Heavenward

RPG· Choose Your Own Adventure· JRPG· Romance

Released Sep 2026

Tianyan is a Chinese xianxia sandbox action RPG. As a cultivator, you enter immortal realms, slay demons across stages. With classic story, fluid combat & deep cultivation, forge your own immortality legend.

90% positive · 103 reviews

Not yet

Released, ongoing live service game

High confidence

Live Service

Not yet

Released, ongoing live service game

High confidence

Live Service

Where to get it

Free on Steam

Steam Free

Evaluation

Heavenward is a free-to-play massively multiplayer xianxia RPG that launched out of a brief Early Access period on September 18, 2026. The game is built around live, server-based online play — including competitive multiplayer secret realm raids, faction wars between player-run sects, and world chat — with in-game paid content layered over a free core experience. The developer was explicit during Early Access (September 11, 2026) that the game is designed to grow continuously: "a xianxia world can never be truly finished," with a commitment to "regular version updates, continuously expanding story content, improving gameplay systems." The full launch post on September 18, 2026 describes the 1.0 release as a more complete version compared to Early Access, but frames it as a foundation rather than a finished product, noting an ongoing "fair design" model for future paid content. The game's genre tags (Massively Multiplayer, Free to Play) and its server-dependent features reinforce that this is a live game designed to receive ongoing updates indefinitely rather than a fixed content product with a defined endpoint.

Evidence

Full launch post describes the 1.0 release as a more refined and complete build compared to Early Access, notes future paid content will follow ongoing 'fair design principles,' framing the launch as a foundation for continued live service rather than a content endpoint.

news post · Sep 18, 2026 source development ongoing

high

Developer stated during Early Access launch that 'a xianxia world can never be truly finished' and committed to ongoing regular version updates, continuous story content expansion, and gameplay system improvements throughout Early Access and beyond.

news post · Sep 11, 2026 source development ongoing

high

Media

Details

Developer

TY‌studio‌

Publisher

TY‌studio‌

Achievements

—

Platform

Windows

Controller

—

Steam Deck

Not rated

Players

Multiplayer

Choose Your Own Adventure JRPG RPG Romance Adventure Dating Sim Lore-Rich Story Rich Xianxia Wuxia Fantasy Massively Multiplayer MMORPG Exploration 2D

About this game

Authentic Cultivation, Realm Ascension

Faithfully adapted from classic xianxia lore: progress through 9 major realms from Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment, all the way to Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Transformation, and finally immortal transcendence. Each realm breakthrough challenges you with a unique heavenly tribulation — from five-element thunder trials to nine-heaven profound calamities. Failure costs you realm progression and damages your Dao heart. Choose the path of unfeeling Dao for pure enlightenment, or the path of compassionate Dao to aid all living beings. Forge your destiny with your own natal artifact, exclusive techniques, and alchemy support to walk your unique path to longevity.

Shan-Hai Beasts, Hunt for Treasures

A complete primeval beast ecosystem inspired by Classic of Mountains and Seas. Dozens of mythical creatures — Taotie, BiFang, Nine-Tailed Fox, Qiongqi and more — dwell in deep forests, abyssal valleys and ancient ruins, each with unique behaviors and weak point mechanics. Hunt solo through stealthy sniping, or team up to trap and slay beasts with formations. Successful hunts yield rare spirit materials, beast cores and legacy fragments, which can be crafted into natal weapons and refined into high-grade elixirs, forming a full hunt-to-progression loop.

Immortal Companions, Harem Romance

Meet dozens of distinct heroines along your journey: a frosty sect saintess, a cunning demon princess, a chivalrous rogue cultivator, a mysterious demonic heir, and more. Each has a full backstory and exclusive story arcs. Forge a sacred Dao companion bond with one true love for dual cultivation, or gather confidantes to reside in your immortal mansion and build your harem. Unlock combo skills, two-player secret realms and permanent cultivation buffs as you deepen your bonds. High affection unlocks intimate storylines, so you never walk the immortal path alone.

Secret Realms, Random Fortunes

The open world is filled with random karmic encounters: meet a reclusive master in the mountains who teaches forbidden arts, find a lost ancient jade scroll in a ravine, dig up an innate spiritual treasure in an unmarked tomb — or fall into illusion arrays and face heart demon tribulations, or trigger ancient traps that leave you in mortal danger. Timed ancient secret realms also appear periodically, where all players compete for rare opportunities. Fortune and peril go hand in hand; every exploration holds unknown surprises and risks.

Found Your Sect, Build Your Realm

Build your cultivation sect from scratch: choose a blessed spirit mountain site, construct temple halls, deploy a Nine Palace grand protection formation, and set up alchemy halls, artifact workshops and spirit farms. Recruit disciples and pass down your teachings. Form alliances and rivalries with neighboring sects, compete for world spirit veins, and launch sect wars to expand your territory. Grow from a small local sect into a dominant immortal realm that rules the region, and build your very own xianxia order.