Thanks to Bilibili's "Youxiankan" for the invitation, we attended the offline launch event for "The Wandering Earth: Wangri" in advance.
The launch event revealed a 3-minute and 30-second concept trailer, introducing the general plot outline and art concepts of "The Wandering Earth: Wangri." It also included limited gameplay showcases. In addition to the known "Wandering Earth" plan, the trailer subtly hinted at the plans and phased achievements of the "Spaceship Faction." This aspect was not heavily detailed in the original novel.
In Liu Cixin's original novel "The Wandering Earth," the rebuttal to the "Spaceship Faction" is quite direct: artificially controlled environments cannot sustain an ecosystem large enough to be self-cycling, but the Earth can.
However, in the trailer for "The Wandering Earth: Wangri," a giant spherical space structure resembling a halo belt appears. The protagonist sees a simulated environment similar to Earth's ecology inside it—if this is not a narrative trick, then the plotline of this game is worth pondering.
This gives the "Earth Faction" and the "Spaceship Faction" a reason for nearly four centuries of conflict—after all, if the arguments of the "Spaceship Faction" were truly worthless, the United Earth Government advocating for the "Earth Faction" would have defeated the "Spaceship Faction" long ago and started the plan earlier.
Therefore, we can speculate: the "Spaceship Faction" in this game has indeed constructed an ecosystem capable of self-sustainability to some extent, and has partially influenced the decisions of the United Earth Government, making the confrontation between the two factions more complex. The United Earth Government itself may not be monolithic—this point is also confirmed in the later stages of "The Wandering Earth."
Compared to the film's adaptation of the IP, I feel that this game's ambition to showcase contradictions and conflicts actually aligns more closely with the spirit of the original "The Wandering Earth." Uplifting collectivism can solve many problems, but even the noblest ideologies cannot hide the cracks in the human heart. More than the specific gameplay, I am actually more looking forward to "The Wandering Earth: Wangri" expanding on the original plot.
Of course, gameplay is also very important. However, this is after all a work by Lancet Games. With "Boundary" preceding it, I have no doubt they can deliver satisfying low-gravity and zero-gravity combat. The hard sci-fi art style of "Boundary" itself fits well with the industrial atmosphere of "The Wandering Earth." To put it bluntly, I think it would be suitable to use it directly.
But if Lancet were only willing to rest on its laurels and unwilling to strive for something new, would it still be called Lancet? If that were the case, they would probably still be just another matrix studio under Tencent.
At this launch event, Lancet Games showcased some of the game's core systems, such as the three-reticle unlocking system that decouples player movement from gun aiming, and the expandable multi-functional mechanical arm. They also answered questions of interest, including project progress, plot direction, adaptation process, and more.
Clearly, the setback of "Boundary" has not dulled Lancet's edge. They remain enthusiastic about analysis and creation, excited to convey unique shooting experiences to players. As another hardcore sci-fi shooter, we believe "The Wandering Earth: Wangri" will continue the industrial texture of hardcore realism from its predecessor, offering a distinctly different single-player experience.
Whether out of curiosity about the story expansion of "The Wandering Earth" itself or anticipation for Lancet Games' ongoing innovation in shooting gameplay, this interview provides some answers:
Q: Since partnering with Hanhai Xingqiong in 2024, there seems to have been a gap in the development of "The Wandering Earth: Wangri." What is the current progress of the project?
Lancet Games: For such an important IP, early collaboration and negotiations inevitably involve gradual verification of extensive content, which is not achieved overnight. In the second half of 2024, Hanhai Xingqiong asked if we were interested in developing a game based on the "Wandering Earth" IP, and initial discussions began. Business collaborations require proposing plans, exchanging ideas, and this phase took nearly 12 months. We created numerous concept designs and demos, which was also a process of building mutual trust. After determining the direction, Hanhai Xingqiong and Lancet reached a preliminary cooperation agreement, and the project officially launched around March this year. Development work began after the Spring Festival in 2025. Although the time has been short and we cannot immediately present it to players, the current progress is far beyond just PowerPoint slides—we have applied our accumulated technology to the project and have a playable basic version.
Q: Can "The Wandering Earth: Wangri" be considered a "Dead Space"-like game but without the horror elements?
Lancet Games: In terms of broad genres, such as third-person shooters, space themes, and linear narratives, there are indeed similarities. However, "Dead Space" is not a benchmark or reference for "The Wandering Earth: Wangri."
Q: Lancet Games' previous title, "Boundary," was also a space-themed shooter. Are there any connections or echoes in gameplay or underlying design between "Boundary" and "The Wandering Earth: Wangri"? Was the decision to make "The Wandering Earth: Wangri" driven by an lingering interest in space themes?
Lancet Games: "Boundary" provided us with substantial technical reserves. Hanhai Xingqiong chose to partner with us precisely because Lancet Games has rich experience in the domestic hard sci-fi space genre. It can be said that without "Boundary," Lancet would not have been able to take on the "The Wandering Earth: Wangri" project. However, the two works are relatively independent. While there may be similarities in some continuous designs or visual effects, they are not significantly related in substance.
Lancet Games' motto is to fulfill players' fantasies regarding gameplay design. Whether it's space themes, modern warfare, or police-and-thief scenarios, we are willing to try anything that satisfies these design fantasies. However, we lean more towards hardcore, realistic presentations rather than fantasy-style shooting games.
Q: In the novel "The Wandering Earth," the moon-related plot does not occupy a large portion. Since "The Wandering Earth: Wangri" is set on the moon, how much will it expand on the original worldview, and to what extent will it be original?
Lancet Games: We will slice and analyze the original worldview, expanding on sections of the novel that were not heavily detailed, with the "Pushing the Moon Away" event as the main storyline. Parts that overlap with the original worldview will remain consistent, but as the story unfolds further, much of the content—including specific organizations, factions, and events—will be our original creations. The original novel is approximately 23,000 words long and serves more as a framework for the worldview. To adapt it into a game with concrete gameplay, we inevitably need to add a significant amount of original, playable content.
Q: Does the team have any specific goals or directions in mind for the art design?
Lancet Games: We hope to create a new visual style, crafting a unique aesthetic that fits the worldview, matching the "Wandering Earth" theme and players' expectations for it. Specifically, we are developing a complete concept in the direction of hardcore sci-fi realism, distinguishing ourselves from most current games. We take scientific rationality as an important criterion for analyzing and presenting art concepts. We will not make fantasy-concept shooting games but will genuinely respect the hard sci-fi aesthetic of "The Wandering Earth."
Starting from the "Wandering Earth" IP, iconic structures like the lunar engines will inevitably appear. Unlike the general understanding of hardcore concepts in the gaming industry, we focus more on the coldness and groundedness of human industrial design—when players see a design, they should feel it is within the realm of human technological capability, not just randomly assembled imagination. Whether in "The Wandering Earth: Wangri" or our previous and future works, we will inherit and continue this approach.
Q: Will the game design interesting special combat methods for different extreme environments and mechanical arms?
Lancet Games: Shooting remains the foundational experience and core gameplay of the game. On this basis, as a narrative-driven single-player game, there will be non-combat experiences alongside combat. In terms of level interaction, the design of mechanical arms as an extension of human functionality will be a key gameplay experience point.
From Lancet's perspective, we certainly hope to bring diverse and interesting experiences to players. The studio's most consistent vision is for players to feel that the overall performance of shooting feedback falls exactly into the "enjoyable shooting" zone the moment they pick up the mouse and hold the left button or pick up the controller and press the trigger. All designs are based on whether they can bring interesting and surprising experiences to players; this is our fundamental principle.
The story of "The Wandering Earth" takes place about three to four hundred years in the future, giving us ample room for imagination regarding future technology. If mechanical arms can bring more surprises, we will further expand on them. Shooting gameplay is Lancet's foundation; failing at it would be unacceptable. Our standards for designing other gameplay elements and experiences are equally high. Regardless, Lancet will never compromise on the shooting experience.
Q: Could you provide more details on the form and application of the three-reticle aiming system in the game?
Lancet Games: "Three-reticle unlocking" is more of a semantic analogy. Besides the two reticles on the screen, the third "reticle" is not an actual reticle but refers to the camera or center of the screen. Traditional shooting games, whether first-person or third-person, mostly bind the reticle to the center of the screen. We hope to create a completely different aiming experience—where character movement and aiming on the screen are no longer bound to the camera as an "object," but represent a more vivid, dynamic person. This also helps shape the sense of inertia and mass in low-gravity or zero-gravity space environments.
This is a design focused on sensation and experience. Explaining it too much before players actually try it might lead to misunderstandings. More details will be highlighted during the next demo session.
Q: Did Liu Cixin leave any deep impressions on you during the development of "The Wandering Earth: Wangri"?
Lancet Games: The most impressive thing about Mr. Liu (Cixin) is his openness to adaptations of his work. Among writers, Liu Cixin welcomes deep adaptations and re-creations of his works. His exact words were that as long as the adaptation results in a great work, he would be very satisfied.
At the same time, he shows great respect for each individual and the professionalism they represent, drawing very clear boundaries in creative work—as long as it's within their professional scope, various experiments are encouraged; as long as it's within the IP licensing agreement, maximizing professionalism and achieving the best representation of the IP is perfectly fine. Therefore, Liu Cixin is very selective when choosing teams, but once a choice is made, he fully trusts the professionalism behind the team.
Q: Besides the Earth Faction and the Spaceship Faction, are there any other factions or forces?
Lancet Games: Regarding plot details, it is not convenient to reveal too much at the moment, please understand. We will strive to present a wonderful, vivid, and profound story based on the original material.