Where Winds Meet – the Chinese Wuxia open world that reached 9 million players in two weeks

While most of the gaming world is still circling around big sequels and annual franchises, a game from China has quietly – and very quickly – captured players’ attention. Where Winds Meet, a free-to-play Wuxia open-world action RPG, has attracted more than 9 million players on Steam and PS5 in just two weeks, with a “Very Positive” rating based on tens of thousands of reviews.

The game drops you into the turbulent era of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms in 10th-century China. You play as a young swordsman trying to find your path, moral compass and identity in a world full of war, intrigue and ancient mysteries.

What is Where Winds Meet, exactly?

Where Winds Meet is a mix of:

• a large open-world action adventure,
• RPG progression,
• and Wuxia fantasy (wire-fu swordplay, acrobatic martial arts, epic conspiracies).

It’s developed by Everstone Studio and published by NetEase Games. The game is:

• already available on PC (Steam / Epic / official launcher) and PlayStation 5,
• coming to Android and iOS with full cross-play and cross-progression, so you can continue the same account on your phone when you’re away from your desk.

The story is set in a fictionalised but historically inspired version of China – an empire in pieces, power struggles everywhere, and the law of the jungle in the world of Jianghu. You are the swordsman caught in the middle of history: you can play as a hero, mercenary, outlaw or something in between.

The developers promise more than 150 hours of content – from classic main and side quests, dungeons and boss fights, to chill activities such as fishing, mahjong, and even rhythm mini-games.

Why is this launch such a big deal?

What caught the attention of gaming media and the community isn’t just the aesthetics – it’s also the numbers:

• 9+ million players in the first two weeks after the global launch on PC and PS5,
• almost 40,000 Steam reviews with an overall “Very Positive” rating,
• a spot near the top of Steam’s “Most Played” charts, shoulder to shoulder with big AAA releases.

On top of that, Where Winds Meet doesn’t require you to pay just to make the game “playable”. From day one, it’s positioned as a “player-first” live-service title: you can play, progress and explore the entire world without feeling like the game is constantly pushing you into the shop.

For an industry that has been struggling for years with loot boxes, battle passes and aggressive monetisation, a huge F2P game from China launching with this kind of message is a pretty loud statement.

Wuxia atmosphere, combat and freedom of movement

If you like Sekiro, Ghost of Tsushima, wuxia movies or anime-style kung-fu fantasy, this will feel very familiar – in a good way.

Some of the key gameplay elements:

• Fast, Sekiro-like combat
  Fights focus on timing, parries, dodges and using special techniques. There are multiple weapon types (swords, spears, bows, etc.), and the Martial Mystic Arts system lets you blend realistic and fantastical kung-fu styles.

• Verticality and parkour
  As a true Wuxia hero, you can:

  • run along walls,
  • hop across rooftops,
  • use wind and rain as part of your movement through the world.
    The world isn’t just a flat map – verticality is baked into level design.

• A living world with thousands of NPCs
  Towns and villages are packed with NPCs with their own routines, personalities and reactions to what you do. Some will like you, some will hate you, some will ignore you – depending on your reputation and the choices you make.

• Branching story and moral choices
  The game frequently asks: will you…

  • defend the weak and play the “righteous hero”,
  • or look out only for yourself and build a reputation as a dangerous mercenary?

Your choices influence quest lines, faction relations and how the world reacts to your presence.

A free-to-play model without pay-to-win traps

One of the most interesting aspects of Where Winds Meet is its business model:

• the core game is completely free to play,
• monetisation is focused mainly on cosmetics – skins, outfits, mounts and visual extras,
• character power and combat strength are not directly locked behind “pay to be stronger”.

Of course, it’s still a live-service title – there will be seasons, events and updates – but so far it looks like an example of how F2P can work without heavy pay-to-win pressure. That’s why the community is currently quite positive, especially among players who are tired of mobile games that drown you in ads and paywalls.

For InfoHelm readers, this is also an interesting signal:
Chinese games are no longer “just” mobile gacha titles – we’re increasingly seeing big, serious PC/console RPGs with culturally specific styles (Wuxia, mythology, aesthetics) and a business model that is, ironically, often fairer than many Western live-service games.

Conclusion: is Where Winds Meet worth playing?

If you enjoy:

• exploring huge open worlds,
• Eastern aesthetics and Wuxia fantasy,
• more demanding combat similar to Sekiro but wrapped in an MMO/F2P package,

then Where Winds Meet is probably something you should at least download and try – on PC or PS5, and from December 12 also on mobile.

You won’t get a “hardcore single-player RPG” in the Witcher/Baldur’s Gate sense, but you will get:

• a vast 10th-century Chinese world,
• a mix of solo and co-op content,
• the chance to build your character and reputation in a living Wuxia sandbox version of China,
• and all of that without an upfront price tag – just some free time and a decent connection.

We’ll keep an eye on how the game evolves, what events and expansions arrive, and whether Where Winds Meet truly remains an example of a “fair” F2P model or slowly slides into classic monetisation patterns. For now, it looks like one of the most interesting gaming phenomena at the end of 2025.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute gaming, financial, investment, or any other form of professional advice.