NetEase Games and Everstone Studio have revealed that Where Winds Meet will get its second major expansion later in May with the opening of the Imperial Palace. The studio has also committed to several quality-of-life upgrades to improve the experience for players across the globe.
The expansion and the improvements coming to the game were revealed in the latest Goose News episode on the game's official YouTube channel, as the game celebrates its half-anniversary as it nears its one-year anniversary in November 2026.
The palace will be a massive "1-million-square-meter royal court and grounds," that NetEase and Everstone claim is "comparable in scale to the massive city of Kaifeng." It'll feature over 3,000 NPCs for players to interact with, uncovering conspiracy theories and meddling in the royal court.
A new homestead system is also being introduced in this expansion, along with a new companion system and new Guantlet weapons. What's perhaps the most significant piece of the expansion (besides the Imperial Palace itself) is the introduction of two new game modes: Martial Path Domain, a cooperative PvE five-player mode, and Ancient Tombs, a new exploration mode that challenges you to dig deep into pitch-black tombs and defeat enemies for some high-tier loot.
There's also a new Panda cosmetic that'll be available for a limited time starting on May 19, 2026, in an effort to raise awareness for wildlife protection.
"We want to express our deepest gratitude to our global community for their unwavering and continued support," said Eric Zheng, head of publishing for Where Winds Meet, in a press release. "We are making a solemn commitment to ensure that every season delivers rich, solid, and high-quality content. Our priority is to maintain a seamless stream of updates so that the adventure never stalls. We will continue to listen to and act on your feedback to ensure Jianghu remains a vibrant world that always rewards your time."
About the author: David has been writing about videogames, technology, and culture since 2020, with a focus on reporting daily news across multiple publications, including GameDaily.Biz, GameSkinny, and PlayStation Universe before joining Wccftech in 2025. David started contributing as Canada/US reporter for Wccftech's gaming section in 2025. Besides being up-to-date on the industry's movements, he loves interviewing developers, reviewing games, and writing intricate essays about the symbolism and layered meanings to be found in rich narratives as he's done for publications like GamesIndustry.Biz, LostInCult, and others. Outside of games he loves movies, music, theatre, his hometown, and his family, though not necessarily in that order.
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