'Anime GTA’ Game Ananta Gets Official Release Date Beyond GTA 6’s Blast Radius

NetEase games showed up at Gamescom Opening Night Live in a big way with new information on Ananta. The game, which is basically anime Grand Theft Auto, has been buzzy ever since it was announced, and now we have an official release date. Ananta will be released on Jan. 15, 2027.

The announcement was made alongside a new trailer giving more insight into Ananta's many game systems. The trailer began with a short setup of the game's story, which seems pretty light. Players will take on the role of a supernatural investigator tasked with battling some evil guys. It doesn't seem all that important, but seeing the protagonist hang off the side of a plane mid-flight like he's Tom Cruise is admittedly pretty cool. Then we got a look at more gameplay that leans into the Grand Theft Auto comparisons. You'll explore two sprawling open-world cities and drive or fly around in scooters, cars, and more futuristic-looking vehicles. It will also include plenty of mini-games and activities to get invested in outside the main story.

Not to be outdone by Grand Theft Auto 6's release, Ananta offers more than familiar riffs on Rockstar's series. Previous trailers have shown that NetEase is taking inspiration from almost every AAA game under the sun. That includes the ability to swing across the game's gorgeous anime cities like you are Spider-Man. It really seems like NetEase is pumping as much money as possible into Ananta and striving to deliver a true "everything" game that has something for every gamer out there.

While Ananta will be free-to-play, it does not seem to be a gacha game in the vein of Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. There will be in-game purchases, but they'll be focused on cosmetics, vehicles, and other decorations rather than character unlocks. In that sense, it seems like Ananta will be a social RPG competing most with Grand Theft Auto Online.