Summary
- NetEase announced Floatopia, a new life sim that gives off some serious Animal Crossing vibes.
- Floatopia is currently targeting a 2025 launch for PC and consoles.
- The game has seemingly been envisioned as a free-to-play experience with gacha mechanics.
Chinese gaming giant NetEase has taken to Gamescom 2024 to announce its latest title, Floatopia. The newly unveiled game promises to expand the selection of Animal Crossing-like life sims on both PC and consoles.
The 2024 edition of Gamescom officially opens its doors on August 21. As is tradition, an Opening Night Live announcement show hosted by Geoff Keighley was held just ahead of the convention, in the evening hours of August 20.
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NetEase Reveals Floating Island Life Sim Floatopia
One of the many titles featured during the two-hour show was Floatopia, a new life simulation from NetEase. The game was revealed with a three-minute trailer that opens on a character casually informing the audience that the world has ended, which isn't ideal, but at least means that they don't have to go to work. Instead, the narrator invites them to spend the rest of their days chilling on some adorable floating islands situated on top of giant animal-shaped balloons.
Floatopia Looks Like Animal Crossing: New Horizons With a Storyline
Floatopia promises to offer a wide variety of activities, ranging from island decoration and logging to fishing and farming. Players will also be able to build and decorate their island homes, NetEase said. Between that and its colorful art style, Floatopia is giving off some serious Animal Crossing: New Horizons vibes. But unlike Nintendo's hit life sim, this title will have some kind of storyline revolving around superpowers and uncovering "the truth" about its universe. To that end, players will visit a whole array of varied worlds inspired by different cultures and geographies.
Floatopia Pre-Registrations Are Now Open
While details about superpowers are still a bit slim, NetEase hinted at some of them being used to change in-game weather and uncover new flora and fauna. Aside from the ability to terraform islands to one's heart's content, players will also have access to a robust character customization system allowing them to switch up their wardrobe and accessories. Floatopia will also offer some sort of multiplayer functionality, which the developer says will be entirely optional. NetEase is currently allowing players to pre-register their interest in the game via Floatopia's official website.
The upcoming life sim is currently targeting a 2025 release. NetEase said that the game is in development for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC. Floatopia seems to have been envisioned as a free-to-play experience that will be monetized via gacha mechanics. That's suggested by its list of pre-release bonuses, which promises that all players will receive ten "Gacha Tickets" as a reward for the game hitting 20 million pre-registrations. It's still unclear which aspect(s) of the life sim will be monetized, though clothing items and decorations seem like fairly obvious candidates for Floatopia's gacha system.
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