According to Eurogamer.net, miHoYo has dropped the first teaser for their upcoming Unreal Engine 5 fantasy MMO project through hiring posts on Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu. The developer behind massive hits like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail revealed this new title will feature MMO mechanics, PvP, open world design, and multiple AI systems including an “Artificial Intelligence Stimulated Eco System,” “All-Terrain Battle AI,” and “Intellectual NPC.” Interestingly, the aesthetic represents a major departure from miHoYo’s signature anime style, showing clear Unreal Engine 5 visual markers instead. This continues the company’s established approach to using AI in development, having previously employed it in Zenless Zone Zero to streamline processes. The actual game name, release window, and detailed gameplay remain completely unknown at this stage.
The AI angle gets real
Here’s the thing about that AI mention – miHoYo has been pretty careful about how they talk about artificial intelligence. They’ve drawn lines around AI art and voicework before, even claiming they had protections in contracts during that whole SAG-AFTRA recasting situation. But now they’re putting AI front and center in their marketing language. “Artificial Intelligence Stimulated Eco System” sounds like they’re aiming for something beyond the usual scripted NPC behavior we see in most MMOs. And “Intellectual NPC” suggests characters that might actually learn and adapt rather than just repeat the same dialogue trees. It’s ambitious, sure, but how much of this is real innovation versus marketing buzzwords? The translations from Chinese social media definitely need some skepticism, but the direction is clear – miHoYo is betting big on AI as a core feature, not just a development tool.
Ditching the anime look
This might be the most surprising part for miHoYo fans. They’ve built an empire on that distinct anime aesthetic that makes Genshin Impact and Honkai games instantly recognizable. Now they’re showing something that looks… different. More realistic, grittier, clearly leveraging Unreal Engine 5’s capabilities for photorealistic environments and lighting. It’s a risky move when your entire brand identity is tied to a specific visual style. But maybe that’s the point – this could be their play for the Western MMO market that often favors more realistic graphics over anime stylization. They’re basically saying “we can do more than one thing well.” Whether their existing fanbase follows them into this new visual territory remains to be seen.
Where this fits in the MMO wars
So let’s talk about what this means for the broader MMO scene. We’ve got established giants like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV, newer contenders like Amazon’s New World, and plenty of upcoming projects all fighting for attention. miHoYo entering this space with their track record of creating incredibly sticky live service games? That’s significant. They understand player retention, monetization through gacha mechanics, and building communities that stick around for years. If they can translate that expertise into the MMO format while leveraging UE5′s technical capabilities and their AI ambitions… well, let’s just say the established players should be paying attention. The mention of PvP specifically suggests they’re not just making another cooperative-focused MMO – they’re going after the competitive crowd too. This could actually shake up the entire genre if they get it right.
The big unknowns
Now for the frustrating part – we know almost nothing concrete. No release window, no gameplay footage, not even a name. What we do have are translated job postings and a teaser video that shows more style than substance. The ResetEra thread that originally spotted this is filled with speculation rather than hard facts. Meanwhile, miHoYo has other projects in development too, including that monster-collection game Honkai: Nexus Anima. So where does this UE5 MMO fit in their pipeline? Is it years away or closer than we think? Basically, we’re left with more questions than answers, which is probably exactly what miHoYo wants at this stage. They’ve teased something ambitious enough to get people talking while revealing just enough to maintain mystery. Classic move from a company that’s mastered the art of building hype.
