Thematic summer content is heading to Honkai: Star Rail too. Version 4.5, "Bets in the City of a Thousand Stars", arrives on August 26 and brings Stargrad (a resort city), new takes on Zaryanka and Aventurine, a racing mode, faster story dialogue playback, and other bits. Note: the patch cycle this time will run for about five weeks rather than the usual six. Below are the highlights from the HoYoverse stream:
Characters and Weapons
- Support Zaryanka: Yasnopeya — Wind, Path of Memory (PoM). Appears in the first half of the patch.
- Healer Hyacinth — Wind, Path of Memory (PoM). First half as well.
- Familiar Aventurine: Surf — Quantum, Path of Joy (PoJ). Second half of the patch.
- Detective Ashvale — Electric, Path of Hunt (PoH). Second half.
Also: increased drop rates on a handful of light 5★ light cones — "Rise and Sing" (Memory), "May the Rainbow Shine Forever" (Memory), "Summer in the Waves" (Joy), and "Epilogue of Lies" (Hunt). The first-half banners will include a 4★ light cone, "Short Vacation" (Joy).
Quests and Activities
- The main story sends TBs to Stargrad, the flashiest jewel in the IWC’s portfolio. It’s a playground for ambassadors and big fish of the Trade System — part resort, part power hub — and you’re there to lobby for help against the Dimensional Realm disaster caused again by Greed. It’s lore-heavy, if you like that sort of thing.
- There’s a summer-camp-with-a-plot feel: Zaryanka (now head of the Oak clan) is in Stargrad both to perform and to snoop around Gofer Tree’s legacy, while Aventurine tried to take a real vacation and instead ends up chasing a traitor among the Ten Stone Hearts.
- Racing returns: the Interstellar Racing Association opened a pro track for the Interstellar Grand Prix (GP) — the "Cup of a Thousand Stars." Rather than pure driving, you’ll act as manager: pick racers, tune strategies to the course, issue commands during races, and upgrade vehicles. Completing race-related tasks nets the 4★ light cone "Race to the Horizon" (Hunt).
- A light side event, "Tiny Great Adventure," offers bite-sized challenges. No hands-on combat control required — you pick a squad and let the event rules handle the rest.
- The game universe expands: new modes for five schools plus additional equations and curiosities will be added (details to drop in patch notes).
- "Comet Gift" returns; you can claim up to 10 Jumps (i.e., pulls).
Miscellaneous
- Story dialogue speed-up: toggle on if you want characters to speak lines faster — handy when you’re trying to blitz through text.
- New Exploration outfit: an electronic headpiece styled like an emoji figure called "Oh, just look at this."
- Collab news: MOONDROP (headphone maker) partners with the game, featuring Spark in promo materials. The headphone series is planned for release "in many regions"; buyers get an acrylic stand and a Spark keychain. Also, content from a crossover with Zenless Zone Zero will arrive in Honkai: Star Rail later.
- A food tie-in: From Aug 18 the promo launches in other Russian cities. The combo includes a collectible keychain (Faenon or Kastoria) plus a game promo code.