NetEase’s new martial arts role-playing game, Where Winds Meet, saw a strong mobile debut, earning an estimated RMB 250 million ($34.22 million) after launching on Jan. 9. Released as a PC title last December, the game saw its player base surge past 15 million after going mobile, according to NetEase.
Why it matters: Where Winds Meet’s rapid growth reflects Chinese players’ rising demand for immersive, high-quality martial arts games that blend traditional culture with modern gameplay. Though the game features some flaws in mechanics and optimization, its strong appeal shows that its deep storytelling approach and open-world experience still resonate with players.
Details: Where Winds Meet is set in the turbulent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms era of China, where war and political strife engulf both the imperial court and the martial world. Players take on the role of a mysterious swordsman on a journey to unravel a hidden conspiracy involving martial sects, imperial forces, and foreign invaders.
- Based on multiple third-party data sources, Where Winds Meet earned around RMB 250 million ($34.22 million) in revenue from its mobile version in the first month, according to local gaming media outlet GameLook. With PC-end revenue included, total January earnings across all platforms are projected to reach around RMB 700 million ($95.82 million), the report suggested.
- A Where Winds Meet player told our team, “The game integrates Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, along with real historical events. By blending ancient legends with faith, it immerses me in the unique charm of Eastern culture – that’s what captivates me the most.”
- The game’s stories unfold against a backdrop of foreign invasions and a fractured land, celebrating loyalty, courage, and patriotism, which make the characters feel more vivid and alive, the player commented. Different sects have unique martial arts skills, which adds to the game’s appeal, he added.
- Regarding the game’s shortcomings, the player noted that the combat system has several issues, including weak hit feedback, lack of stagger on normal attacks, and minimal differences between weapon types. These problems become even more apparent when facing opponents with unclear attack wind-ups and poorly designed attack patterns, he said.
- Another drawback the player noted is that the dialogue, voice acting, character models, and NPC animations retain a certain low-budget feel common in Chinese MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games). Many characters have unnatural and mechanical facial expressions, and dialogue delivery often lacks emotion, he said.
Context: In 2024, China’s gaming market reached a record-high revenue of RMB 325.78 billion ($44.6 billion), a 7.53% year-on-year increase, according to the 2024 China Gaming Industry Report. The gamer population also hit a new peak at 674 million, growing by 0.94% from the previous year.
- Among the top 100 mobile games by revenue, multiplayer tactical battle games led with a 17.99% share, while role-playing games took second place with 17.85%.
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