Honkai: Star Rail releases in April 2023, PlayStation version in development
After the final closed beta test of Honkai: Star Rail ended earlier today, HoYoverse has revealed the game’s release date to be April 26, 2023, during a livestream. The company announced that a PlayStation version is in development as well, releasing some time in the future.
Honkai: Star Rail is a free-to-play game set to be available on PC and mobile devices running on Android or iOS. The game is very humorous and plays out in what HoYoverse describes as an Eastern space fantasy setting. It contains light exploration mechanics and lots of turn-based combat in the traditional JRPG mold. You, the Trailblazer, join the Astral Express and its colorful cast of characters on its perilous journey through the stars.
Just like Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail is a gacha game, which means you can pull new characters and weapons on a random basis using in-game currency. It uses the same system as HoYoverse’s flagship game and will feel familiar to any Genshin Impact players in general – the structure of the UI, rewards, events, and progression builds on what HoYoverse learned in Genshin Impact.
Honkai: Star Rail’s release is highly anticipated among fans of the publisher, with every goal set for the pre-registration campaign being fulfilled. Our own first impressions from the final closed beta were thoroughly positive, though we couldn’t explore any endgame content yet.
HoYoverse further announced what players can expect from Honkai: Star Rail’s launch in terms of content. The release version will essentially include everything from the final closed beta. That means you’ll be able to explore three distinct regions, will have access to an already solid roster of different characters to build your teams, and you can expect several interesting permanent and time-limited game modes including the roguelike Simulated Universe.
In addition, the Exalting Sanctum, a new sub-area of the Xianzhou Luofu region, will be available.
You can check out the livestream as a VOD here, which includes an introduction of the game's world and mechanics:
Honkai: Star Rail releases on PC, Android, and iOS on April 26, 2023.
