NetEase Games Releases Blood Message ‘Hold Till Dawn’ Trailer at Summer Game Fest 2026

NetEase Games and 24 Entertainment have released the “Hold Till Dawn” trailer for Blood Message, a new cinematic single-player story-driven action game in development for PC and consoles. Powered by Unreal Engine 5 and proprietary technology from the development studio, Blood Message is NetEase Games first “AAA” single-player action-adventure game. The trailer brings some insight into the combat mechanics of the Blood Message while offering a sneak peek into the game’s backstory.

Lastly, here’s an overview of Blood Message, via NetEase Games:

Blood Message introduces a forgotten odyssey of loyalty and survival where players join Dunhuang’s uprising, taking control of a nameless messenger and his young son in this immersive third-person action-adventure. Caught in the crossfire of a righteous uprising and driven by loyalty to both family and country, players will embark on a perilous eastward journey to deliver a message that holds the fate of their war-torn homeland. Amidst the shifting sands of history, they will etch a final tale of loyalty.

Set during the final years of the Tang Dynasty, players will traverse a treacherous 3,000-li (around 1,000 miles) odyssey back to Chang’an, the heart of the Tang Empire. Cross lethal landscapes including desolate deserts and the vast wilderness of East and Central Asia to survive brutal sieges, unforgiving terrain, and overwhelming odds. The game’s setting in the last years of the Tang Dynasty provides a cultural landmark of Chinese history that frames the story with customs, culture, and rich history of the era.

Key Features:

• • • Narrative-driven gameplay anchored in cinematic storytelling
    • Visceral, realistic combat blending stealth and survival mechanics
    • A deeply emotional journey exploring themes of family, honor, sacrifice, and cultural identity
    • Expansive landscapes inspired by the diverse terrains of East and Central Asia, such as Dunhuang (敦煌)

How can countless ordinary people—smaller than dust—leave a mark on history? The  Blood Message development team offers this answer: The remembrance and praise of future generations become their eternal monument.

The game invites players to step into the shoes of unsung heroes—not emperors or generals—but ordinary people driven by extraordinary resolve. As part of a righteous uprising in Shazhou, Dunhuang, the father and son must navigate a collapsing world, torn between duty to country and love for family. When history forgets, warriors remember. The world has heard too many stories of emperors and generals—Blood Message is an ode to the unsung heroes.