Ananta vs GTA: is it really an "anime GTA"?

The short version

Press and fans nickname Ananta the "anime GTA"^[1]^[2].
The developers say it can coexist with GTA 6, with "very many key differences" such as its Asian urban setting and anime style^[2].
Previews cite Batman Arkham, Sleeping Dogs, Uncharted, Spider-Man, Cyberpunk 2077 and GTA V as influences^[1]^[3].

Ananta is often called the "anime GTA": an open world set in a modern city, with cars, cops and a lot of freedom^[1]^[2]. Its developers accept the comparison up to a point, but insist there are "very many key differences", starting with its Asian urban setting and its anime art style^[2]. Here is where the nickname comes from and what actually sets the game apart.

Why is Ananta called the "anime GTA"?

The label comes from both the press and the fans. PC Gamer's guide uses "'anime GTA' game Ananta" in its title^[1], and TechRadar asked the developers directly about GTA 6 comparisons^[2]. The resemblance is easy to see in the trailers: a large modern city, cars and motorbikes, a cop character, street racing and missions in the streets^[4]^[6]^[1].

What do the developers say about GTA 6?

In their December 2025 interview with TechRadar, the developers said Ananta can coexist with GTA 6, and that there are "very many key differences" between the two, in particular the Asian urban setting and the anime art style^[2].

Fans have also joked about it. A highly rated comment under a trailer claimed that "GTA 6 was postponed out of fear of competing with Ananta", which TechRadar quotes as a sign of the hype^[2]. It is a joke, not information. More on the mood around the game in our community debates article.

Which games inspired Ananta, according to the press?

Previews list several influences^[1]^[3]:

Outlet	Games cited
PC Gamer	Batman Arkham, Sleeping Dogs, Uncharted, Spider-Man
MMORPG.com	Cyberpunk 2077, GTA V

These are journalists' impressions after watching or playing the game, not official statements from NetEase.

What does Ananta do differently?

Based on what has been announced, several points set Ananta apart from the "GTA" label:

Free-to-play: Ananta is free on all platforms^[4].
No character gacha: every playable character is obtained through gameplay and story^[5]^[1]. Monetization focuses on cosmetics, according to the developers^[2]. See our free-to-play and gacha guide.
Supernatural martial arts combat: fights are inspired by kung fu films, and the Captain uses tentacle-like appendages to fight and swing between buildings^[4]^[6]^[1]. Details in our combat guide.
Several playable characters with their own lives: you switch between characters, and one you are not controlling "continues to live their own life", say the developers^[2].
An influencer premise: "Go Viral. Save the World", with an in-game social network called Scope^[4]^[7].
Two Asian-inspired cities: Nova City, which the press compares to Tokyo, and Chongxiao, inspired by Hangzhou and Shanghai^[1]^[3].
Single-player at launch, according to Steam^[4].

So, is Ananta an anime GTA?

As a shortcut, the nickname describes the setting and the freedom: a modern city you can drive, fight and live in. As a description of the game, it leaves out most of what NetEase has shown: martial arts combat with superpowers, a cast of switchable characters, city activities from mahjong to maid cafes, and a free-to-play model without character gacha^[1]^[5]. The honest answer is that nobody can judge the full experience before launch on January 15, 2027^[7].

For the other comparison players often make, read Ananta vs Neverness to Everness.