Westward Journey Online III
Launched by NetEase in 2007, this 2D turn-based online game is the third installment in the Westward Journey series and operated alongside its predecessors for many years.
Westward Journey III is a 2D turn-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game launched by NetEase on September 12, 2007. As the third official installment in the Westward Journey series, it operated alongside Westward Journey Online II as an upgraded successor. Powered by a proprietary NetEase engine, the game maintains the narrative foundation of the original Journey to the West and its eponymous Hong Kong films, while introducing a more refined art style, new sects, and an entirely new world map. Players can choose characters from four races—immortals, humans, demons, and ghosts—to experience traditional series gameplay such as sect quests, story dungeons, PvP arenas, guild wars, and a marriage system, all while incorporating innovative elements like DOTA-style combat, tower defense, and puzzle mini-games. Having been operational for over sixteen years, the game has consistently ranked among the top-earning turn-based online games in China, with a player community that deeply resonates with its slogan "Journey West for Love" and its romanticist plot. Starting in 2024, New Westward Journey 3 Classic Edition continues its operation through a dual-track system, offering both a remade classic version and a free-to-play version, alongside various web-based and derivative editions. It stands as a quintessential example of the commercial longevity of 2D turn-based online games in China.