NetEase Games and Joker Studio have announced that Sea of Remnants, a free-to-play ocean-fantasy RPG, will begin its Closed Beta Test in December 2026.
The announcement was made during gamescom Opening Night Live 2026, where the developers also debuted a new trailer showcasing the game’s open-world exploration, turn-based combat, naval encounters, and roguelike progression.
Pre-registration is now available ahead of the beta, while the game remains in development for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, iOS, and Android.
Sea of Remnants combines exploration with roguelike voyages
Sea of Remnants puts players in the role of a puppetfolk sailor who has lost their memories. The journey begins in the bustling city of Orbtopia before expanding across a vast archipelago filled with islands, encounters, and stories connected to the protagonist’s forgotten past.
The game’s core progression follows a Set Sail–Explore–Collect–Return loop.
Players head out into the ocean, explore islands, collect resources, encounter characters and enemies, and eventually return to continue developing their journey. Each expedition is structured as a replayable roguelike run, meaning the experience can change with every voyage.
Enemies, bosses, equipment, skills, enhancements, and potential crew members can vary between expeditions. Players therefore need to adjust their crew composition and strategies based on the challenges encountered during each run.
Turn-based combat extends from land to sea
Combat in Sea of Remnants is built around a dynamic turn-based system that covers both land encounters and naval battles.
On land, players can build and modify their crew around different abilities and equipment. The changing conditions of each voyage require players to consider how their available characters and upgrades work together.
Naval encounters extend the combat system onto the water, adding another layer to the game’s ocean-focused exploration.
The new trailer also highlights a range of island environments, alongside minigames and other lighter activities that break up the game’s combat and exploration loops.
The mystery behind the Voyager
Beyond its roguelike mechanics, Sea of Remnants uses its repeated voyages to drive its central mystery.
The protagonist repeatedly returns to the same ocean despite having no memories, raising the question of what connects the Voyager to the world they are exploring.
Each expedition can uncover another piece of the larger story, with the islands and characters encountered along the way contributing to the search for the protagonist’s lost past.
This gives the repeated voyage structure a narrative purpose rather than making each run solely about collecting stronger equipment.
Sea of Remnants platforms and closed beta
Sea of Remnants is currently in development for Windows PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, iOS, and Android.
The Closed Beta Test is scheduled to begin in December 2026, although the developers have yet to announce the specific start date or eligibility details. Pre-registration is now open through the official Sea of Remnants website.
With its combination of open-world exploration, naval encounters, turn-based combat, and roguelike progression, Sea of Remnants is positioning each voyage as a different experience while tying those repeated journeys into a larger mystery.
The December beta will give players their first opportunity to see how the game’s changing expeditions and ocean-fantasy setting come together in practice.
