Everything We Know So Far About Tower of Fantasy

Tower of Fantasy is an ambitious upcoming shared open-world RPG that aims to satisfy anime fans yearning for their next genshin impact. Developed by Chinese studio Hotta Studio under publisher Perfect World Entertainment, Tower of Fantasy generated huge hype after accumulating over 500,000 pre-registrations globally.

So what is Tower of Fantasy, and when can you start playing this gorgeous sci-fi MMO? In this detailed guide, we‘ll dive deep into Tower of Fantasy‘s release date, trailers, gameplay, and community to explain everything known so far. Let‘s get right into it!

Perfect World Entertainment – A Proven Publisher

Before delving into Tower of Fantasy itself, it‘s worth understanding the company behind it. Perfect World Entertainment is a huge Chinese media publisher responsible for bringing many popular Asia-developed MMORPGs to Western audiences.

Founded in 2004, Perfect World‘s past titles include atmospheric RPGs like Blacklight Retribution, fantasy adventures such as Swordsman Online, and the action-packed gunfest Remnant: From the Ashes. In 2021, they partnered with Hotta Studio to publish Tower of Fantasy globally outside of China.

Perfect World has ample experience managing live service games, porting titles internationally, and nurturing gaming communities. Their steady hand helps ensure Tower of Fantasy receives the post-launch support and care it deserves.

Tower of Fantasy‘s Origin Story

Humanity faces extinction on a desolate, resource-depleted Earth. To survive, people migrate to the distant planet Aida in search of plentiful energy and habitable environments. This forms the premise for Tower of Fantasy‘s overarching narrative.

Upon arriving on Aida, humanity discovers a powerful energy source called Omnium along with the mysterious comet Mara. They construct the Omnium Tower to harness this element, but an apocalyptic disaster spreads radiation across the planet.

You play a custom character awakening from cryosleep years after this Omnium Cataclysm. Aida now faces monsters and chaos. It‘s up to you to team up with other players and gradually rebuild civilization in this alien yet familiar open world.

China Launch in 2021

Tower of Fantasy originally launched in China for PC and mobile on December 16th, 2021. This "home" release allowed developers to gather feedback and refine content before going global.

The China launch timing also provided Tower of Fantasy a headstart on building its playerbase and community. By May 2022, the game had already amassed a whopping 30 million registered users just from China alone according to Perfect World.

Global Launch Target – Q3 2022

International players won‘t have to wait too much longer for English localization. Perfect World announced a global target release window of Q3 2022 back in September 2021.

Q3 spans July-September, soTower of Fantasy‘s worldwide launch could occur anytime in summer 2022. However, the exact date remains unconfirmed.

The Apple App Store currently lists August 11th, 2022 as the launch date. But the game‘s official Discord stated this was not an official date. Speculation also pointed to July 17th based on a coy tweet from the developers – though again – they said no date was finalized.

In all likelihood, Tower of Fantasy arrives at some point between July to September 2022. It would fit nicely alongside major Q3 releases like Diablo Immortal and WoW‘s Dragonflight expansion. We‘ll update this guide the moment Tower of Fantasy‘s global release date gets confirmed!

Tower of Fantasy Global vs. China Launch Dates

Version	Release Date
China Launch	December 16, 2021
Global Launch	Q3 2022 (TBA)

Over 500,000 Pre-Registrations and Counting

Eager Western gamers can currently pre-register for Tower of Fantasy on the official site. This pre-registration total has already surpassed 500,000 users and keeps climbing daily.

It‘s an impressive show of interest suggesting Tower of Fantasy could become the next Genshin Impact in terms of popularity. And pre-registering comes with rewards at launch like in-game gold, resources, and cosmetics.

Perfect World undoubtedly hopes to replicate Hoyoverse‘s success converting Genshin Impact‘s massive Chinese playerbase into international stardom. The levels of hype and engagement already emerging around Tower of Fantasy indicates they could succeed.

Announcement Trailer Welcomes Players to Aida

In September 2021, Perfect World premiered the first Tower of Fantasy announcement trailer. It provides an enticing teaser of the game‘s sci-fi setting and open-world exploration.

The trailer opens by recounting humanity‘s migration to the distant planet Aida in search of plentiful energy. Dramatic shots follow of the game‘s environments and vistas, teasing floating islands, overgrown alien flora, and mystifying architecture.

We also see characters wielding high-tech weapons against mech-like enemies. The combat previews flashy abilities and frantic dodging that will feel familiar to Genshin Impact veterans.

Overall the trailer depicts a bold, colorful world brimming with mysteries. It succeeded in getting players hyped for the chance to explore Aida themselves soon in the full launch.

Beta Showcases Custom Characters and Combat

In June 2022, leaked beta footage granted an extended first look at Tower of Fantasy gameplay. The 21-minute video by YouTuber Mike Fringe spotlights character creation, traversal, and combat across several biomes.

In terms of customization, the beta demonstrates robust selection of hair, facial features, outfits, and accessories to craft a unique avatar. Commenters noted Tower of Fantasy already outpaces Genshin in cosmetics options.

Navigation looks fluid whether sprinting across dunes, climbing cliffs, or gliding over canyons. The player also frequently switches between melee and ranged weapons to counter different enemy types.

Combat appears fast-paced, combining gunplay, dodging, and powerful abilities. Defeating monsters fills an Ult gauge that unlocks spectacular cinematic special attacks. Overall the beta footage captured Tower of Fantasy‘s promising breadth of customization, exploration, and combat already at this stage.

Tower of Fantasy Key Features

Let‘s dig deeper into everything players can expect in Tower of Fantasy‘s open world.

Unique Characters and Customization

Tower of Fantasy encourages self-expression by providing deep character customization systems. All face shapes, hairstyles, outfits, and accessories can be tweaked to your liking.

You‘ll also choose between three starting classes – the lightning-fast DPS type Swordmaster, defensive Tank Juggernaut, or healing Support Benedicto. Additional classes unlock over time.

Seamless Open World Exploration

Aida‘s alien biomes span lush forests, scorching deserts, and ruined cities. You can explore every inch seamlessly without loading screens. Traversal techniques like climbing, gliding, and grappling hooks enhance navigation.

Thrilling Co-op Combat

Combat incorporates hack-and-slash, shooting, dodging, and abilities. Defeat enemies cooperatively with friends or via AI companions. Tower of Fantasy also introduces Divine Mechs – massive battlesuits donning heavy firepower.

Shared open worlds thrive based on their community. Tower of Fantasy aims to foster socializing via public spaces like Cafes and Bars. You can also join player Crews with shared hangouts and unique bonuses.

Robust Endgame Progression

From personalized housing to competitive PvP, Tower of Fantasy looks to offer plentiful endgame goals. Expect regularly updated events and challenges to provide positive long-term engagement.

How Tower of Fantasy Compares to Genshin Impact

The most common point of comparison for Tower of Fantasy is miHoYo‘s phenomenally successful Genshin Impact. And understandably so – both feature anime visuals, customizable characters, and co-op open worlds.

However, there are notable differences that help Tower of Fantasy stand apart rather than simply mimicking the Genshin formula.

Thematic Direction

Genshin embraces a mythological fantasy setting deeply inspired by Asian legends. Tower of Fantasy goes for a post-apocalyptic science fiction theme with mechs, alien planets, and lost technology.

Movement and Combat

Genshin‘s slower, more methodical combat contrasts Tower of Fantasy‘s dynamic real-time battles and aerial mobility. Dodging and weapon swapping play bigger roles.

Monetization Model

While Genshin is totally free-to-play friendly, Tower of Fantasy seems to push gacha mechanics more aggressively. We‘ll have to see how this affects gameplay.

Platform Availability

Tower of Fantasy will be available cross-platform on PC, iOS and Android at launch. Genshin remains limited to PC, PS4, PS5, and mobile.

There‘s certainly strong appeal for anime open-world games to co-exist rather than outright compete. Genshin clearly demonstrated global demand for its formula. Now Tower of Fantasy can iteratively expand the genre‘s horizons.

As release approaches, Tower of Fantasy‘s developers are ramping up communication across social media. Stay up-to-date by following them on:

Their official Discord also continues to be the most direct channel for discussing news and leaks. At 165,000+ members, it‘s a great place to find teammates leading up to launch.

Check the #announcements channel for beta test giveaways and server status updates. And visit #leaks-and-rumors for unconfirmed but potential info directly from the Chinese servers.

Closing Thoughts

Tower of Fantasy shows tremendous promise to deliver a triple-A open world MMORPG appealing to anime fans, sci-fi enthusiasts, and casual explorers alike.

Backed by Perfect World‘s expertise operating service games, there‘s reason to be optimistic about Tower of Fantasy‘s post-launch support. The pieces are in place for this title to achieve substantial longevity.

I‘m eager to customize my Simulacrum, team up with friends, and dive into unraveling Aida‘s many mysteries soon. See you all in the open world later this year! Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments below.