NetEase Digital Preview
Last month I had the opportunity to attend a hands-off, pre-Gamescom presentation previewing a selection of upcoming titles from publisher NetEase Games. Maybe the biggest announcement was the next big expansion for Where Winds Meet, one of the biggest MMORPGs from 2026. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s coming from NetEase.
Where Winds Meet Hidden Mountain Update
Where Winds Meet is one of the most ambitious open-world action games/MMORPGs from the past few years. Combining deep combat systems, a massive world, crafting, building, and multiplayer PvP, Where Winds Meet also looks incredible. The Hidden Mountain update (2.0) introduced a vast clockwork cloud city with a ton of verticality. Also new are a number of systems for navigating the map, including zip lines, rail systems, and planes. The latest update expanded the Hidden Mountain even more. Although its systems can be a challenge to learn, Where Winds Meet remains an exciting action game that just keeps growing.
Once Human
Once Human is not a new game, having been released in 2024 for PC. What’s new is its arrival on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. For the unaware, Once Human is a multiplayer survival sandbox game. The game takes place on an Earth that has been ravaged by a cosmic entity known as Stardust. This alien contamination has warped reality, mutating the environment, animals, and humans into bizarre, grotesque creatures. You play as a meta-human infused with Stardust. In addition to fighting monsters, you can also catch them and employ them as combat allies or to defend your base.
Sea of Remnants
Slated for release in 2027, Sea of Remnants is an ocean-based open world action RPG that looks to bring together a number of intriguing ideas. In addition to its charming puppet-based characters, Sea of Remnants includes gacha mechanics, roguelike progression, naval battles, recruitable companions and much more. Definitely a game to keep on your radar if you’re a fan of classic JRPG turn-based combat.
Ananta
Ananta is another 2027 game and it might be the hardest of the bunch to describe. Let’s start with the design elements it brings together. First, the art style is colorful, contemporary anime. Second, it’s an open-world RPG with real-time combat. Third — and most intriguing — is that the core progression loop is based on the idea of becoming an online influencer in the world. The more popular you become, the more you can build your supernatural-fighting organization. It’s sort of a contemporary urban life-sim combined with GTA. Sounds crazy fun, right?
