According to Wccftech, Genshin Impact developer miHoYo just dropped a massive 31-minute gameplay reveal for their next open-world game called Varsapura. The footage shows a surreal near-future city dealing with Mind Rot, a parapsychological force that’s literally eroding reality and spawning monsters. Players join the Shadow Emergency Alliance (SEAL) organization, starting as applicants undergoing psychological evaluations before becoming operational officers. Combat features fast-paced action where the protagonist uses an umbrella as both melee and ranged weapon. The game also includes RPG-style dialogue options with skills like Empathy and Persuasion, plus vehicle navigation in the open world. Varsapura is being built with Unreal Engine 5 and miHoYo is actively hiring across Shanghai, Singapore, and Los Angeles offices to continue development.
Control meets gacha
Here’s the thing that immediately jumps out: this looks like Remedy’s Control but with that distinct miHoYo flavor. The bureaucratic organization dealing with supernatural threats? The surreal reality-bending environments? That’s pure Control DNA. But then you see the NPC squadmates and RPG dialogue systems, and suddenly it feels more like Honkai Impact or Genshin Impact. It’s an interesting mashup, honestly.
I’m genuinely curious how deep the Control inspiration goes. The mind-verification sequences and psychological evaluations in the demo give me serious Federal Bureau of Control vibes. But will it have that same eerie, minimalist storytelling that made Control so compelling? Or will it lean more into miHoYo’s established formula of colorful characters and elaborate progression systems?
The umbrella combat
Okay, let’s talk about that umbrella weapon. It’s definitely unique – using an umbrella for both close-quarters combat and ranged attacks is creative. But I can’t help wondering how satisfying it will feel compared to established action games. Fast-paced combat with an umbrella? That’s either going to be brilliantly innovative or feel a bit gimmicky.
The environmental hazards and puzzles involving Mind Rot contamination sound promising though. If they can make the reality-bending elements feel as dynamic as Control’s shifting architecture, that could be a real standout feature. And the vehicle navigation suggests this open world might be substantially larger than what we’ve seen from miHoYo before.
Development reality
Now for the sobering part: this game is clearly years away from launch. A 31-minute gameplay demo is impressive, but miHoYo is still actively hiring for Varsapura positions across multiple continents. They’re recruiting through their careers portal and even using Google profiles for applications, which suggests they’re building the team as they develop.
That massive hiring push tells me this is still in relatively early development stages. We’re probably looking at 2026 at the absolute earliest, if not later. And given miHoYo’s track record with ambitious projects, delays wouldn’t be surprising.
Worth the wait?
Basically, this looks like miHoYo’s attempt to break out of their established mold while playing to their strengths. The Control-inspired setting is fresh territory for them, but the RPG systems and squad mechanics feel familiar. Whether they can blend these elements into something truly innovative remains to be seen.
The real question is: can they capture that eerie, psychological horror vibe that made Control so memorable while still delivering the polished action-RPG experience they’re known for? That’s a tough balancing act. But if anyone has the resources to pull it off, it’s the company behind one of the most successful live-service games in history.
