What a coincidence! Almost precisely one year after Rockstar Games shared the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6, Chinese developer Naked Rain has revealed a name and shown off actual gameplay for its free-to-play, open-world urban action RPG Ananta.
Originally known as Project Mugen, this eye-popping amalgamation of a dozen other games is shaping up to be one of my most anticipated titles. In its new trailer, you’ll see elements of some of the most popular releases of the last decade or so, from the web swinging of Marvel’s Spider-Man to the massive urban cityscape of Grand Theft Auto to the sports minigames you might get in Wii Sports. All of that within the friendly confines of a cutesy anime world in the same vein as Genshin Impact, Tower of Fantasy, or Wuthering Waves.
Some of the in-game activities I spotted in the trailer include skateboarding, attending a concert, dancing in a club, beach volleyball, basketball, toilet racing (?), swinging through the city, driving, shooting weapons, weightlifting, and darts, just to name a few.
We don’t know much about the game yet, but the developer has shared a few details. You will play as an elite agent of the A.C.D. (Anti-Chaos Directorate), and it’s your job to stop the Chaos running rampant in Nova City. Along the way, you’ll have to deal with everything from “spooky paranormal phenomena to toilets racing through traffic in the streets.”
“Throughout the game, players will also encounter adventures and exploration in other interconnected cities,” adds publisher NetEase Games. “Whether it’s partying at the Sonic Boom Club, visiting the Whalebone LibraryFlying Bone Library, or experiencing the lively Eve GalleryEve Art Museum, there’s always something exciting to do.”
Ananta doesn’t have a release date, but an offline technical test will begin in Hangzhou, China, on January 3rd, 2025. We don’t know who will be included in the test, but if you want to keep up with the game, you can pre-register on the Ananta website.