China's most authoritative game industry selection event—the Annual Excellent Game Selection Competition (Golden Feather Awards)—has officially kicked off. As an industry celebration that "gathers what players love," the Golden Feather Awards, known as the "Oscars" of the gaming world, have walked alongside players for twenty years, encouraging national originality and craftsmanship. With widely recognized influence in the industry, it is broadly acknowledged by China's game industry for its authority and fairness. Originating from the concept of valuing player choice and decisions made by players, the Golden Feather Awards objectively reflect the best-received and most popular game works and companies of the year.
This year, Snail Games' new open-world wuxia title "Age of Wushu" officially enters the competition for the "Most Anticipated Online Game" award. From the release of the first character PV at ChinaJoy in July, to its appearance at Gamescom in Germany in August, with the debut gameplay PV and Steam store page launched simultaneously, this open-world wuxia game developed on Unreal Engine 5 is gradually bringing the "true wuxia" built by the "Age of Wushu IP" to players.
The world of "Age of Wushu" emphasizes non-linearity and free choice. Players can explore martial arts manuals, discover Jianghu adventures, join various professions, and hone their skills—just as depicted in the gameplay PV, where daily life unfolds: hammering iron at the blacksmith's shop, bustling at the herbal medicine store in the market. All kinds of civilian identities can become ways to make a living. Different choices lead to different paths of growth; "what kind of Jianghu figure you become" is up to the player.
People are the Jianghu; everyone has their own story
What makes wuxia stories compelling is not only masterful combat, but also the diverse characters and their entanglements. Every encounter and decision in the Jianghu can bring butterfly-effect changes to this dynamic world: whether the person before you is friend or foe, what clues lie behind a rumor—all require your own observation and judgment. Their obsessions, joys, sorrows, and fates subtly change through encounters with players; and every step players take reshapes the winds and clouds of the entire Jianghu.
The Jianghu doesn't belong only to great heroes; everyone in the Jianghu has their own story. In the vast "People are the Jianghu" character faction of "Age of Wushu," NPCs are no longer just background elements waiting for player interaction: each character has their own personality, experiences, and daily life. They live and work in the world, and may also form connections and conflicts with other characters.
Classic "Xu-Shi-Jia" upgraded, every exchange follows its own logic
As a new entry in the "Age of Wushu" IP, martial arts and combat are naturally key focuses of "Age of Wushu." Building on the classic "Xu-Shi-Jia" combat gameplay, the game upgrades around the style of moves for different martial arts and internal cultivation, presenting more flexible move combinations and offensive-defensive strategies.
In combat, moves are not simply released in succession. Facing different attacks, characters will naturally chain dodges, parries, and counterattacks based on offensive momentum and body movement; after successfully avoiding an attack, they can follow up with moves like acupoint striking to counter. Qinggong (lightness skill) is no longer just about mobility, but combines with borrowing and exerting force—load-bearing pillars, walls, tables, and chairs can all serve as fulcrums for leaping, flying kicks, and pursuits. During exchanges, move collisions and internal energy leave real feedback in the environment: tables and benches may shake from the impact, or crack and topple when hit. Every move follows its own logic, every action reveals true skill—this is the texture of "true wuxia" combat.
From free exploration in an open world, to martial arts cultivation and diverse professions, to ever-changing relationships between people, "Age of Wushu" aims to present not just a preset adventure, but a Jianghu where players can truly "live" as knights-errant—everyone can find their place here and experience their own unique wuxia life.
A new generation of Age of Wushu Jianghu, looking forward to meeting you
In July this year, "Age of Wushu" appeared at ChinaJoy and released its first character PV, meeting players offline for the first time; in August, the game debuted at Gamescom in Germany, with the first gameplay PV officially released and the Steam store page going live simultaneously, allowing the Chinese wuxia world to meet global players in Cologne. From the wuxia heritage inherited from the classic IP to the free experience brought by the open world, "Age of Wushu" hopes to deliver a "true wuxia" for the new era, building upon the foundation of Age of Wushu martial arts and Jianghu culture.
Participating in the 2026 Golden Feather Awards for "Most Anticipated Online Game" is also an opportunity to communicate with players. For "Age of Wushu," which is currently in development, every bit of attention, support, and expectation is precious. The Jianghu has remained unchanged for years; today, you can change it—we look forward to players casting their precious votes for this work, and we look forward to meeting you in the Jianghu in the future.
Voting Rules
Voting Period: 12:00 on November 4, 2026 – 12:00 on December 9, 2026.
Week 1 (November 4 – November 11): Games with fewer than 200 votes (excluding 200) as of 12:00 on November 11 will be disqualified.
Week 2 (November 11 – November 18): Games with fewer than 500 votes (excluding 500) as of 12:00 on November 18 will be disqualified.
Week 3 (November 18 – November 25): Open voting period.
Week 4 (November 25 – December 2): Open voting period.
Week 5 (December 2 – December 9): Open voting ends.
Founded in 2005, the Golden Feather Awards have always conducted in-depth research on product information, respected player preferences, and selected fairly, identifying numerous excellent games loved by players. It is the most prestigious award among many domestic game selections, becoming a benchmark for players to understand game rankings and for publishers to express their product philosophies. To fully reflect the voices of gamers, the 2026 Golden Feather Awards will still be decided by online voting from players to select the final winners and outstanding media. We look forward to players casting their precious votes for their favorite products and media!