Where Winds Meet: a Chinese martial arts fantasy open world with rope darts, hidden stories, and free content is almost here

Where Winds Meet is quietly turning into one of the most promising Eastern-style action RPGs on the horizon. In a new deep dive, the developers have shown much more of what to expect when the game launches on November 14. Set in 10th-century China, this open-world action RPG leans heavily into wuxia traditions. Where Winds Meet is a wuxia game – a Chinese martial arts fantasy genre with legendary sword masters, wall-running, gravity-defying leaps, and a slightly mythical tone. All of that is wrapped in free-roaming exploration, layered storytelling and a full slate of free in-game content. The title is coming worldwide to PC and PlayStation 5, with preload starting on November 12.

According to the team, the core idea behind Where Winds Meet is to let players “live out their own wuxia story” in a world inspired by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. You play a young swordsman seeking the truth about his origins in a realm falling into chaos, while rival factions, legendary warriors and court intrigue pull you in different directions. The world is open, and your choices impact not just side quests but larger narrative arcs as well.

Combat is designed to channel the feel of classic wuxia movies. You’ll wield swords, spears, Mo blades, rope darts, and even umbrellas or fans, each with its own rhythm and tactical role. Your build can be tailored through 12 martial arts “sets” and 23 mystical techniques, while the animations and movement were supervised by none other than multiple Hong Kong Film Award–winning action choreographer Stephen Tung Wai. The latest showcase spotlights the rope dart, a weapon built around the idea that “softness overcomes hardness”: with agile, flowing moves you can unbalance bigger, tougher enemies and keep multiple foes under pressure at once.

The story opens in the seemingly peaceful region of Qinghe, where the protagonist is raised by Aunt Han and Uncle Jiang – a makeshift family and emotional anchor for the journey to come. During a local festival, a mysterious stranger steals the jade pendant the hero has worn since childhood, triggering a chain of events that leads first to the enigmatic Evercare Clinic and then to something far larger and darker. From there, the narrative gradually pulls you toward Kaifeng, the beating heart of civilization and the imperial capital of the time.

Qinghe itself is an ideal starting ground: quiet villages, rolling plains, caves, ruins steeped in legend and ghost stories await those who don’t rush headlong into big-city intrigue. Beneath the surface, though, lie hidden cave networks, forgotten martial arts techniques and strange happenings – there’s talk, for example, of a troublemaker disguised as a wanderer, accused of torching wasp nests and stealing horses. Kaifeng, by contrast, is all noise and bustle: a huge, living city with more than ten thousand NPCs, each with their own routines and motivations. You can trade, duel, or befriend people across the city; the elite Revelry Hall, the busy markets and the shadowy Ghostly Market all hold their own stories and decisions. With over 1,200 cultural relics to collect, exploration doubles as an interactive museum tour of ancient China.

The narrative is split into two layers: a “visible” main storyline that follows the hero’s journey across clearly defined chapters, and a more hidden, fragmented backstory that you piece together from details in the world. A beggar by the roadside, a book found in an abandoned room or a seemingly insignificant item can all contain clues about the protagonist’s true identity or a conspiracy stretching deep into imperial power struggles. The developers explicitly encourage players to slow down, pay attention and not just follow quest markers.

The game’s structure is flexible as well. Where Winds Meet can be played start to finish as a full single-player experience, letting you wander its 100+ hours of story and open-world content entirely on your own. On top of that, there’s an optional online layer: up to three friends can join your world, turning the adventure into four-player co-op, and there are MMO-flavoured activities such as raid-like challenges and larger-scale encounters for those who enjoy fighting and exploring in a group. For players already planning to tackle this Chinese martial arts fantasy with a party, it’s worth noting that GIKU is gearing up for launch as well – you’ll be able to look for Where Winds Meet teammates on our platform.

Just as important: all core content in Where Winds Meet will be free to play. The full world, main story, side modes and campaigns are accessible without paywalls; monetization focuses on cosmetics rather than slicing up gameplay. Post-launch support will arrive in the form of themed seasons, some pushing the main narrative forward, others adding new modes or time-limited events. The first of these is called Blade Out. At release, players will receive a generous reward bundle: three exclusive outfits and several cosmetic bonuses are granted right away, with additional progression-based rewards unlocked through play.

Where Winds Meet launches globally on November 14 for PC and PS5, with preload going live on November 12 at 23:00 CET. For anyone who’s been missing a large-scale, Eastern-flavoured, martial arts–driven open world RPG – whether to play solo or in co-op with friends – this one is shaping up to be a serious contender.

Sources:
– PlayStation Blog – Where Winds Meet: dive deeper into gameplay and story details
– Steam – Where Winds Meet
– Official site – Where Winds Meet
– NetEase Games – Where Winds Meet launches November 14, 2025