Ananta timeline

Project Mugen revealed at Gamescom 2023

NetEase Games and Naked Rain reveal an urban open-world RPG called Project Mugen with the trailer “Tomorrow and Surprises Come Together”. Swinging between skyscrapers and the Chaos anomalies are there from the start.

No PS4 version after all

Conflicting messages follow the reveal, and the team clarifies that Project Mugen is not in development for PS4. Platforms: PC, PS5, iOS and Android.

• DebunkedANANTA is coming to PlayStation 4

Project Mugen becomes ANANTA

A short teaser on the official channel reveals the new name, ANANTA. In Chinese the game is 无限大, “infinity”.

• OfficialANANTA was announced in 2023 as Project Mugen and got its current name on November 29, 2024

Unity China describes ANANTA’s technology

Unity China’s official account writes that ANANTA uses Unity for full-scene ray tracing and GPU-driven rendering of a huge city, and that an offline technical test starts on January 3, 2025.

• Reliable sourceANANTA is built on the Unity engine
• Reliable sourceAn offline technical test for Chinese players started in Hangzhou on January 3, 2025

Announce trailer and pre-registration

NetEase releases the ANANTA announce trailer set in Nova City and opens pre-registration on the official site. The player is now an agent of the A.C.D.

Publishing license in China

China’s National Press and Publication Administration approves ANANTA in its December batch. NetEase counts more than 8.43 million pre-registrations worldwide.

• OfficialANANTA received a Chinese publishing license in December 2024

Offline technical test in Hangzhou

An in-person technical test for Chinese players starts in Hangzhou, as reported by Breakflip. It is closed to players abroad.

• Reliable sourceAn offline technical test for Chinese players started in Hangzhou on January 3, 2025

NVIDIA announces DLSS 4 for ANANTA

NVIDIA lists ANANTA among games with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation and ray tracing at launch.

• OfficialOn PC, ANANTA supports NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 and ray tracing

Seven-minute gameplay trailer for Tokyo Game Show

NetEase shows city life, environmental combat, swinging, subways and helicopters, and confirms PC, PS5 and mobile. Famitsu reports the same day that there is no character gacha.

• OfficialCharacters in ANANTA aren’t sold through gacha; you get them by playing

First public demo at Tokyo Game Show 2025

Visitors play Story Mode and Exploration Mode in Nova City at booth 06-C06 in Hall 6. Producer Ash gives interviews about no-gacha characters and co-op with friends.

• OfficialTokyo Game Show 2025 had the first public playable build of ANANTA
• OfficialMultiplayer in ANANTA is co-op with friends, not an MMO

Ten-minute gameplay video

The official channel publishes a ten-minute gameplay video: the new captain arrives in Nova City, the employer goes under and a Chaos-fueled traffic jam turns the Captain into a viral star.

Reported closed PC test in China

A fan wiki reports an invite-only PC test for Chinese accounts on January 16 to 20, 2026. NetEase hasn’t announced or confirmed it.

• RumorA closed PC test for Chinese accounts ran from January 16 to 20, 2026

Store pages and mobile pre-registration open

ANANTA can be pre-ordered in the App Store, pre-registered on Google Play and wishlisted on Steam and the PlayStation Store. The game stays free; pre-registration rewards unlock at 15 to 35 million sign-ups.

• OfficialPre-registration rewards unlock at 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 million sign-ups

Release date announced at Gamescom 2026

At Opening Night Live NetEase sets the worldwide launch for January 15, 2027 and shows the Launch Date Trailer, which reveals the second map, Chongxiao. Pre-registrations pass 17 million.

• OfficialANANTA launches worldwide on January 15, 2027
• OfficialAt launch ANANTA has two big maps: Nova City and Chongxiao

ANANTA moves to DLSS 4.5

NetEase announces that the PC version will support DLSS 4.5 with Super Resolution and Dynamic Multi Frame Generation in its ray-traced world.

• OfficialOn PC, ANANTA supports NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 and ray tracing

The team confirms a female Captain for launch

At Gamescom 2026 Tian Yu of the development team tells GAME Watch that a female Captain will be available at launch. The same interview confirms confidential tests and says there has been no global beta.

• Reliable sourceA female Captain will be playable when ANANTA launches
• Reliable sourceANANTA has had confidential tests but no global beta

Leads promise at least seven years of support

ANANTA’s publishing and marketing leads tell Insider Gaming that the game will be supported for at least seven years and has at least 100 hours of content.

• Reliable sourceNetEase and Naked Rain plan to support ANANTA for at least seven years
• Reliable sourceANANTA has at least 100 hours of content, according to its leads

Producer: Chongxiao is bigger than Nova City

Ash Qi tells TechRadar that Chongxiao is noticeably larger than Nova City and that Lingyun, a city within it, is based on Shanghai and Hangzhou. The goal, he says, is the biggest open world in free-to-play.

• OfficialChongxiao is noticeably larger than Nova City, according to the producer
• OfficialLingyun is a city within Chongxiao, modeled on Shanghai and Hangzhou

NetEase: a multiplayer mode is in development

A NetEase representative tells AUTOMATON that a multiplayer mode is being developed, promises basic options for looks and physique, and says players can spend over 100 hours in the world.

• Reliable sourceNetEase says a multiplayer mode for ANANTA is in development
• Reliable sourceNetEase promises basic options for the character’s looks and physique
• Reliable sourceANANTA has at least 100 hours of content, according to its leads

Pre-registrations above 25 million

The official counter shows 25,834,915 global pre-registrations on October 27, 2026, which unlocks the 25-million reward. When exactly the mark was passed, the site doesn’t say.

• OfficialANANTA has passed 25 million global pre-registrations

ANANTA launches worldwide

Planned global launch on PC (Steam and NetEase’s client), PlayStation 5, iOS and Android. The unlock time hasn’t been announced.

• OfficialANANTA launches worldwide on January 15, 2027
• OfficialNetEase hasn’t announced what time ANANTA unlocks on January 15