Here comes the big one: *Infinity* is set to premiere next January

In the early hours of August 26, NetEase’s *Infinite* released a roughly three-minute launch trailer during the opening night of Gamescom, officially announcing that the game will launch simultaneously worldwide on January 15, 2027, on PC, PS5, and mobile platforms.

This isn’t the first time *Infinite* has been showcased at Gamescom. In August 2023, it made its debut here under the name “Project Mugen.” Returning to Gamescom three years later, *Infinite* unveiled a new trailer showcasing its gameplay, world-building, and launch trailer—a clear indication of its ambition to achieve global success.

As a high-freedom, urban-themed open-world RPG, players will take on the roles of characters with diverse backgrounds in the modern city of *Infinite*, navigating bustling commercial districts and hidden alleys as they explore different cities, meet allies, and build their own teams.

The trailer opens with a distinctly cinematic scene: the protagonist is hanging precariously from the wing of an airplane, and his opponent asks, “Any last wishes?” He replies, “I haven’t paid off my mortgage yet, I still haven’t found my dad… and I haven’t even sent any of the emojis I just saved.”This absurd scene sets the tone for the game with the everyday feel of a lighthearted comedy, transporting players into a city that feels human—chaotic yet bustling.

In the middle of the in-game promotional video, this sense of everyday life becomes the clear main storyline. The “Countermeasures Bureau,” where the protagonist works, is facing closure, so Taffy, the girl with rabbit ears, suggests that they become a full-fledged internet celebrity to rebuild the bureau.So the protagonist embarks on a “path to fame.” Using the game’s social media and fan systems, they continuously resolve urban incidents and build up their reputation, gradually attracting supporters, recruiting partners, and expanding their team.

In the new in-game trailer, the second city, Chongxiao, is revealed for the first time. It’s clear that this city draws inspiration from Hangzhou and Shanghai, seamlessly blending landmarks such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Bund skyline, and Wukang Road with those of Hangzhou—including West Lake, Leifeng Pagoda, and Longjing Village.In the in-game trailer, the stone pagoda in the lake corresponds to the pagoda on the mountain; the streets and alleys with white walls and black-tiled roofs; the martial arts-trained youth in a cross-collared jacket; the rain-soaked nighttime combat; and the terraced tea gardens—all of these elements correspond directly to these real-world landmarks.

What makes Chongxiao so special isn’t just the scenery—it’s the fact that it’s the protagonist’s hometown. Players aren’t visiting a陌生 city; they’re returning to a place where neighbors are like family, where hidden masters live right in the city, and where family and friends are always there to support you.

This sense of groundedness is precisely how “Zhongxiao” unfolds its gameplay.Stroll through the farmers’ market, pick tea leaves in the tea gardens, and perform a martial arts scene on a film set; skateboard on Wukang Road, take a flying car over West Lake to enjoy the panoramic view, row a boat on the lake, and explore the streets on shared bikes and electric scooters.

The combat style has also undergone a change, introducing a new Eastern martial arts style featuring swords, knives, fists, and kicks. Combined with existing mechanics—such as “picking up iron rods, disarming enemies, and shoving them into trash cans”—as well as precise dodging, blocking, counterattacks, and combos, the gameplay still delivers that “kung fu movie-style thrill.”

Beyond the gameplay showcase, the choice of January 15 of next year as the launch date for *Infinity* is also quite significant.

It is worth noting that this is one of the few of NetEase’s flagship products to launch simultaneously in China and overseas.

Unlike many other open-world games already on the market, one of the most talked-about decisions in *Infinite* was to eliminate character gacha mechanics; all characters are obtained directly through the main storyline. In-game purchases are focused on cosmetic items such as outfits, vehicle modifications, and home decorations, most of which can be bought with in-game currency and do not affect combat stats.

Judging by this in-game promotional video, the shift in the business model also signals a complete overhaul of the content production pipeline. Since there’s no longer a need to center sales around new characters, there’s no need to break content down into episodic segments on a fixed schedule centered on new characters, nor is there a need to repeatedly interrupt the narrative to accommodate character debuts.

As a result, the main storyline flows more seamlessly, the world is more fully realized, and players can immerse themselves more comfortably in a continuous urban lifestyle. The ability to “freely switch between multiple urban roles—such as police officer, hacker, and driver”—is no longer constrained by business model limitations, allowing it to better support role-playing gameplay.

From a global perspective, this choice may carry even greater significance. While the gacha model—where characters are sold through random draws—is widely accepted in Asia, many Western players are still more accustomed to a “what you see is what you get” payment model.A game that is high-quality and doesn’t rely on gacha mechanics might be better positioned to open that door—which has remained closed for years—and bring long-term, open-world games to a wider audience.