Where Winds Meet entices with a Free2Play model and enormous scope. The new open-world RPG aims to fund itself through a Battle Pass, in-game shop, and a gacha mechanic. But how fair is the monetization? Are there any Pay2Win pitfalls lurking?
How does Where Winds Meet finance itself? You can download and play the new open-world RPG for free on PC, PlayStation 5, and mobile. There is no paid version (for example, one that would make the start easier or unlock cosmetic skins) available for any of the platforms.
So how do the people at Everstone and NetEase earn their money? Well, mainly through the following monetization pillars:
- Paid path from the Battle Pass, through which you receive additional items and currencies, such as various skins, Echo Jade, cosmetic chests, Resonant Melody, dye powder, or tokens for the Battle Pass shop.
- Through the Elite (€9.09) or the more expensive Premium Battle Pass (€18), you also unlock advantages like +2 carrying limit for medicine, +12 equipment slots, portable merchant, -10 requirement points for all equipment, exclusive access to skins and rewards like Resonant Melody.
- In-game shop, where you can purchase various cosmetic items (like armor and weapon skins, special mounts, or weapon effects) with different currencies (Harmonic Core, Echo Pearls, Sound Jade, Essence of Heaven, Essence of Earth).
- Monthly card for €4.59, which promises 300 Echo Pearls, 3,000 Echo Jade, 90,000 coins, and 1,500 campaign XP upon purchase, plus daily in-game rewards and a Resonant Melody after 20 days of logging in.
- The so-called draw, which is based on a gacha system where you exchange real money currency Echo Pearls and Resonant Melody to receive random items from a pool of possible rewards. Anyone wanting to obtain a particularly exclusive boat will likely have to invest up to €36,500 on average.
- The sale of real money currency Echo Pearls – the offer ranges from the smallest package of 60 pearls for €0.90 to 12,000 pearls for nearly €182.
Currently, there are several cosmetic sets with hairstyles, outfits, and decorative items for hair or face, each costing 2,322 Echo Pearls. Anyone purchasing the package with 1,800 Pearls along with the package with 600 Pearls pays €36.58.
A lot of game for little money, but still criticism
How does MMORPG expert Karsten Scholz assess the monetization? The headline of my preview report already provides the answer: Where Winds Meet is actually too big and good to be free; you have never played an open-world RPG like this.
Therefore, I also treated myself to the Premium Battle Pass to at least support the developers financially with €18. The resulting advantages such as additional equipment slots or the increased medicine carrying limit are nice, but not game-changing.
So far, I believe I have only invested in the Resonant Melody draw from all the supplemental items of the paid path. No money has landed in the shop otherwise. And I have not felt that I am missing out or that my gaming experience is negatively affected.
The time gating for the leveling phase in the release version is much more annoying. At the same time, I am glad that there is no way to shorten the wait time for the next level breakthrough by spending money – that would cross a line from my perspective.
With the current version of monetization, I can live well (even if I’m generally not a fan of Free2Play models or gacha systems).
Why is there still criticism? Due to the sometimes very high prices in the shop of the western version, and because the draw is linked to an annoying element of chance that automatically adds a gambling level to payment offers. Anyone who cannot control their spending can quickly spend a fortune on a few cosmetics.
The discussion is currently heated by various reports from players stating that the Chinese version is reportedly fairer:
- KnightXzero reports on Reddit that content that is only available here through the gacha version can be directly purchased in China for a set price. Additionally, there is said to be a trading option among players in the home market, allowing interested parties to buy cosmetic outfits with one of the earnable currencies. This trading is absent in the West.
- No_Method2914 is bothered in his post on Reddit by the fact that certain outfits in the Chinese version are reportedly much cheaper than in the West – although we currently could not find a set that costs 7,440 pearls as claimed in the discussion.
- SeaViolinist6424 criticizes on Reddit the rising prices for special draws in the gacha system, where you need to draw 8 times to receive all rewards. Unfortunately, the price does not stay at 60 pearls per draw, but increases with each draw (the second draw apparently already costs 180 pearls).
Is Where Winds Meet Pay2Win?
The content creator TuanMax claims this in his video on YouTube from November 26, 2025. His argument: In Where Winds Meet, there is a merchant where you can buy scrolls for upgrading passive martial arts skills with Echo Jade.
Moreover, you can buy the very powerful Inner Path skill, Moral Song, from a merchant with 5,000 Echo Jade, which represents one of the four best options for practically any build. Those who spend money in the shop for the Battle Pass or monthly card can acquire these advantages more easily or earlier, according to TuanMax.
What the YouTuber does not mention: The purchase of upgrading scrolls is heavily limited. Furthermore, you can earn plenty of Echo Jade through exploration of the world. This allows Free2Play players easy access to buying Moral Song early or upgrading important skills.
What is not possible in Where Winds Meet: To significantly outpace Free2Play players in leveling and equipping to the maximum level, thereby dominating various PvP content.
Likewise, players who spend money cannot buy advantages for their character strength that can only be earned through hard grinding or not at all. From our perspective, the payment model of Where Winds Meet is therefore not Pay2Win in its current form. What do you think? More general information about the game can be found in our comprehensive overview: All info on release, start time, price, and gameplay of Where Winds Meet
