Ananta: Release Date, Platforms and Everything We Know

Ananta, the free-to-play urban open-world game from NetEase, finally has a launch date: January 15, 2027. First shown back in 2023 as Project Mugen, it mixes city-wide parkour and swinging, flashy action combat and a goofy supernatural story across two huge cities, and it is coming to phones on the same day as PC and PlayStation 5.

There has been a lot of noise around Ananta, from the endless “anime GTA” comparisons to a short-lived rumor that the game had been cancelled. This guide cuts through it with everything that has actually been confirmed so far: the release date, platforms, price, story, characters, the two cities, the gameplay and how to pre-register. We will keep it updated as NetEase shares more before launch.

What is Ananta?

Ananta is an urban open-world action RPG developed by Naked Rain and published by NetEase Games. You play as the Captain, an agent who deals with strange, supernatural incidents in a modern metropolis, and you are free to explore the city however you like: on foot, swinging between skyscrapers or behind the wheel of almost anything with an engine.

The game was revealed at Gamescom 2023 under the codename Project Mugen and got its final name, Ananta, in late 2024. Since then it has appeared at Tokyo Game Show 2025 and, most recently, at Gamescom Opening Night Live in August 2026, where NetEase announced the launch date together with a new story trailer.

The easiest way to picture it is as a mash-up of games people already love: the city sandbox of GTA, the swinging freedom of Spider-Man and the combo-based brawling of the Batman: Arkham series, all wrapped in a bright anime art style and a sense of humor that never takes itself too seriously.

Release date and launch time

Ananta launches worldwide on January 15, 2027. The date was announced on August 25, 2026, during Gamescom Opening Night Live, and it applies to every platform at once instead of a staggered regional rollout.

NetEase has not shared the exact launch time or the preload dates yet. For big global launches, publishers usually confirm both a few days before release, so expect that information in early January.

If you saw headlines in August saying the game was cancelled, you can ignore them. The rumor came from a viral video with no official source, and it died two days later, when the official channels confirmed that Ananta would appear at Gamescom. The release date followed a week after that.

Platforms: PC, PS5 and mobile

Ananta is one of the few big open-world games launching on mobile and console on the same day. Here is where things stand:

NetEase has not detailed cross-play or cross-save between PC, console and mobile yet. That is one of the big questions to watch before launch, especially if you plan to play on your phone and on a bigger screen.

Is Ananta free to play?

Yes. Ananta is free to download and play on every platform, and it has one detail that sets it apart from most anime open-world games: you do not pull for characters on a gacha banner. Playable characters are unlocked by playing the story, doing quests and exploring.

The money side focuses on cosmetics. Outfits, vehicles and home customization are confirmed as things you can spend real money on. How those items will be sold, and whether there will be a battle pass, has not been announced yet.

Story and characters

You play as the Captain, a member of ACD, the organization that handles supernatural chaos in the city. When the story starts, ACD is struggling and short on people, so part of your job is rebuilding it: recruiting new members and winning back the city’s trust. At the same time, the Captain is searching for their missing father, and that mystery drives the main story.

The tone leans comedic. The trailers mix serious fights with slapstick moments, and the Captain even becomes a kind of city influencer, with a social media and follower system that grows as you complete jobs and help people.

NetEase says there are more than 100 NPCs with their own stories and quests, and some of them can eventually join you as allies with their own combat abilities. Characters revealed so far include Mechanika, an engineer with an Esper ability; Taffy, a delivery courier; Richie, an ACD officer; and Seymour, a hacker. You can also switch between characters, mostly to explore and solve puzzles rather than in the middle of fast fights.

Nova City and Chongxiao: the open world

Ananta launches with two cities. Nova City is the first one and the star of most trailers, a dense modern metropolis of skyscrapers, busy streets and highways built for driving and swinging.

Chongxiao is the second city, revealed in the Gamescom 2026 trailer. NetEase describes it as a modern metropolis inspired by Shanghai, Hangzhou and Tokyo, full of restaurants, cinemas, arcades, cafés, gyms and shops. Compared with Nova City, it leans more on lakes and historic architecture, which gives it a very different feel.

Traversal, combat and vehicles

Getting around. The Captain can climb walls, run parkour routes, swing between buildings with a grappling hook, glide and swim, and there is no stamina bar slowing you down. The idea is simple: if you can see it, you can get there.

Vehicles. The trailers show skateboards, mopeds, bikes, motorcycles, cars and hover cars, and NetEase has also confirmed yachts, helicopters and hang gliders.

Combat. Fights mix guns, from assault rifles to rocket launchers, with melee weapons such as bats, swords and even golf clubs. Expect timed combos, attacks that use the environment and abilities unique to each character. You can also learn martial arts, including Shaolin kung fu, from masters around the city.

Missions. Not every mission is a brawl. Some are built around stealth and infiltration with gadgets, while others are straightforward fights.

Jobs and side activities

Outside ACD work, the Captain can take regular jobs, such as police officer, delivery driver, store clerk or tow-truck driver, and each one comes with its own activities. Working raises your reputation in the city, which unlocks resources and perks.

When you need a break from the main story, the list of side activities is long: street racing, arcade mini-games, the gym, shopping, dating, decorating your own home and, yes, carrying cats around the city.

Is there multiplayer?

Not at launch, as far as we know. Ananta is built as a single-player experience first. According to PC Gamer, the developers are exploring a four-player co-op mode for missions, but it has not been confirmed or dated.

How to pre-register

Pre-registration is open on the official Ananta website, and you can also wishlist the game on Steam and the PlayStation Store. It is free, and every time the global sign-up count reaches a milestone, NetEase unlocks another reward for players. The 15 million milestone is already done, worth 10,000 Golvent, and the higher tiers go all the way up to a free character outfit.

For the full walkthrough, with every reward tier and how to avoid fake sign-up pages, read our Ananta pre-registration guide.

➜ Pre-register on the official Ananta website

Can your phone run it?

That is not confirmed yet. NetEase has not published system requirements for iOS, Android or PC. Ananta is a large open-world game with a detailed city, fast vehicles and lots of effects on screen, so it will most likely need a recent mid-range or high-end phone and plenty of free storage. We will add the official requirements here as soon as they are released.

Frequently asked questions

When does Ananta come out?

On January 15, 2027, worldwide, on PS5, PC, iOS and Android at the same time.

Is Ananta free?

Yes. It is free to play, with optional purchases focused on cosmetics such as outfits, vehicles and home items.

Is Ananta a gacha game?

Not for characters. Playable characters are unlocked through the story, quests and exploration, not through banners.

Is Ananta coming to Xbox or Switch?

Not for now. At launch, Ananta is only confirmed for PS5, PC, iOS and Android.

Is there an Ananta beta?

No open beta has been announced. Pre-registration is the main way to get ready for launch, and it does not give you access to any test.

Was Ananta cancelled?

No. A rumor in August 2026 claimed it was, but the game was confirmed for Gamescom two days later, and the January 15, 2027 launch date was announced there.

Final thoughts

Ananta is shaping up to be one of the biggest free-to-play launches of early 2027: two cities to explore, a huge range of things to do and, unusually for the genre, no character gacha. The big open questions are the phone requirements, cross-save and how the cosmetic shop will work, and we will update this guide as soon as NetEase answers them. Until then, pre-registering is the easiest way to make sure you get every free reward on day one.