One would not expect there to be much crossover between fans of the smash-hit animated film KPop Demon Hunters and the upcoming, satire-filled, extremely violent Grand Theft Auto 6. Yet, as much as the two are diametrically opposed in relation to their main themes, style, and content, they’re both immensely enjoyable, and the potential for crossover is far greater than one might imagine.
Indeed, there are already numerous games like KPop Demon Hunters, with several more on the horizon that are attempting to implement GTA-esque features into their core gameplay. One such example is an upcoming entirely free-to-play title that has been highly anticipated for quite some time. It’s noteworthy not simply because of its similarities to GTA 6 and KPop Demon Hunters, but also because of its unique monetization method that all but forgoes the expected predatory gacha systems we’re all accustomed to.
KPop Demon Hunters Collides With GTA 6
It is understandable, as we all eagerly anticipate Rockstar’s latest game and desperately try to avoid the new GTA 6 gameplay leaks, to turn to potential competitors to satiate our appetites. While there are very few games that truly capture the GTA spirit (let alone combine it with KPop Demon Hunters), there are a handful looming on the horizon, including our aforementioned free open-world title, that look particularly promising.
Set to launch after the recently released and similarly free game like GTA, NTE: Neverness to Everness, Ananta is the latest anime-inspired Grand Theft Auto clone to attempt to dethrone Rockstar’s iconic series as the greatest urban open-world game of all time. While NTE certainly made a splash, Ananta has the potential to truly compete with GTA Online as it’s doing something few other titles within its genre are.
Of course, anyone who has watched any of Ananta’s trailers will have seen how it is merging together ideas and mechanics from several IPs, KPop Demon Hunters included. It has Spider-Man’s swinging, GTA’s driving, open-world, life sim elements, and combat, Genshin Impact’s penchant for cute anime characters, KPop Demon Hunters’ aesthetic and expressiveness, and Uncharted’s cinematic set pieces and dramatic moments. In theory, the combining of all of these elements could end up making Ananta truly massive, as could its surprisingly fair approach to monetization.
Ananta Could Be Absolutely Massive
There are so many of these single-player-focused live-service anime games competing with one another, and many that are now attempting to move into the urban open-world space and mimic GTA Online. However, what sets Ananta apart is its approach to monetization. While NTE attempted to make its gacha mechanics a little fairer, Ananta is removing them altogether. Characters will no longer be unlocked by grinding pulls, but instead are handed out during the main story.
What will cost money are cosmetic items. Clothes will still be purchasable with in-game currency, but premium outfits and the like will cost real-world money. With cosmetics being entirely optional and having no real bearing on one’s enjoyment of the gameplay, this makes Ananta a truly free-to-play and, crucially, enjoyable experience. That absolutely has the potential to see it dethrone not just the likes of Genshin Impact, but also GTA Online, which relies heavily on its expensive microtransactions.
Of course, it remains to be seen just how successful Ananta is when it launches on PC, PS5, and mobile devices. However, I suspect that, much like NTE, Ananta is catering to an audience that is sorely lacking in new experiences. With the deal of Watch Dogs, GTA has had no real competition for years, and the urban open-world experience has been criminally overlooked. Ananta stands to benefit greatly from the absence of GTA-likes, and will almost certainly become a smash hit as a result.
- Released
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0000
- Developer(s)
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Naked Rain
