Well, if NetEase’s upcoming Ananta really is real, then the rest of the free-to-play market is in big trouble.
A Famitsu cover story has revealed that the jaw-dropping anime open world game has no character gacha at all. Monetisation functions through character customisation, so you’ll be able to buy different cosmetics, cars, and decorations.
But the characters themselves – each of which has different gameplay elements attached – will be completely free to unlock through gameplay progression. This is unprecedented.
Character gachas, popularised by the likes of Genshin Impact, have become the standard among free-to-play games like this. Typically, there’s an element of gambling involved, where you’re not guaranteed the promoted character unless you pull a set number of times.
Upcoming titles like NTE are trying to compete by reducing the number of pulls required compared to other games, but it still will require you to either save up in-game currency or invest real money to get the characters you want.
Considering this is a staple of the entire business model, Ananta looks set to be seriously disruptive. Although we will still need more details about how it all works: perhaps its update cycles will be less frequent, or content will be locked behind certain cosmetics.
Nevertheless, the latest gameplay trailer for this title has already amassed almost one million views on PlayStation’s YouTube channel, and has attracted more than 10 million pre-registrations. But there’s no release date attached to the title just yet.
The game will be playable at the Tokyo Game Show, so hopefully we’ll be able to glean more information on the show floor. In the meantime, NetEase is saying absolutely no character gachas at all.
This is extraordinary, to be honest, and will shake up the market if true.
