A Whopping 8 Million Fans Have Pre-Registered to Play Honkai: Star Rail

And it's coming to PlayStation soon

by Sammy Barker Sat 25th Mar 2023

Honkai Star Rail PS5 PS4 PlayStation 5 miHoYo 1

Honkai: Star Rail, the sci-fi themed gacha RPG from Genshin Impact developer miHoYo, looks very much poised to be the next big thing: over eight million fans have pre-registered to play the game, more than a month before its official smartphone release date. It should be noted that pre-registration is free and there’s definitely incentive to do so: the Chinese developer’s giving away one free four-star character and 20 Star Rail Passes, which are the tickets used to pull more heroes, to everyone who does.

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Nevertheless, we think this is foreshadowing a pretty enormous success story. The game doesn’t have a release date on PS5 and PS4 just yet – the studio’s saying it’ll be available to download “very soon” – but with cross-progression almost certainly supported, you should be able to get started early on your smartphone. The crazy thing is, the team still has a full month to drum up enthusiasm – once the Genshin Impact crossover events drop, this thing is going to explode.

[source twitter.com]

As the Editor of Push Square, Sammy has over 15 years of experience analysing the world of PlayStation, from PS3 through PS5 and everything in between. He’s an expert on PS Studios and industry matters, as well as sports games and simulators. He also enjoys RPGs when he has the time to dedicate to them, and is a bit of a gacha whale.

1
Shepherd_Tallon
Sat 25th Mar 2023

I was registering earlier and saw the numbers.
Incredible stuff. Makes me wonder if Sony won't be investing in a big way before too long.
All of that malarky aside, I've been tempted by Genshin Impact for a long time, but never really got in to it.
It looks very good though.

2
get2sammyb
Sat 25th Mar 2023

@Shepherd_Tallon Genshin Impact is really cool, there just aren't enough hours in the day. I'd definitely recommend giving it a go if you ever get time, though!

3
Constable_What
Sat 25th Mar 2023

I played a TON of the CBT, and HSR is seriously impressive. It's not like other turn based gachas where you just tap on levels and start fighting, it's a more traditional experience where the story takes you to new locations complete with a highly interactive environment. I haven't been so eager to talk to trash cans since Undertale.

A standout of these interactions is when examining a mailbox you will see two letters sticking out, and taking one will make the other fall. The game gives you three options, taking the one on the left, the right, or pushing them into mailbox. I pushed then into the mailbox, and was rewarded by having the game congratulate me on following postal regulations and being a good person. It also gave me this kind or karma currency, which you can use to be a weirdo.
I spent that currency by taking coins out of public fountain.

There's an incredible amount of attention to detail. To the point where it puts recent JRPGs to shame. Genuinely cannot wait for this game.

4
Constable_What
Sat 25th Mar 2023

@Shepherd_Tallon Genshin is great if you play casually. Don't feel like you need to log in, or anything like that. As long as you're paying attention to your gear and world level, it's a REALLY easy and chill game...for the most part.
There's only one endgame activity (Abyss), and it sucks. It's some of the worst game design I've ever seen in a game.

Lot of really cool bosses, that I now kill almost instantly, but were cool when I didn't have over 1000 hours into the game.

5
UltimateOtaku91
Sat 25th Mar 2023

I've pre registered even though i didn't have the best experience with genshin, 30 hours in and the world level went up too quick and now it's just too hard and enemies are damage sponges. But this game may be different considering it's turn based, I just hope I don't need to play the mobile honkai impact game to know what's going on.

Also if anyone's interested here's some beta footage, gives a good look at the exploration and combat.

https://youtu.be/UHFn6vE-3fU

6
Constable_What
Sat 25th Mar 2023

@UltimateOtaku91 You can turn your World Level down in the Paimon menu, and you can play domains (the places where you grind artifacts and weapon mats) on any tier without lowering the world level. All you really need to complete any story stuff is one or two characters that are decently geared and leveled appropriately.

But I imagine just lowering it in the Paimon menu by pressing options, will put you in a place where the enemies aren't spongy. Because you do have to fight those leveled enemies in a WL Domain quest to even progress your world level.

7
Shepherd_Tallon
Sat 25th Mar 2023

@Constable_What @get2sammyb
I think the main issue for me is that I've recently gotten back in to Destiny 2. Once I catch up with the campaigns I'll probably drift away for a while again. Maybe then I'll give Genshin a go.

8
Relygon
Sat 25th Mar 2023

@Shepherd_Tallon I know the feeling, I can’t keep up with more than one live service game at a time. When I finally dropped Destiny 2 after a ridiculous amount of hours I hoped onto Genshin, ha.

As for the title in question, I’m intrigued but there’s no rush, I won’t be there day one.

9
Mikey856
Sat 25th Mar 2023

8 million Japanese people then

10
NEStalgia
Sat 25th Mar 2023

I've tried to like genshin and just can't. I can't put a finger on what it is that feels wrong about it but it just feels very hollow and wrong, though some of that is true for me for just mmo designs.

11
tselliot
Sat 25th Mar 2023

Some of those screens on the pre-registration page look ripped right out of their current game, but I guess it just has the same style.

12
Flaming_Kaiser
Sun 26th Mar 2023

I dont want another free to play timesink to be honest. There has to something that keep you going daily login crap, seasonpasses, timed events I have one game like that already.

I'm trying to get one out of my system already i personally don't don't need another addiction enough is enough.

COD 2019 showed me that I can't cope with battlepasses it makes a game a job for me. When I got the rush from finishing Demon Souls i knew what I was missing. A beginning and end to a game feeling like you closed of a chapter of my gaming life and move on.

13
rawzeku
Sun 26th Mar 2023

Should be noted pre-registration has been up way longer then just a month. But that said, its a Hoyoverse/Mihoyo game so not even surprising to see. ZZZ is most likely gonna have crazy numbers as well.

14
Mintie
Sun 26th Mar 2023

@Shepherd_Tallon That's what I do... I get caught up on D2/ finish another big game and then go catch up with Genshin. I find with Genshin that setting myself a goal helps it not get overwhelming with the sheer volume of stuff there is to do... that or emerge 48hrs later feeling foggy and wondering why i have a Paimon tattoo on mah butt.

15
KidRyan
Thu 30th Mar 2023

Not surprising at all. I want to play this but will probably never have the time, just like with Genshin Impact and Final Fantasy 14.

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