Where Winds Meet wrapped a major story arc this month. Version 2.2, subtitled Perilous Eminence, released on September 16 and concludes the main storyline of the Hidden Mountain expansion, alongside other events and a new game mode. It's the third expansion NetEase has shipped since the wuxia open-world title's global debut last November, following Hexi and Imperial Palace, and closing it out properly matters for a game whose narrative momentum has been a big part of its appeal.
From Hidden Mountain's midpoint to its finale
Version 2.1, Clouded Revelation, had set up the finale on August 20, continuing the Hidden Mountain arc's story threads roughly a month before Perilous Eminence brought them to a close. That two-patch structure — a build-up update followed by a conclusion — has become NetEase's go-to rhythm for expansion-scale content in Where Winds Meet, giving the story room to breathe rather than dumping an entire arc in one release.
With Hidden Mountain's main story now finished, attention shifts to what comes next for the expansion cycle — NetEase hasn't detailed the follow-up arc yet, but the pattern set by Hexi and Imperial Palace suggests another region-scale expansion is the likely next step rather than a pause in major content.
Vietnam launch and a growing global footprint
Where Winds Meet also expanded its reach this month, launching in Vietnam on September 10 with full localization and cross-platform play, delivered through a partnership with Funtap Games for local server support and creator programs. It's a notable market for NetEase to prioritize, and it comes on the back of genuinely strong global numbers: the game has built a player base of roughly 100 million since its November 14 PC and PlayStation 5 debut, followed by mobile in December and Xbox Series X/S in June.
The game also picked up Best Mobile Game honors at gamescom 2026, a reminder that despite launching first on PC and console, its mobile release has become a core part of its identity and reach.
Where things stand right now:
- September 16 — Version 2.2 "Perilous Eminence": concludes Hidden Mountain's main story, adds new events and a game mode.
- September 10 — Vietnam launch via Funtap Games, with full localization and cross-platform play.
- Global footprint — roughly 100 million players across PC, PlayStation 5, mobile, and Xbox Series X/S; Best Mobile Game at gamescom 2026.
- Expansions so far — Hexi, Imperial Palace, and now a completed Hidden Mountain.
For a game barely a year removed from its global launch, wrapping a third full expansion arc while simultaneously opening a new regional market is an aggressive pace to sustain. It's also a fairly clear signal of where NetEase sees Where Winds Meet's ceiling: not as a one-region hit, but as a genuinely global wuxia title still adding both story and territory.
The next thing worth watching is what fills the gap Hidden Mountain's conclusion leaves behind — and whether NetEase can keep pairing new expansions with new markets at the same clip it's managed so far.
