In an exciting update for fans of Honkai Star Rail, HoYoverse has announced a series of character reworks slated for release in HSR 3.4. During their recent RPG livestream, they revealed plans to breathe new life into some of the game’s beloved yet fading characters. Players can look forward to seeing refreshed versions of Kafka, Silver Wolf, Blade, and Jingliu. While the developers haven’t detailed exactly what changes are in store, they assure fans that these updates are in direct response to player requests for revamped, impactful gameplay.
If everything goes according to schedule, we can expect HSR 3.4 to drop in early July 2025. When these characters first arrived on the scene in 2023, they were among the game’s elite. Kafka enjoyed a resurgence in 2024 with the introduction of Acheron, but since then, the potency of these characters has waned. Jingliu, for instance, demands significant investment but still doesn’t quite measure up to her peers in terms of damage. Kafka has been left without new damage-over-time allies, and the recent addition of Mydei hasn’t introduced much novelty as she mirrors Blade’s playstyle.
In gacha games like Honkai Star Rail, it’s not uncommon for older characters to experience “powercreep.” However, HoYoverse’s track record with their other games, like Genshin Impact, typically sees long-lasting character viability. Many initial powerhouses in Genshin Impact still hold their ground in the meta, guiding players through challenging endgame content. Meanwhile, Zenless Zone Zero lets players conquer formidable foes using the same characters they started with, showcasing how characters can remain relevant even amidst evolving game landscapes.
Despite these reworks, it doesn’t seem that HoYoverse has similar intentions for every character in Honkai Star Rail. Some, like Bailu, Yanqing, Natasha, Hook, and Welt, appear to be slipping further into obscurity without any immediate plans for revival.
On a brighter note, the upcoming version 3.2 will bring a neat opportunity for players: the choice between two free 5-star characters, Ruan Mei and Luocha. It’s an exciting time ahead for Honkai Star Rail enthusiasts!
