city peaks. Wind itself now behaves dynamically, creating layered acoustic layers as gusts move through canyon passages. It is the kind of across-the-board polish pass that makes the whole game feel like a new release.

Player swings on a rope dart across floating platforms in Where Winds Meet Hidden Mountain
Image courtesy of Everstone Studio / NetEase Games

Available in Singapore — Free on All Platforms

Where Winds Meet is free to play, and Hidden Mountain is a free content update — no expansion pass, no separate purchase. The game is available in Singapore on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Steam — App ID 3564740), iOS and Android, with full cross-progress sync between all platforms. For players who have been riding the Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves wave, this is worth bookmarking: the Eastern setting, Lightness Skill traversal system and high production values put it squarely in the same conversation, and version 2.0 is the most substantial single update the game has seen since launch.

Hidden Mountain goes live on 23 July 2026 (UTC) — check the official Where Winds Meet website for the exact regional unlock time.

Game News

Once Human Hits PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on 25 August — Free with New First-Person Mode

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PS5 owners, it is finally happening. NetEase Games and Starry Studio have confirmed that Once Human, their wildly popular free-to-play survival MMO, launches on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on 25 August 2026 — and it will cost you nothing to download. After two years as a PC-exclusive, the game is finally crossing over to the consoles that dominate Singapore living rooms.

A Whole New Way to Play: First-Person Mode

Once Human gameplay screenshot showing exploration
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

The console launch is not just a straight port. Starry Studio is introducing a first-person perspective that sits alongside the existing third-person camera — players can swap between the two at any time, even mid-combat. Weapon animations have been rebuilt from the ground up to match the tighter viewpoint, and the shift fundamentally changes how shooting and resource gathering feel. For players who found third-person survival games a little removed, first-person Once Human is worth a serious look.

4K at 60fps or 120fps — Your Call

Console players get two graphics presets out of the box. Quality Mode delivers a native 4K image at 60 frames per second, while Performance Mode trades some resolution for a buttery 120fps on compatible displays. PS5 players also get DualSense haptic feedback tuned to the game’s world — low-frequency rumbles when giant creatures are nearby, and trigger resistance that shifts during boss encounters. It is a small thing, but it makes the PS5 version feel genuinely at home on the platform.

Once Human screenshot showing the post-apocalyptic world
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

Cross-Play and Cross-Progression From Day One

This is the detail that matters most for Singapore’s gaming scene. Once Human on console will launch with full cross-play and cross-progression between PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. If you have been grinding on Steam since the 2024 PC launch, every hour carries over. If your friends are on different platforms, you are in the same session regardless. That kind of parity at a free-to-play title’s console debut is not something to take for granted — and it makes the August 25 date relevant to everyone, not just newcomers.

For an overview of what has been happening in recent game releases, check out our Game News section.

300+ Hours of Content at Launch

Once Human console launch promotional art
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

Console players are not getting a reduced build. The launch version ships with six full scenarios and an additional PVP spin-off, adding up to more than 300 hours of Day One content. There is also a paid option for players who want to hit the ground running: a Starter Pack at USD 9.99 and a Radiance Pack at USD 14.99 are available as pre-purchase options, though the base game remains entirely free.

Watch the Console Launch Trailer

Once Human | Global Console Launch on Aug 25 (PT) — via Once Human on YouTube
Once Human screenshot showing game environment
Image courtesy of NetEase Games

Once Human launched on PC in July 2024 and has accumulated a massive player base across Southeast Asia. The August 25 console release opens that same world to anyone with a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S — no purchase required. Mark the date.

Game News

Marvel Rivals Season 9: Jubilee and the Mystery of Thebes

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Marvel Rivals’ ninth season kicked off on 10 July UTC — and it is one of the most ambitious shakeups the free-to-play hero shooter has seen yet. Season 9: The Mystery of Thebes adds a brand-new Strategist hero, rewrites the Team-Up system from the ground up, overhauls Black Widow, and sets the stage for an Egyptian murder mystery starring Apocalypse himself. Here is everything you need to know.

Season 9: The Mystery of Thebes // Dev Vision Vol. 19 — via Marvel Rivals on YouTube

Meet Jubilee — Marvel Rivals’ Newest Season 9 Strategist

Jubilation Lee — Jubilee character art as a Strategist in Marvel Rivals Season 9
Image courtesy of NetEase Games / Marvel

Jubilation Lee — 千歡 — arrives as the 52nd hero on the roster, slotting in as a Strategist. For those who know their X-Men lore, Jubilee is a Chinese-American mutant famous for her pyrotechnic plasma bursts; here, her kit leans into a darker, vampiric side that fits Season 9’s Apocalypse storyline perfectly.

Her primary attack fires automatically, simultaneously damaging enemies and restoring health to nearby allies. A deployable bubble provides field control, a knockback ability pushes enemies away in a pinch, and her Ultimate unleashes an area-of-effect fireworks show that deals damage, heals allies, and sends foes flying. Her Vampiric Kin Team-Up with Blade enhances her Vampiric Field so it continuously heals teammates within range — making the Jubilee/Blade pair a potentially potent double act.

For Singapore players, there is a nice cultural hook here: Jubilee is one of Marvel’s most prominent Asian heroes, and seeing her Chinese name rendered in-game alongside her English one is a small but meaningful touch. She is available immediately — Marvel Rivals remains fully free-to-play on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, as well as on PS5, PS4 and Xbox Series X/S.

The Team-Up System Got a Ground-Up Rebuild

The biggest mechanical change in Season 9 is not a new hero — it is the complete overhaul of the Team-Up system, which touches over 80% of the roster. Every hero now has two independent Team-Up ability loadouts. Before a match you pick one; in the spawn room you can swap. Each loadout has a base effect that is always active and an enhanced effect that only triggers when the right partner is on your team.

The old Anchor mechanic — which gave flat bonus stats to anchoring heroes — is gone entirely. NetEase says this was creating unintended power skews across the roster, and with the Anchor gone the team has rebalanced the entire cast. A new Regenerative Shields health type also debuts: shields begin auto-regenerating five seconds after you last took damage, then fully restore over the following five seconds. Mobile and diving heroes benefit most. Ultimate energy generation has also been dialled back slightly for Vanguards, Duelists and Strategists alike, so expect slower ult cycles across the board.

Black Widow Gets a New Combat Identity

Natasha Romanoff is one of the most-played heroes in competitive lobbies, and Season 9 hands her a significant rework. The mandatory aim-down-sights (ADS) mechanic has been removed from her primary fire — her gun now fires faster in standard mode. Her Electro-Plasma blast, previously locked behind her Ultimate, becomes a standard ability with a slow effect attached.

Her new Ultimate grants a temporary sniper mode with piercing bullets and an expanded hitbox. Sprint and super-jump are restored without stamina limits. On paper this makes Black Widow more fluid to play at all skill levels while giving high-level players a sharp, timing-based Ultimate to master.

Thebes Map and The Hood Are Still to Come

Marvel Rivals Season 9 launch skins — Wolverine: Bloodless Berserker, Jubilee: Midnight Mutant, Rogue: Raider Prime
Image courtesy of NetEase Games / Marvel

Season 9 is a two-part rollout. The Convoy map Thebes — a sprawling Egyptian-inspired stage tied directly to the Apocalypse storyline — arrives on 23 July. The mid-season update also brings the second new hero of the season: The Hood, a Marvel villain wielding a magical crimson hood that grants him supernatural powers. His kit has not yet been revealed, but his silhouette closed out the Season 9 story trailer.

30 July brings the Path to Doomsday — Avengers: Age of Ultron event, introducing Avengers Tower as a playable stage. The season also features a detective mini-game called Death of Apocalypse where players gather clues to unravel who killed the ancient mutant villain — a story-driven hook that sets the season’s Egyptian murder-mystery tone.

Watch the official Marvel Rivals site and their news page for exact SGT-converted times for the Thebes map and The Hood’s debut, as well as any new game news in the weeks ahead.

Battle Pass “The Faith-Harvesting Engine” — Egyptian Skins Galore

Marvel Rivals Season 9 Battle Pass — The Faith-Harvesting Engine featuring Egyptian-themed skins
Image courtesy of NetEase Games / Marvel

Season 9’s battle pass is titled The Faith-Harvesting Engine and leans hard into ancient Egyptian aesthetics. Ten new costumes are included across the full pass, with confirmed highlights being Iron Man: Iron Pharaoh and Deadpool: Dead Mummy. The revealed artwork also shows Egyptian riffs on Star-Lord, Loki, Rocket Raccoon and more. The thematic consistency this season is noticeably strong — unlike some past passes that felt like mismatched grab-bags, everything here has a coherent ancient-Egypt-meets-Marvel identity.

Season 9 is live now across all platforms. If you have not logged in for a while, this is as good a re-entry point as any — a rebuilt meta, a new support hero who suits Singapore’s party-queue culture, and months of Egyptian-flavoured content ahead.