Justice MMO Wins China’s Prestigious National Science Award
NetEase’s open-world MMO Justice (逆水寒) has received one of the highest honors in Chinese science and technology. The project “Key Technologies and Applications for Intelligent 3D Digital Human Production,” jointly developed by NetEase and Zhejiang University, was awarded the National Science and Technology Progress Award (Second Prize) at the 2025 award ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. This marks a significant milestone for the gaming industry, as the National Science and Technology Progress Award is among China’s most prestigious scientific honors, previously granted to achievements such as the Shenzhou manned space program, the Three Gorges Dam project, and 5G mobile communications technology.
Justice has long been at the forefront of AI-powered gameplay exploration in China’s gaming industry. According to official information, AI technology has been deeply integrated into the game for an extended period. To date, over 40 million “AI retainers” — NPCs with customized personalities and life paths created by players — have been generated within the game. Justice is recognized as the first commercial example in the industry to successfully implement player-customized AI intelligent lifeforms, demonstrating how gaming technology can contribute to advances in artificial intelligence research.
The game’s “AI Crew Mode” has enabled nearly 20 million pieces of user-generated content created by players. A standout feature called “Type to Create” allows users to bypass traditional game asset limitations by typing text commands to generate entirely new character actions and environmental assets on demand. Additionally, the recently launched “Wind Flower Pavilion” (风花小筑) simulation management mode, available for just two weeks, has already generated over 20 million special interactions. Upon entering the town, the system automatically generates chibi-style avatars, and residents interact with the environment based on their unique characteristics to produce distinctive stories.
Prior to this national honor, Justice had already received the Zhejiang Provincial Science and Technology Progress First Prize and the First Prize of the China Society of Image and Graphics Science and Technology Progress Award. These achievements highlight the growing role of video games as a driving force for cutting-edge technology innovation. The recognition from China’s top scientific institution underscores that the gaming industry is becoming a meaningful contributor to the nation’s science and technology advancement. This is a remarkable achievement for any game to claim, and one that players can genuinely take pride in being part of.
