Every major version since launch — and what each one actually added
Where Winds Meet moves fast: since the November 2025 international launch, NetEase has shipped a major version roughly every 11-13 weeks, with weekly patches in between. If you stepped away for a few months, this is the catch-up page — what changed, when, and which updates matter for your build and your backlog.
Compiled from official NetEase announcements and patch coverage; last updated July 6, 2026.
Version 1.2 — Kaifeng Finale (January 9, 2026)
The first major update of 2026 delivered the Final Volume of Kaifeng, closing out the capital's main story arc. It also introduced the Guild Battle Preseason — the first structured guild-versus-guild competition — plus a new region with a puzzle cave, and kicked off the first Jianghu Martial Games event.
Why it matters now: if your story progress stops somewhere in Kaifeng, the ending of that arc has been playable since January.
Version 1.4 — Home Afar (March 6, 2026)
The biggest content drop of the first half: the start of the Hexi expansion. Across March, April, and May, Home Afar rolled out three new maps, nearly twenty regions, and eleven bosses to global players — a staged release rather than a single-day dump.
Why it matters now: Hexi is where most post-Kaifeng exploration, farming, and boss content lives. If you have not set foot there, that is your largest pile of unplayed content.
Version 1.6 — Flows of Dreams (April 30, 2026)
The Qinchuan update, arriving alongside the game's half-anniversary. It added three events — Lumina Guide: Qinchuan, Let It Snow, and the Half-Anniversary activities — plus a new Mystic Skill, Idle Wind, which lets you transform into a fleeting breeze and travel across the lands.
Why it matters now: Idle Wind changed how fast you can cross open terrain; movement-focused builds and exploration completionists should pick it up first.
Version 1.7 — The Imperial Palace (June 2026)
A story-and-systems update centered on the Imperial Palace, followed by a June 5 patch that fixed regional server availability, controller responsiveness, Imperial Palace quest text, mobile scene loading, and Grand Nuo Ritual stability.
Xbox Launch (June 8, 2026)
Where Winds Meet arrived on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud, free to download from the Microsoft Store. The player pool widened accordingly — worth knowing if you queue for PvP or group content.
Version 1.8 — Companions Make Home (June 25, 2026)
The current version. Two headline systems:
- Homestead — the Blissful Retreat village in Qinghe becomes your personal estate: recruit villagers, run inns, porcelain kilns, farms, and breweries, and manage trade routes. Full breakdown in our Homestead guide.
- Pet companions — the cats Maverick, Scar, and Pudding at launch, joined a week later by Goldie the goose, all reacting to weather, world events, and your presence.
What's Next
Officially announced or previewed in developer livestreams:
- Beyond Artistry (July 2026) — creative design tools for customizing and showcasing your residence.
- Hoto region — a war-scarred battlefield with a major conflict arc, with additional quest and boss content arriving in stages after its launch.
- CN-first pipeline — the Chinese client continues to run ahead of global (a late-June CN patch added the new Jiangnan region), so CN patch notes remain the best preview of what global gets next.
We update this timeline after each major version. For rewards tied to version celebrations, check the active codes page — new versions almost always ship with new redeem codes.