Thanks to Bilibili user "Youxiankan" for the invitation; we attended the offline launch event for "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion" 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: Perihelion." It also included limited gameplay showcases. Beyond the known "Wandering Earth" plan, the trailer subtly hinted at the "Spaceship Faction's" plans and phased achievements, an aspect barely touched upon in the original novel.

In Liu Cixin's original novel "The Wandering Earth," the rebuttal to the "Spaceship Faction" is direct: artificially controlled environments cannot sustain an ecosystem large enough to be self-sustaining, but the Earth can.

However, in the short film for "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion," a giant spherical space structure resembling a halo ring appears. The protagonist sees a simulated environment similar to Earth's ecosystem inside it—if this isn't a narrative trick, then the game's storyline warrants careful consideration.

This gives the "Earth Faction" and the "Spaceship Faction" a reason for nearly four centuries of conflict—after all, if the "Spaceship Faction's" arguments were truly worthless, the United Earth Government advocating for the "Earth Faction" would have crushed them long ago and started the plan earlier.

Therefore, we can speculate: the "Spaceship Faction" in this game has indeed constructed an ecosystem capable of sustaining itself to some extent, partially influencing the decisions of the United Earth Government, which complicates the standoff between the two factions. The United Earth Government itself may not be monolithic—of course, this was confirmed in the later plots 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 better with the spirit of the original "The Wandering Earth" novel. Uplifting collectivism can solve many problems, but even the noblest ideology cannot hide the cracks in the human heart. More than the specific gameplay, I am looking forward to how "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion" expands upon the original plot.

Of course, gameplay is also very important. However, this is a Blade Studio product. 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" also fits the industrial atmosphere of "The Wandering Earth" well—to put it bluntly, I think it could have been used directly.

But if Blade Studio were only willing to rest on their laurels and unwilling to try something new, would they still be called Blade Studio? If that were the case, they would probably still be just another matrix studio under Tencent.

At this launch event, Blade Studio showcased some of the game's core systems, such as the three-reticle unlock system that decouples player movement from gun aiming, and expandable multi-functional mechanical arms. They also answered questions of interest, including project progress, plot direction, adaptation process, and more.

Clearly, the setback of "Boundary" has not dulled Blade Studio's edge. They remain enthusiastic about analysis and creation, excited to convey a unique shooting experience to players. As another hard sci-fi shooter, we believe "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion" will continue the industrial realism of 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 Blade Studio's ongoing innovation in shooting gameplay, this interview provides some answers:

Q: Since collaborating with Hanhai Xingqiong in 2024, "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion" seems to have experienced some downtime in development. What is the current progress of the project?

Blade Studio: For such an important IP, early cooperation 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 contacts began. Business cooperation requires proposing plans, exchanging ideas, and this phase took nearly 12 months. We conducted extensive concept design and demos, which was also a process of building mutual trust. After determining the direction, Hanhai Xingqiong and Blade Studio 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 meet players immediately, the current progress is far beyond just PowerPoint slides—we have applied our previous technical accumulations to the project and have a playable basic version.

Q: Can "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion" be considered a "Dead Space"-like game but without the horror elements?

Blade Studio: In 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: Perihelion."

Q: Blade Studio's previous product, "Boundary," was also a space-themed shooter. Are there any connections or echoes in gameplay or underlying design between "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion" and "Boundary"? Was the production of "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion" driven by an unfinished interest in space themes?

Blade Studio: "Boundary" provided us with significant technical reserves. Hanhai Xingqiong chose to collaborate with us precisely because Blade Studio has rich experience in the domestic hard sci-fi space genre. It can be said that without "Boundary," Blade Studio would not have been able to take on the "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion" project. However, the two works are relatively independent. While there may be similarities in some continuous designs or visual effects, there is actually little connection between them.

Blade Studio's 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 design fantasies. However, we lean towards realistic, hardcore expressions rather than fantasy-type shooters.

Q: In the novel "The Wandering Earth," the plot involving the Moon occupies a relatively small portion. "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion" is set on the Moon. How much will it expand upon the original worldview, and to what extent will it feature original content?

Blade Studio: We will slice through the original worldview, expanding on sections of the novel that received little attention, with the "Lunar Push-Away Event" as the main storyline. Parts overlapping with the original worldview will remain consistent, but as the story unfolds, specific organizations, factions, events, and much more will be our original creations. The original novel is about 23,000 words, serving more as a framework for the worldview. To turn it into a game with concrete developments, we inevitably need to add substantial original content for players to experience.

Q: Does the team have specific goals or directions in mind for art design?

Blade Studio: We aim to create a new visual style and establish a unique aesthetic that aligns with the game's worldview, matching the theme of "The Wandering Earth" and player expectations. Specifically, we are developing a complete concept focused on realistic hard sci-fi, distinguishing ourselves from most current games. We adhere to scientific rationality as a key principle in analyzing and presenting artistic concepts. We will not make a fantasy-themed shooter but will faithfully respect the hard sci-fi aesthetic of "The Wandering Earth."

Starting from "The Wandering Earth" IP, iconic structures like the Lunar Engines are bound to appear. Unlike the general industry's understanding of hardcore concepts, we place greater emphasis on the cold, grounded feel of human industrial design—when players see a design, they should feel it falls within the realm of human technological capability, rather than being a haphazard assembly of imagination. Whether in "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion" 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?

Blade Studio: Shooting remains the foundational experience and core gameplay. On top of this, 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 extensions of human function will be a major gameplay focus.

From Blade Studio's perspective, we certainly hope to provide players with diverse and interesting experiences. Our most consistent vision is for players to feel that the overall shooting experience and feedback fall squarely into the "enjoyable shooting" zone the moment they click the left mouse button or press the trigger on a controller. All designs are based on whether they can bring fun and surprise to the player; this is our fundamental rule.

The story of "The Wandering Earth" takes place roughly three to four hundred years in the future, giving future technology ample room for imagination. If mechanical arms can bring more surprises, we will further expand on them. Shooting gameplay is Blade Studio's foundation; failing at it would be unacceptable. We hold other gameplay elements and experiences to the same standard. Regardless, Blade Studio will never compromise on the shooting experience.

Q: Regarding the three-reticle aiming system, could you explain in detail its form and application in the game?

Blade Studio: The "three-reticle unlock" is more of a semantic analogy. Besides the two visible reticles on screen, the third "reticle" is not an actual reticle but refers to the camera or screen center. Traditional shooters, whether first-person or third-person, mostly bind the reticle to the screen center. We aim to create a completely different aiming experience—where the character moving and aiming on screen is no longer an "object" bound to the camera, but 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 sensory, experiential design. Explaining it too much before everyone actually plays it might cause misunderstandings. More details will be highlighted in the next demo experience.

Q: During the development of "The Wandering Earth: Perihelion," did Liu Cixin leave any deep impressions on you?

Blade Studio: The deepest impression Mr. Liu left on us was his inclusiveness towards 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 will be very satisfied.

At the same time, he shows considerable respect for each individual and the professionalism they represent, drawing very clear boundaries in creation—as long as it's within professional scope, various experiments can be attempted; as long as it's within IP licensing, maximizing professionalism and IP representation is fine. Therefore, while Liu Cixin is very strict in choosing teams, once a choice is made, he fully trusts the professionalism behind the team.

Q: Besides the Earth Faction and the Spaceship Faction, do other factions exist?

Blade Studio: Regarding plot details, it is currently inconvenient to reveal too much, so please bear with us. We will strive to base our work on the original material to present a vivid, engaging, and profound story.