Ananta developers weigh in on GTA 6 comparisons there are still very many
key differences between us

Date:
Wed, 03 Dec 2025 10:24:06 +0000

Description:
We dive into the world of the upcoming open-world game Ananta with the team
at developer Naked Rain.

FULL STORY

With more than fifteen million pre-registrations and counting, Ananta is
easily one of the most anticipated upcoming releases. This free-to-play adventure wowed with its most recent gameplay trailer , which showed off more than seven minutes of in-game footage set against the backdrop of its huge, colorful open world.

Featuring glimpses of everything from Watch Dogs- style drone piloting and Yakuza beat-em-up combat to Marvels Spider-Man - esque aerial traversal and stealth, it looks like a complete smorgasbord of fun mechanics that I simply cant wait to master.

Ananta has also drawn plenty of comparisons with Grand Theft Auto 6 , with fans pointing out the apparent similarities in its driving mechanics, the way in which you switch between its range of playable characters, and the overall concept of a life-like virtual world. Legend has it that GTA 6 was postponed out of fear of competing with Ananta , reads one of the highest-rated
comments on its memorable State of Play appearance.

Its an amusing, tongue-in-cheek remark, but it got me thinking: does
developer Naked Rain truly envision these two titanic experiences living side by side when other studios have reportedly been shifting schedules around to avoid competing with Rockstars next release?

We really appreciate the comparison to GTA 6 , the team told me in a recent written interview. We believe they can certainly coexist. Although both [ Ananta and GTA 6 ] fall into the urban open-world genre, there are still very many key differences between us, from the art style and character stories to many other aspects.

Perhaps one of the most obvious points of divergence is the design of Anatas world. Its set in a modern city too, but one of a particularly East Asian
bent. We noticed that many city-themed games currently on the market are modeled on American cities like Los Angeles or New York, the developers explained.

Since there are still very few games set in Asia, we wanted to create a game that captures the essence of modern Asian urban life and share it with the world.

Right now, theres just one city in the game, they say, which remains
incomplete in its current incarnation but will be expanded gradually over
time. Theres also the possibility of new maps being added, which are set to include renditions of more iconic locations across Asia.

While the Grand Theft Auto series has always pursued photorealism, Ananta is substantially more stylized with cel-shaded visuals reminiscent of animation. The reasoning behind this is simple and, according to Naked Rain, many
members of the team are fans of anime. So there may be a desire to bring
these anime-style worlds to life and deliver them to a global audience.

Dont be fooled by the cartoony aesthetic, though; the world in Ananta is far from artificial. One of the most interesting moments in the games trailer
shows the player assuming control of a different character - the camera pans out overhead before smoothly zooming back in to reveal the other protagonist cruising onto the scene in a flashy sports car.

It feels reminiscent of the character select system in GTA 5 that would play short cutscenes with each switch, giving the impression that you were interrupting the characters everyday life. Its taken further in Ananta , however, where the developers explain that when you switch to a different character, your original character continues to live their own life.

As you transition between characters, youll witness the progression of their lives and can pick up from where they left off, they add. Our goal is to
design a system that is unique compared to other RPGs, where diverse people
and professions coexist in cities. It comes as part of a commitment to create distinct personas rather than just simple characters for players to control.

This ties into the studios overall intentions for the project, too. Since the beginning, our vision has remained unchanged, the team reveals. Our goal is
to create a game that surpasses players' imaginations, allowing them to experience a virtual, fantastical life in an open world. With this in mind,
its not just important but essential that players are able to fully engage
with the lives of each character as they face different kinds of challenges.

You might be concerned that a free-to-play business model could compromise
the integrity of this vision, but the team is careful to assure me that they
do not plan to implement character gacha mechanics and that while Ananta
will operate as a free-to-play game, the monetization will primarily focus on character skins.

At the heart of this game is the experience of living a character's life.
While reality limits us to one life, here you can enjoy as many unique lives
as there are characters to embody, they reiterate. To fully embrace this
[...] we want players to freely choose characters and explore diverse life paths - this is precisely why we designed character acquisition without
gacha.

Other customization elements will include upgrades for your characters homes and vehicles, which can all be acquired using in-game currency.

Although theres no firm release window yet, Ananta is set to launch on PC, PlayStation 5 , and mobile. Ill certainly be watching closely for updates as its development progresses; hopefully, there wont be too long a wait.

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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/gaming/ananta-developer-interview

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