NetEase's Beneath the Mist begins first China closed beta with hunting, cooking and extraction gameplay

NetEase Games begins the first closed beta for Beneath the Mist today, August 17, on Android and iOS in China. The test runs through August 23 and introduces a mobile project that combines monster hunting, food preparation and extraction-style progression. Players venture into dangerous environments, fight creatures, gather ingredients and resources, then attempt to return safely with their collected materials.

Cooking forms more than a cosmetic side activity because meals can provide useful advantages for later expeditions. Extraction mechanics create tension by making survival and deciding when to leave almost as important as defeating enemies. The structure is unusual for mobile, where monster-hunting games and extraction games normally exist as separate categories.

Today's beta gives NetEase a chance to examine combat balance, device performance, network stability and progression pacing across real smartphones before any larger rollout. Touch controls will be particularly important because hunting large creatures requires movement and reaction without overwhelming players with virtual buttons. The China-only test means international users cannot yet judge the full experience themselves, but August 17 is an important first step.

If the hybrid systems work together coherently, Beneath the Mist could become one of NetEase's more distinctive upcoming mobile projects.