Lore & World

Ananta is Sanskrit for 'without end' / 'infinite'. The original codename, Project Mugen, used the Japanese 無限 with the same meaning.

Nova City (formally Nova Inception Urbs) is a Manhattan-scale, Japanese-influenced coastal metropolis: dense skyscrapers, neon arteries, beaches, parks, industrial belts, leisure districts. NetEase has stated further interconnected cities — with European and American influences — are planned beyond the launch city.

Chaos is the in-fiction term for the supernatural force seeping into Nova City's everyday life. Local manifestations have been referred to as 'Maniac Chaos' — a term from the Project Mugen era rather than NetEase's current press copy — ranging from the absurd (a toilet racing through traffic, named in the December 5, 2024 press release) to the dangerous (traffic-jam outbreaks).

Espers — also titled Infinite Triggers — are humans whose abilities draw on the same Chaos energy the A.C.D. exists to suppress. Several confirmed playable characters are Espers; the Captain holds the highest in-fiction designation among them.

The Anti-Chaos Directorate (A.C.D.) is the institutional response to Chaos outbreaks. At the start of the game the Task Force has been broken up; the Captain arrives in Nova City to rebuild it and recruit Taffy as the first new member.

The Captain takes command of the restructured A.C.D. Task Force, investigates Chaos incidents across Nova City, distinguishes ordered from malicious Chaos, recruits new members, and slowly uncovers their own identity in the process. Sourced from the NetEase September 22, 2025 press release plus the September 24, 2025 official gameplay video.

The organisations the official reveals have surfaced so far — player-side, municipal and criminal.

• Anti-Chaos Directorate (A.C.D.)

  Institutional answer to Chaos outbreaks in Nova City. The Task Force was broken up before the game starts; the Captain arrives to rebuild it. Taffy joins as the first new member, then Richie and Seymour. Confirmed by NetEase press releases (December 2024, September 2025) and anantagame.com landing copy.

• Nova City Crime Agency (N.C.C.A.)

  Richie's original employer before joining the A.C.D. Task Force under the Captain's lead. Director: Lykaia. Confirmed by official social posts and the September 22, 2025 NetEase press release.

• Yeet Squad

  Joined by Taffy and the Captain as founding members. The squad is the in-fiction frame around Taffy's delivery progression loop. Confirmed by the September 2025 NetEase press kit and anantagame.com character profiles.

• Cat Express

  Linked to Taffy through her day-job loop. Confirmed by anantagame.com character lore.

• DK9

  Appears in the September 22, 2025 NetEase TGS gameplay trailer as an antagonist faction.

• Swift Wind Biker Gang

  Shown at Tokyo Game Show 2025. Not yet detailed in a NetEase press release.

• Black Metal Crew

  Shown at Tokyo Game Show 2025. Not yet detailed in a NetEase press release.

• Malice

  Shown at Tokyo Game Show 2025. Not yet detailed in a NetEase press release.

• Eonbug

  Reportedly Seymour's original affiliation, and shown at Tokyo Game Show 2025. Not yet detailed in a NetEase press release.

Naked Rain, published by NetEase Games. An internal studio created specifically for Ananta, operating as a sub-entity of Hangzhou NetEase Thunderfire Technology Co., Ltd. Offices in Hangzhou (HQ) and Montréal.

Lead producer: Ash Qi. Primary spokesperson for Ananta at Tokyo Game Show 2025 and across the major international interviews that month. Cites Prototype/Prototype 2, Marvel's Spider-Man, Sleeping Dogs, Yakuza, Sifu, the Batman: Arkham series, GTA, Marvel's Avengers and Uncharted as design inspirations, alongside Jackie Chan / Hong Kong action cinema for the close-quarters combat choreography.

Engine: Unity. Producer Ash Qi confirmed Unity at the Tokyo Game Show 2025 interview cycle (the build is described as a heavily-optimised Unity project). This contradicts pre-TGS rumours that placed the project on Unreal Engine 5. Naked Rain's parent — Thunder Fire Studio — has a long Unity track record, which is consistent with the choice.