The first half of 2026 saw most major open-world releases from top studios already roll out. July, once expected to be fiercely competitive, has instead turned into a rare quiet window for big-budget titles.
The only major studio flagship scheduled to launch this month is NetEase’s Sea of Remnants.
On June 26, the Sea of Remnants pre-launch showcase confirmed the official release schedule: the PC version will launch on July 9, with the mobile version following later in July.
This open-world ocean adventure RPG, developed over seven years by Joker Studio — the team behind Identity V — is set to launch on July 9.
What Kind of Game Is Sea of Remnants?
Simply put, you play as a wooden puppet captain for whom falling overboard is fatal — embarking on a free-spirited, imaginative ocean adventure.
The game’s premise is intriguing — it’s a world where entering the sea means losing your memories. You take on the role of an amnesiac puppet captain, setting sail with a mysterious girl to recover the lost memories of both yourself and your companions.
The game features a gothic wooden puppet art style, continuing the distinctive visual language that Joker Studio honed during the Identity V era. Characters are fully rendered as wooden puppets, complete with wood grain textures, and include a character creation system that allows customization of materials, colors, and facial features.
Its open world spans more than 256 square kilometers, featuring open-world exploration, multi-ending town exploration, real-time naval combat, and multi-run strategic exploration. It includes 17 dynamic weather variations, along with ecologically diverse islands featuring volcanoes, rainforests, and white-sand beaches.
What Makes the Gameplay Special?
Sea of Remnants‘ core mechanic is called the “Journey of Oblivion” — a multi-run dual-cycle exploration system that combines in-run and out-of-run progression.
During each run, players experience open-world Roguelite exploration, building their character through randomized progression and character builds, while challenging endgame bosses and taking on tower-like challenges. Every voyage comes with both opportunities and risks — if your character dies, everything collected during that voyage is lost. Completing a run feeds back into long-term progression outside the run, offering permanent upgrades that carry over to future runs.
The combat system is divided into naval and land battles:
- Naval combat: Real-time ship control using WASD to move, left-click to fire, right-click to aim. Players must upgrade ship modules including the keel, cannons, and figurehead.
- Land combat: Turn-based tactical battles, with damage determined by dice rolls and a “stance bar” system.
The main city, Orbtopia, also features a multi-ending system — player interactions, choices, and accumulated actions can unlock exclusive endings, with unlocked endings freely swappable. Every choice you make shapes the history of Orbtopia.
What’s in the Launch Version?
Three major sea zones unlocked progressively: The launch version opens with the White Sand Sea and the Duk Bridge Sea, with the “Hidden Sea” unlocking at the end of July. The Scarlet Duchess arrives as the region’s new world boss, awaiting challengers.
Over 20 crew members: The first month of launch introduces over 20 crew members across 6 attributes, belonging to five major fleets: the Blue Wave Band, the Dawnbreakers, the Black Baron, the Delusion Troupe, and the Wanderer.
Launch adjustments: New players can choose one of six “Black Ticket” crew members at the start. After that, completing one Journey of Oblivion each week grants a free “Black Ticket” crew member draw, with a 50% “Black Ticket” drop rate.
Trading Post system: Players can obtain high-value treasures through sea exploration and sell them for trade currency. Prices fluctuate in real time based on supply and demand across the entire server.
Pre-Registration Rewards & Benefits
During the first month of launch, completing pre-registration tasks will earn you 100 free recruitment draws, along with chances to select “Black Ticket” crew members and high-quality outfits.
As of June 2026, the game has surpassed 23 million pre-registrations across all platforms. It is now available for pre-order on the Apple App Store, with cross-platform data sync across Android, iOS, and PC.
Note: The July 9 launch is PC-only — mobile players will need to wait a bit longer.
The Development Team
Sea of Remnants is developed by NetEase’s Joker Studio — the same team behind Identity V.
The project began in 2019 and is launching in 2026, representing a full seven years of development. NetEase CEO Ding Lei mentioned the game specifically during the company’s Q2 and Q3 2025 earnings calls, making it clear that NetEase places “great importance” on it. In April 2026, the game officially received its license from the National Press and Publication Administration.
A project seven years in the making, a unique “memory loss upon entering the sea” premise, and a distinctive gothic puppet art style — PC first on July 9, mobile to follow. It will be interesting to see how Sea of Remnants reshapes this otherwise quiet summer release schedule.
Copyright Notice:
All game screenshots, character designs, and related materials referenced in this article are the property of NetEase Games, Joker Studio, and their respective rights holders.
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