Are you having trouble keeping on top of the Honkai Star Rail update schedule? Wanna know what the current update is introducing and what the next update is set to bring? Well, sit back and relax, dear passenger, as PT Pom-Pom is here to play as your personal travel guide, filling you in on all the latest content, characters, and more coming in the next HSR update.
If you need a bit more help on your astral adventure, check out our Honkai Star Rail tier list, Honkai Star Rail characters, and Honkai Star Rail banner guides. We’ve also got a super handy list of all the latest Honkai Star Rail codes, as well as details on all the current and upcoming Honkai Star Rail events.
When is the next Honkai Star Rail update?
The Honkai Star Rail 1.6 update release date is Wednesday, December 27, 2023. Before that, the game went into maintenance for roughly five hours starting December 26 at 15:00 PDT / 18:00 EDT / 22:00 GMT.
If you reach Trailblaze level 4 or higher by the time a maintenance period starts, you will receive a minimum of 300 stellar jade in your in-game mailbox as compensation after maintenance concludes.
When is the next Honkai Star Rail livestream?
The Honkai Star Rail 1.6 livestream went live on Friday, December 15, at 3:30 PT / 5:30 CT / 6:30 ET / 11:30 GMT. You can watch it on the official Honkai Star Rail Youtube or Twitch.
Who are the new characters on the Honkai Star Rail update 1.6 banners?
During the livestream, Hoyoverse confirmed that 1.6 features the following banners.
Floral Triptych – phase one
A Lost Soul – phase one
Panta Rhei – phase two
Nessun Dorma – phase two
Be sure to check out our Honkai Star Rail banners guide to keep on top of all the current and upcoming Honkai Star Rail characters and light cones.
Is there a new area in Honkai Star Rail update 1.6?
We’re not off to a new world yet, but version 1.6 sees us return to Herta Space Station, where we get to explore the whole new Seclusion Zone domain. However, at the end of the livestream, we did get a very brief glimpse at the new world, Penacony. It looks like we’ll be headed there in version 2.0 – which may just be sooner rather than later!
Are there any new quests in Honkai Star Rail 1.6?
Version 1.6 introduces a new Trailblaze Continuance Mission, Crown of the Mundane and Divine. In this new chapter, we learn that the space station has been bustling with activity. With the latest update to the Honkai Star Rail Simulated Universe and the gathering of the Genius Society, you can’t help but feel like there are some unexpected events on the horizon…
Are there any new enemies in Honkai Star Rail 1.6?
During the livestream, we got a glimpse at a frightful new foe we’ll be facing on Herta Space Station. In the process of clone cultivation, Ruan Mei encountered an anomaly known as Starcrusher Swarm King: Skaracabaz.
This beastly beetle possesses ‘immense propagative capabilities’, and, while in the multiply state, can summon more of its own kind with every attack it sustains. That means the more you attack it, the more bugs you’ve gotta fight! Luckily, it’s also at its most vulnerable during this phase, so you should focus all your attacks on the big baddie and ignore its pals if you hope to stand a chance.
After fighting Starcrusher Swarm King: Skaracabaz in the main story, you can take it on as many times as you want through the new Echo of War in order to earn a variety of materials and rewards.
Are there any new gameplay modes in Honkai Star Rail 1.6?
There are a heap of combat challenges to test your mettle in version 1.6, including a fresh update to the Simulated Universe and a bunch of battle-focused events.
There’s also a brand new permanent challenge mode called Pure Fiction, where you must defeat as many enemies as possible in a limited number of terms to get a high score. There are a bunch of different buffs to try out, so be sure to check those before picking your team! Each phase of Pure Fiction allow you to earn a whopping 700 stellar jades, and you can also earn a free copy of Honkai Star Rail’s Lynx for hitting certain milestones.
And that’s not all – there are two new stages to the Honkai Star Rail Forgotten Hall. And you know what that means – even more free stellar jades to snag! But don’t worry if you’re behind in Forgotten Hall, as there’s now a fast clear system where you can hop into any stage up to level seven and, as long as you achieve three stars, you can claim all the rewards for previous stages without having to complete them.
What are the Honkai Star Rail 1.6 events?
As always, there are heaps of exciting events coming in version 1.6, including a variety of exciting combat challenges, an expansion for the Simulated Universe, re-runs of familiar events Planar Fissure and Realm of the Strange, and more.
And, perhaps the most exciting thing of all, in celebration of Honkai Star Rail earning the Best Mobile Game 2023 at The Game Awards, iPhone Game of the Year 2023 on the App Store, and Google Play’s Best of 2023 Best Game, all trailblazers can claim a free copy of the new, limited five-star character, Dr. Ratio! You can claim him any time from version 1.6 until the end of version 2.1.
Keep an eye on our Honkai Star Rail events guide to make surer you never miss a thing!
That’s all we’ve got on the current Honkai Star Rail update for now, but keep your eyes peeled as we’ll be updating this guide with fresh information in the future. In the meantime, be sure to check out our list of the best games like Genshin Impact for more worlds to explore.
