NetEase said on Monday that the international version of its martial arts-themed open-world RPG Where Winds Meet attracted more than 15 million players worldwide within one month of launch, setting a new record for overseas reach among Chinese wuxia titles. The figure suggests growing overseas interest in Chinese-developed martial arts games.
The head of publishing for Where Winds Meet said that promoting Chinese cultural stories internationally is a key opportunity and responsibility for the current generation of Chinese game developers, according to People’s Daily.
Why it matters: As the first open-world wuxia game led by Chinese technology and centered on Chinese cultural narratives to gain traction in Western markets, Where Winds Meet plans to expand support for additional platforms and implement more localized languages. This will allow a broader international audience to access the game and experience elements of traditional Chinese culture.
Details: The international version of the game launched globally on November 14 across platforms including Steam, PS5, and Epic Games Store. Currently, Where Winds Meet has around 85,000 user reviews on Steam. The game shows an overall positive rating of around 88%, classified as Very Positive.
- On Steam, the top countries for Where Winds Meet players are the United States (17.8%), Brazil (8.6%), Germany (6.6%), France (5.2%), Russia (4.2%), Poland (3.6%), the United Kingdom (3.4%), Spain (3.0%), Japan (2.8%), and Canada (2.6%), based on third-party game data from Raijin.gg. These figures reflect the countries with the largest share of the game’s Steam player base.
- The game is set during the Five Dynasties, Ten Kingdoms, and early Song Dynasty period. It features a three-layer narrative structure comprising main storylines, side quests, and hidden plots, with a total gameplay time exceeding 200 hours. Players can assume a variety of roles, such as healer, detective, or merchant, and even uncover hidden storylines through nuanced interactions like teasing NPCs.
- Its combat system integrates lightness techniques, martial arts skills, and weapon counter mechanics, enabling unrestricted combinations regardless of school affiliation. The game features dual Chinese and English voiceovers, with text prompts tailored for non-Chinese-speaking players to ease understanding of cultural elements.
- As the game adopts a free-to-play model with optional purchases, Where Winds Meet does not implement a “pay-to-win” system, which focuses paid content on outfits, battle passes, and other non-gameplay-affecting items. Its cross-platform design for PC, consoles, and mobile allows players to switch devices while maintaining game progress.
Context: Where Winds Meet first launched in China on PC on December 27, 2024, followed by the mobile version in early January 2025. According to the third-party data platform Sensor Tower, Where Winds Meet earned 1.366 billion RMB ($187 million) in revenue in China during the first half of 2025.
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