Wuthering Waves
Wuthering Waves plunges players into a striking post-apocalyptic world, blending high-octane action combat with a vast, explorable landscape. This free-to-play gacha RPG challenges players to reclaim a shattered world from mysterious threats while uncovering their own forgotten past. It promises a unique blend of fast-paced combat and deep exploration that pushes the boundaries of its genre. Wuthering Waves blends a compelling post-apocalyptic narrative with a refreshingly dynamic, combat-focused open-world experience. The game’s traversal and combat systems are designed for fluidity and tactical depth, emphasizing skill over simple power. Its development journey involved significant player feedback, showcasing a commitment to refining the game's story and mechanics.
AI Summary
Wuthering Waves plunges players into a striking post-apocalyptic world, blending high-octane action combat with a vast, explorable landscape. This free-to-play gacha RPG challenges players to reclaim a shattered world from mysterious threats while uncovering their own forgotten past. It promises a unique blend of fast-paced combat and deep exploration that pushes the boundaries of its genre.
- Wuthering Waves blends a compelling post-apocalyptic narrative with a refreshingly dynamic, combat-focused open-world experience.
- The game’s traversal and combat systems are designed for fluidity and tactical depth, emphasizing skill over simple power.
- Its development journey involved significant player feedback, showcasing a commitment to refining the game's story and mechanics.
Welcome to Solaris-3
Wuthering Waves, developed by Kuro Games, is a visually stunning free-to-play action role-playing game that launched in 2024. It invites players into a rich, open-world experience where fast-paced combat and an intricate storyline take center stage.
A World Reborn from Ruin
The game's universe is set on Solaris-3, a futuristic, post-apocalyptic planet ravaged by a cataclysmic event known as the Lament. This disaster wiped out much of humanity and unleashed terrifying entities called Tacet Discords across the land. Yet, humanity persevered, adapting and rebuilding civilization over millennia.
The Rover's Awakening
Players step into the shoes of the Rover, an amnesiac wanderer who awakens from a deep slumber with no memory of their past. Joined by a small, levitating feline companion named Abby, the Rover embarks on a perilous journey across Solaris-3, seeking answers to their origins while battling the encroaching threats.
Mastering the Flow of Battle
Unlike some of its genre counterparts, Wuthering Waves places a profound emphasis on its combat system. It's designed to be fluid, responsive, and incredibly dynamic, challenging players to master intricate skill combinations and strategic character swapping.
Dynamic Character Switching
Central to the combat are 'Intro' and 'Outro' skills, unique abilities that trigger when a character enters or leaves the battlefield. This system encourages constant tactical swapping between your chosen 'Resonators'—your recruited allies—creating a relentless, high-energy dance of attacks and defenses.
The Echo System
Adding another layer of depth is the innovative 'Echo' system, inspired by games like Pokémon. By defeating enemies, Resonators can acquire and equip their 'Echoes,' which grant them unique abilities—allowing them to briefly summon or even transform into defeated monsters—along with crucial stat boosts.
Evolving Combat Mechanics
Kuro Games continues to expand the combat experience with new features. Future updates will introduce mechanics like 'Tune Break,' where attacking enemies a certain number of times allows characters to unleash a powerful move, canceling enemy attacks and dealing significant damage, adding even more tactical depth.
Unbound Exploration
Solaris-3 is a vast open world, meticulously designed to encourage diverse forms of exploration. Players can sprint across sprawling landscapes without typical stamina limitations, fostering a sense of freedom and continuous movement.
Fluid Movement
Beyond sprinting, the game offers a rich toolkit for traversal: scaling sheer cliffs with a grappling hook, performing mid-air dodges, and gliding gracefully from towering heights. These mechanics ensure that navigating the world is as engaging as combat itself.
Evolving Travel Options
Major updates have introduced region-specific traversal innovations. Version 2.0 brought a dedicated flight module to the Rinascita region, allowing for ascent, descent, and high-speed aerial maneuvers. Version 3.0 saw the introduction of the Expedition Motorbike in Lahai-Roi, enabling high-speed ground travel and obstacle-jumping boosts.
Recruiting Resonators
At the heart of expanding your team lies the game's gacha system, featuring 'Convenes'—banners where you can obtain new Resonators and powerful weapons. These allies come in 4-star and 5-star rarities, each bringing unique skills and personalities to your squad.
The system includes Novice, Event, and Standard Convenes. Event Convenes are time-limited, offering exclusive rate-up Resonators or weapons that rotate with version updates. A 'pity system' ensures that 5-star items are guaranteed within a set number of pulls, making the gacha feel more forgiving than many other titles.
A Story Forged by Feedback
Wuthering Waves underwent several closed beta tests, and its development journey highlights a strong commitment to player feedback. Notably, the game's story content was extensively reworked after the first beta in response to players finding the initial narrative 'uncomfortable,' demonstrating a willingness to refine core elements.
Influences and Ambitions
Initially inspired by the desolate landscapes of Death Stranding, the developers aimed to create a post-apocalyptic world blending old and new civilizations. Combat mechanics drew inspiration from Kuro Games' own Punishing: Gray Raven, and the Echo system from Pokémon. While often compared to Genshin Impact, Wuthering Waves strives to differentiate itself by placing a greater emphasis on its intricate combat system.
Critical Acclaim and Player Praise
Despite a few initial launch challenges, Wuthering Waves quickly earned praise from both critics and players. Its refreshing combat system, expansive open world, and fluid movement mechanics were widely applauded. The 'forgiving' gacha system also stood out as a positive aspect, contributing to a generally positive reception.
The Fractsidus: A Different Vision
Standing in opposition to the Rover and humanity are the Fractsidus, a mysterious secret organization. They don't see the Lament as an apocalypse to be averted, but rather a necessary step for the evolution and improvement of humanity across Solaris-3. Their goal: to intensify the next and final Lament, which they call the 'True Lament.'
An Epic Unfolding
The overarching narrative of Wuthering Waves revolves around the Rover's quest to slowly uncover their fragmented past and true origins. As they traverse the diverse regions of Solaris-3, they encounter a vibrant cast of allies and formidable enemies, each encounter weaving new threads into the tapestry of their journey.
A Glimpse into the Beginning
The prologue casts the Rover, an amnesiac, into Solaris-3 from a 'primordial soup' by a mysterious entity. Landing near Jinzhou, they are quickly befriended by local rangers Yangyang and Chixia, and researcher Baizhi. The Rover soon discovers their unique ability to absorb the 'Echoes' of Tacet Discords, gaining their powers—a gift that will prove crucial to their destiny.
Jinzhou's Trials and Revelations
In the early chapters, the Rover arrives in Jinzhou, the central human city of the Huanglong region. There, they are tested by Jinhsi, the enigmatic Magistrate, to see if they are the prophesied 'Arbiter' capable of defending humanity. This leads to a climactic battle against the Threnodian of War, where the Rover, alongside General Jiyan, decisively proves their pivotal role in averting immediate disaster.
Unveiling Ancient Truths
Further into the story, the Rover delves into the frozen Mt. Firmament, dwelling place of the dying Sentinel Jue. It is here that the shocking truth is revealed: Jue was once the Rover's loyal servant in a bygone era, patiently awaiting their return. Through the Magistrate Jinhsi, the Sentinel's power and legacy are inherited, stabilizing time and cementing Jinhsi's role as a true leader, independent of divine authority.
Reclaiming a Legacy
The journey eventually leads the Rover to the hidden organization known as the Black Shores, who revere the Rover as their 'Master.' Here, it's revealed that the Rover, in their forgotten past, was a supreme authority on Solaris-3, responsible for creating the Tethys System—a supercomputer safeguarding the planet. The Rover must then reclaim their legacy and save the system from corruption, reaffirming their profound connection to the world's fate.
Article
Wuthering Waves
Wuthering Waves (Chinese: 鸣潮; pinyin: Míng Cháo; lit. 'Sound Tide') is a 2024 free-to-play open world gacha action role-playing game developed and published by Kuro Games.
Revealed on March 23, 2022, it was initially inspired by Death Stranding, with the aim to create a post-apocalyptic world where players can experience the fusion of new and old civilizations. The game developers drew inspiration from various sources, including Punishing: Gray Raven for its combat mechanics, as well as the Pokémon games for its echo system. Wuthering Waves has been compared to other titles of the genre such as Genshin Impact, but aims to place greater emphasis on its combat system compared to its predecessors. The game was released for Android, iOS and Windows devices on May 23 (May 22 in the United States), 2024, followed by PlayStation 5 in January 2025, macOS in March 2025, and Xbox Series X/S in July 2026.
Gameplay
Wuthering Waves
Gameplay screenshot showing character Yangyang engaging in a fight
Wuthering Waves is set in an open world. The player controls the protagonist Rover, as well as recruited allies called Resonators, which are split into 4-star and 5-star rarities. The endgame content features modes where characters can be used in a series of combat challenges.
The game's gacha system features banners known as Convenes, where Resonators and Weapons can be obtained. There are three types of Convenes: novice, event, and standard. Event Convenes are limited-time banners distinct from the permanent standard pool. They typically feature rate-up exclusive Resonators or weapons and rotate periodically as part of version updates. A pity system guarantees that 5-star items are obtained within a set amount of pulls.
The game features a large open world on the planet Solaris-3, with traversal mechanics designed to support various forms of exploration. Players can sprint across open fields without consuming stamina, though it drains during combat, wall-running or climbing. Additional movement options include scaling sheer walls and cliffs with the grappling hook, performing mid-air dodges and parries, and gliding from heights.
In addition, the game features region-specific traversal mechanics introduced in major updates. Version 2.0 introduced a flight module in the Rinascita region, featuring a dedicated stamina system that enables aerial movement such as ascent, descent, high-speed dives, and Ultra Flight Boost. The feature was later expanded to areas of Huanglong, including Jinzhou and the Black Shores.
In version 3.0, the Expedition Motorbike was introduced in the Lahai-Roi region as a primary ground vehicle, enabling high-speed travel, obstacle-jumping boosts powered by an energy system, adaptive grappling, and limited autopilot functionality on designated routes.
The game's combat system features Intro and Outro skills; Intro skills are triggered when the characters enter combat and Outro skills are triggered when the characters leave combat. Both skills are triggered when the characters are switched. In December 2025, a new combat feature got introduced adding more depth into the gameplay. After attacking enemies for a certain amount of times, they enter a special state. In this state characters can perform Tune Break dealing damage and canceling the attack of the enemy.
Resonators may acquire and equip Echoes from defeating enemies in the open world or in areas called Tacet Fields, completing quests, or participating in events, granting them abilities which summon or transform characters into monsters briefly and providing resonators with stats that increase their HP and/or damage.
Plot
Wuthering Waves
The game is set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic world of Solaris-3. A catastrophe called the Lament wiped out most of humanity in Solaris-3 and caused unknown beings and monsters, called Tacet Discords, to appear. Over millennia, Solaris-3 underwent multiple Laments including regional Laments, and over time, humanity adapted to the threat and rebuilt civilization. Solaris-3 is divided into regions, with at least three nations introduced in the game: Huanglong, composed of seven cities each guarded by supernatural beings called Sentinels, Rinascita, a confederation of city-states governed by competing governing bodies, and Lahai-Roi, an underground tribal nation that houses a technologically advanced mechanoid called Exostrider.
The story follows the Rover, an amnesiac wanderer who has awakened from a deep slumber and sets out to explore this new world. The player takes the role of the Rover, either the male or the female iteration depending on the player's choice, as the protagonist of the game. They would be shortly thereafter joined by a companion named Abby, a small, levitating cat-like being who regularly communicates with others as they journey throughout the world in search of their past and origins. Shortly after, the Rover realizes that their previous iteration led an organization known as the Black Shores, whose goal is to combat against Threnodians and Tacet Discords that plague Solaris-3.
The game's main antagonists are the Fractsidus, a secret organization whose goal is to intensify the next and last Lament, which they call the True Lament. They view the Lament not as an apocalyptic event but as a step necessary for the evolution and improvement of humanity all over Solaris-3. Owing to their own perspective regarding the state and the fate of humanity, the organization is responsible for multiple attacks of varying scale all over Solaris-3.
Development
Wuthering Waves
Wuthering Waves is developed by the Guangzhou-based studio Kuro Games. It is directed by Solon Lee. It was first revealed in May 2022 with cinematic and teaser trailers. It was announced for iOS on March 25, 2024.
The game underwent two closed beta tests, with the second concluding in March 2024. After the first closed beta test, the story content was largely reworked in response to player feedback that it felt "uncomfortable".
On March 29, 2024, it was announced that Wuthering Waves was to be released on iOS, Android, and PC via the Epic Games Store in late May. In May 2024, it was announced that Wuthering Waves will be available via the Mac App Store in the future. Also from May of 2024, they upgraded to Unreal Engine 5 to upgrade out of Unreal Engine 4 in order to safely transition out of the older game engine. On March 21, 2025, it was announced that the game will be released via Steam on April 29, 2025.
The PlayStation 5 version was released on January 2, 2025, with version 2.0, and the Mac version was released on March 27, 2025. An Xbox Series X/S version was released in July 2026.
Reception
Critical response
According to review aggregator Metacritic, Wuthering Waves received "mixed or average" reviews for the iOS and Windows version, and "generally favorable" reviews for the PlayStation 5 version. 80% of critics recommended the game according to OpenCritic.
Wuthering Waves had over 30 million pre-registered users from over 100 regions and initially launched to a mixed reception with some positive feedback. While some players pointed out some issues at the game's launch, others praised the game, saying it had the "best gameplay" among gacha games. Within its first week, it became the most downloaded in 100 regions. Some players were able to access unreleased content by changing the system clock. Other bugs included animation errors, such as issues with character movement. Some players who attempted to launch the game from the Epic Games store were met with a screen that read "Fatal Error", with a guide later being published on how to fix the issue.
At the same time, critics said that the generous rewards in Lustrous Tides currency made up for these bugs. On May 23, 2024, Kuro Games issued an apology to players and promised that players would receive in-game rewards as compensation for the game's issues. When patch 1.0.19 was released on May 29, a bug was found that caused the game's audio to become delayed or be removed altogether. Guides were later released on how to fix both bugs.
Despite the rocky launch, critics and the overall playerbase praised Wuthering Waves for its "refreshing" combat system, open world, and movement mechanics alongside its "forgiving" gacha system.
Commercial performance
In a September 2025 interview at Gamescom, Tencent senior vice president Steven Ma highlighted the game's sustained success, stating that Wuthering Waves was one of only six new titles from the preceding year to surpass Tencent's internal "Evergreen Game Revenue Line" benchmark (常青游戏收入线). Ma identified the six games as Zenless Zone Zero, Wuthering Waves, Love and Deepspace, Helldivers 2, Black Myth: Wukong, and Delta Force.
Ma explained that Tencent monitors approximately 70 global evergreen games meeting strict criteria for long-term viability (defined by Tencent as surpassing an average quarterly DAU of 5 million for mobile or 2 million for PC, while generating over RMB 4 billion or ~$550–600 million in annual gross receipts). Around 5 to 6 titles drop from this list annually. This recognition from Tencent indicates Wuthering Waves's achievement of sustained commercial performance in a competitive live-service and gacha-dominated market.
Accolades
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Award</th><th>Category</th><th>Result</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="7">2024</td><td rowspan="2">Pocket Gamer Mobile Games Awards</td><td>Best Audio / Visual Accomplishment</td><td>Won</td><td rowspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td>Game of the Year</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Galaxy Award</td><td>Best Science-Fiction Game</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">The Game Awards 2024</td><td>Best Mobile Game</td><td>Nominated</td><td rowspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td>Players' Voice</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>TapTap Game Awards</td><td>Player's Choice</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sensor Tower APAC Awards</td><td>Best Open World Adventure Game</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="7">2025</td><td>28th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards</td><td>Mobile Game of the Year</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">The Game Awards 2025</td><td>Best Mobile Game</td><td>Nominated</td><td rowspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td>Players' Voice</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Google Play's best apps, books and games of 2025</td><td>Best Ongoing</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>16th Hollywood Music in Media Awards</td><td>Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Original Song in a Video Game</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">PlayStation Partner Awards</td><td>Partner Award</td><td>Won</td><td rowspan="2"></td></tr><tr><td>Users’ Choice Award</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="3">2026</td><td rowspan="3">Taipei Game Show Game Star Award</td><td>Gold Award (Console Game)</td><td>Won</td><td rowspan="3"></td></tr><tr><td>Gold Award (Mobile Game)</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Gold Award (PC Game)</td><td>Won</td></tr></tbody></table>
Other media
Wuthering Waves
An donghua series, titled Wuthering Waves: Elysium, was announced on July 18, 2026.