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Varsapura

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Varsapura
DevelopermiHoYo
Publishers
  • CHN: miHoYo
  • WW: HoYoverse
ProducerCai Haoyu
EngineUnreal Engine 5
ReleaseTBA
GenresOpen world, role-playing
ModeSingle-player

Varsapura[a] is an upcoming open-world role-playing video game developed and published by miHoYo. Set in a metropolis infused with supernatural elements, the game is produced by miHoYo co-founder Cai Haoyu.

Setting

Varsapura is an open-world role-playing video game set in a city characterized by supernatural phenomena.[1] Varsapura translates to "Rain City" from the Sanskrit words varṣā (rain) and pura (city or town). The name is a linguistic blend on singa (lion) and pura, the Sanskrit root for Singapore meaning "Lion City."[2] The gameplay trailer shows the protagonist, "Hollowone," completing an assessment to join a mysterious organization known as the Supernatural Enforcement and Administration League (SEAL), driving through the city with another character, Sayuki, and entering an “inner world” to battle monstrous enemies.[3][4] In the trailer, the protagonist wields an umbrella-shaped weapon while Sayuki fights using stacks of documents. Players can switch between characters and employ stealth mechanics to assassinate enemies.[5][6] The trailer's description also notes that the protagonist's appearance will vary based on each player's preferences.[7]

Development and release

The game is produced by miHoYo co-founder Cai Haoyu, with development contributions from teams in Shanghai, Singapore, Los Angeles, Montreal, and other regions.[8] Unlike previous miHoYo titles, Varsapura adopts a more realistic visual style, though character faces retain anime-inspired features.[3][9] The city environments are primarily modeled on Singapore's city streets[2] as well as some skyscrapers of Shanghai, while the character designs take inspiration not from miHoYo's typical cel-shaded aesthetic but from the visual style of the company's virtual streamer Lumi.[7][8] Varsapura is also miHoYo's first game developed using Unreal Engine 5.[7]

On 21 November 2025, miHoYo published a 31-minute gameplay video, showing its exploration and battle system with three playable characters.[10] A specific release date has not yet been announced.[11][4]

Reception

Pre-release

Kotaku's Ethan Gach described the game as resembling a psychological thriller more than a traditional fantasy or science-fiction title.[7] Austin Wood of GamesRadar+ wrote that although the game maintains an anime-influenced look, it is "smoother and more subdued," and that compared with the "sprawling chaos" of Ananta, Varsapura presents a more "focused" gameplay experience.[1] PC Gamer's Mollie Taylor praised the combat system and supernatural mystery elements but criticized the character faces as "cheap" and "plasticky," arguing that giving a realistically proportioned female character "a pair of giant twinkling eyes" creates a weird juxtaposition.[9] All three reviewers noted visual similarities between Varsapura and Control.[9][1][7]

Notes

  1. ↑ Chinese: 雨雾之都; pinyin: Yǔwù zhī Dū; lit. 'City of Rain and Mist'

References

  1. 1 2 3 Austin, Wood (2025-11-21). "After 4 years, Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail dev's mystery game seemingly revealed to be the open-world game Varsapura, in a trailer that screams Control so loud I'd bet Remedy heard it in Finland". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  2. 1 2 Aloysius Low (25 November 2025). "Varsapura or Singapura? Genshin Impact developer HoYoverse's newest game features familiar Singapore streets". cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com. Singapore: CNA. Archived from the original on 25 November 2025. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
  3. 1 2 Shi, Chenlu (2025-11-21). "《原神》制作人新作公布实机，AI+游戏有多少可能？". Shangguan News (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  4. 1 2 "Varsapura - Official Gameplay Video". IGN. 2025-11-21.
  5. ↑ Fields, Sarah (2025-11-21). "Genshin Impact Developer HoYoverse Reveals New Open-World Game". Game Rant. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  6. ↑ "Varsapura release date, platforms, official gameplay, features, protagonists, and more details". The Times of India. 2025-11-21. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Gach, Ethan (2025-11-21). "Varsapura Looks Like Anime Control In Wild 31-Minute Trailer". Kotaku. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  8. 1 2 Liao, Dan (2025-11-21). "蔡浩宇挂帅、31分钟实机引爆游戏圈，米哈游能否凭《Varsapura》破局"腾点网"围剿？". National Business Daily (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  9. 1 2 3 Taylor, Mollie (2025-11-21). "It's a shame HoYoverse's new game is sporting offensively cheap-looking character models because everything else has me sold on its paranormal cop mystery". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  10. ↑ Kim, Seungjun (21 November 2025). "호요버스 신작 '바르사푸라' 플레이 공개! "외계인이 만드나?"". ThisIsGame. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Shi, Li (2025-11-21). "《原神》制作人操刀，米哈游新游戏首曝实机演示，热度爆了". Southern Metropolis Daily (in Chinese (China)).
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