Imagine a city where you can swing between skyscrapers, snoop on strangers’ phones, start a street fight, then sit down and watch a movie all in the same afternoon. That is Ananta.
What Is Ananta?
Ananta is an upcoming free-to-play video game. It is made by a studio called Naked Rain, which is part of the large Chinese game company NetEase. The game is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and mobile (iOS and Android).
It is an open-world RPG. Meaning, you explore a large city freely, do missions, meet characters, and live a kind of double life. Part superhero, part city resident. Think of games like Grand Theft Auto, Spider-Man, or Persona. Ananta takes inspiration from all of them.
The city you play in is called Nova Inception Urbs or “Nova City”. A large modern urban city. The developers have said that if you see a door, you should be able to open it. If you see a basketball court, you should be able to play basketball. That kind of freedom is the whole point.
Wait… What Is a Gacha Game?
Here is something important to understand, because it is one of the biggest reasons people are excited about Ananta.
Many popular free-to-play games, especially in Asia, use something called a gacha system. Think of it like a slot machine. You spend real money (or in-game currency) to randomly unlock characters. You might spend a lot and still might not get the character you want. It can feel unfair, and it can become very expensive.
Ananta does not do this. At all.
Every character in the game is unlocked simply by playing, through the story or by exploring the world. No gambling. No limited-time banners. No spending money to get a character you love. This is a big deal in a genre where gacha is almost universal.
So how do they make money? Cosmetics. Clothing, vehicle upgrades, home decoration. Things that make your game look different, but do not change how strong you are or which characters you can access.
A Long Road to Get Here
The game was first announced in August 2023 under the name Project Mugen. It immediately got attention, the trailer showed a gorgeous anime-style city with action that looked almost too good to be real. Millions of people pre-registered.
Then, in November 2024, it was renamed Ananta. A Sanskrit word meaning “without end.” A fitting name, honestly, for a game that wants to feel like a living world.
Since then, the developers have been quiet but busy. They held small private tests in Hangzhou, China in January 2025 and again in January 2026. At Tokyo Game Show in September 2025, they showed a seven-minute gameplay trailer that sent the community into a frenzy all over again.
As of now, in April 2026, no public beta or global release date has been officially announced. Most estimates point to late 2026 or possibly early 2027 for a full launch.
What Can You Actually Do in This Game?
A lot. Here is what we know so far.
Traversal. You can swing between buildings using grappling hooks, run across rooftops, climb walls, and use parkour to move through the city fast. Each character moves differently, too. One character named Taffy has a giant mallet that transforms into a rideable bike.
Combat. Fights are inspired by Hong Kong action films. You can pick up chairs, trash cans, guitars (anything nearby) and use them as weapons. You can also take weapons directly from enemies mid-fight. The goal is for every fight to feel cinematic, not mechanical.
Vehicles. Cars, motorcycles, taxis, buses, helicopters. You can drive legally or not. There are real consequences for traffic chaos though that might be part of the fun.
NPCs that feel alive. The non-player characters (the people walking around the city) have their own daily routines. They react to what you do. Cause a traffic jam, and it ripples through the area. Start a fight, and bystanders will run, call for help, or just stare.
Mini-games and activities. Basketball. Mahjong. Darts. Movie theaters where you can actually sit and watch. The developers keep saying: if you think you should be able to do it, they are trying to make it possible.
Multiplayer. You and friends can explore Nova City together, each playing as different characters from the crew. It is cooperative, not a massive shared world.
The Characters
You play as “The Captain”, the new leader of a peacekeeping unit called the Anti-Chaos Directorate (ACD). You choose at the start whether your Captain is male or female.
As you play, you meet and recruit a crew. Each character has their own life in the city, their own job, their own personality. They come together for major events, but otherwise exist independently. Like a team of superheroes who also have day jobs.
A few confirmed characters:
- Taffy: fast, a little lazy, uses a mallet that becomes a bike
- Richie: tough investigator, works in law enforcement
- Seymour: a masked hacker who lives in an RV and likes when you cause chaos
- Bansy: a street artist who fights with a paintball gun
- Lykaia: a high-ranking law enforcement director with sharp instincts
- Mechanika (Meg): brings machines to life and organizes concerts
More characters will be added after launch.
Why Does This Matter?
With over 700 to 800 developers working on it across studios in Hangzhou, China and Montreal, Canada, Ananta is a flagship project. One of the most expensive and ambitious free-to-play games ever attempted.
It is trying to prove that a massive, beautiful, endlessly playable game does not need to exploit its players to survive. That you can build a world people love and make money simply because they want to support it.
What Should You Do Right Now?
If any of this sounds exciting to you, you can pre-register at anantagame.com. Pre-registration is free and gives you early access bonuses when the game eventually launches.
Follow the game’s official social channels for updates, new trailers and beta announcements are expected as the year goes on.
All information current as of April 2026. Release date and features are subject to change prior to launch.
