NetEase GamesWhere Winds Meet devs have been blown away by its popularity, and the response from global players diving into the free-to-play Soulslike.
The game has become one of the biggest breakout hits of the year, racking up nine million players in just two weeks and hitting an all-time Steam peak of 251,008 concurrent players on November 23, 2025. It secured a spot on Dexerto’s Best Games of the Year list, joining the likes of Clair Obscur and Hades 2.
Developed by Everstone Studio, Where Winds Meet blends freeform exploration with high-flying martial arts movement, mythic storytelling, and a social ecosystem. Players can sprint across water, glide through the air, parry in Sekiro-style duels, and uncover mysteries across a sprawling ancient China.
It’s this blend of stylish combat, freedom, and worldbuilding that has attracted a massive worldwide audience, and its developers say this global success has surprised them.
WWM devs blown away by global launch
Speaking to FRVR, Lead Producer Beralt Lyu said the team expected the game to find fans, but nothing close to this. “We hoped it would find its audience, the players who would love the freedom and mystery we tried to create,” he said. “But nine million players in two weeks… that number has honestly blown all our internal expectations out of the water.”
The sudden surge in popularity has also transformed the atmosphere inside the China-based studio, with the team soaking up their new global success. “The mood in the studio is hard to put into words,” Lyu continued. “There’s definitely pride and excitement. Seeing years of hard work resonate with so many people is a feeling like no other.”
NetEase GamesLyu said that excitement comes with a new weight of expectation, but added that watching players share combat clips, lore theories, and martial-arts mastery online has been its own reward.
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“Seeing players share their stories, master the martial arts, and dive into the lore on social media…it’s incredibly motivating and incredibly humbling at the same time.”
As for what’s next, Where Winds Meet content updates aren’t slowing down as a new region arrives on December 11, which is said to cover nearly a third of Kaifeng. If that wasn’t enough, the mobile version launches the very next day on December 12, allowing new and existing players to experience the game on the go.