Tag: Hoyoverse
News One of PS5's Biggest and Most Popular Games Is Getting Its Own DualSense at Last
Trapped in Teyvat
With support for the last-gen version of Genshin Impact scheduled to cease in the New Year, both Sony and dev HoYoverse have been working overtime to transition players to the PS5. Recently, it released a trailer, highlighting
News Genshin Impact Buffs Some of Its Oldest Characters in Upcoming PS5 Update
Venti nice
You’ve probably heard the phrase “power creep” before. It’s an issue pretty much exclusive to gacha games, where tempting you to invest in new characters means older ones can get left behind. Recently we’ve seen HoYoverse’s various titles attempt to tackle this problem, with popular characters from Honkai: Star Rail and even...
News Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail Maker Reveals Next-Gen Open World Powered by Unreal Engine 5
The next big thing
You could be forgiven for thinking HoYoverse is pretty busy right now. That’s because it is! In addition to its established titles like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, it’s also recently announced Animal Crossing-like Petit Planet and auto-chess battler
News Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail Dev Turns to Unreal Engine 5 Realism for Next Project
Mentioned on recruitment website
Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail maker HoYoverse is on top of the world right now, and it’s releasing new games at a steady pace. Long-time fans will note two new titles were revealed recently: the Animal Crossing-inspired Petit Planet (which is curr
News Honkai: Star Rail Concludes Its Elongated Amphoreus Saga, Adds Permanent Game Mode
And that's the end of that chapter
When the stinger at the end of the most recent Honkai: Star Rail update warned its never-ending Amphoreus saga would be continued, we felt a little bit of our soul die. That is to say this overwritten beast of a plot hasn’t been our favourite to date, but it concludes in v3.7, due out on 5th November. At least...
News Now Devs Are Politely Asking Their PS4 Players to Upgrade to PS5
You know you want to
One of PS5’s biggest challenges has been actively encouraging players to upgrade from the wildly popular PS4. With hardware prices still high for the new-gen system, the reluctance to upgrade has slowly started to affect third-party publishers – even Capcom recently complained about it. And with Genshin Impact expected to...
News Genshin Impact Wants to Be the Only Game You Ever Play on PS5
Major new mode will massively expand array of experiences
We’ve already seen the likes of Fortnite and Roblox embrace community created content, but now it’s the turn of Genshin Impact to take strides towards becoming the ultimate “forever” game. While the new update, out on 22nd October, brings substantial new quests to the ongoing...
News Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail Dev Reveals Animal Crossing-Esque Cosy Game
But not officially confirmed for PS5 yet
Part of its pursuit to take over the world – or, at least, all of your spare time – Genshin Impact maker HoYoverse has revealed cosy game Petit Planet for PC, mobile, and “additional platforms”. Sign-ups for a beta test are live now across PC and mobile. It’s actually unclear whether PS5 will be...
Constellation craziness
It can cost thousands of dollars to earn enough duplicates of a 5-Star character in Genshin Impact to max out their Constellations, so word of a new item earned through further duplicates that will let you break the level cap of 90 is proving somewhat controversial. Here’s how it works: if you pull for a 5-Star character...
News Honkai: Star Rail Spin-Off Fuses Pokémon with Teamfight Tactics, But No Word on PS5 Yet
The next big thing
HoYoverse has announced the next pillar in its gacha gaming empire: an autochess tactics title named Honkai: Nexus Anima which blends the best of Pokémon and Teamfight Tactics into one beautifully presented package. The company is currently recruiting for a Nexus Bond Te
News Zenless Zone Zero Settles Down After an Action Packed Summer with Smaller PS5 Update
And breathe
The last Zenless Zone Zero update was a bit of a monster, with a new storyline, summer activities, and even an autochess minigame. Things are a little lighter in v2.2, which is scheduled to release on 4th September. We suppose the highlights are the two new characters: Seed and Orphie. The former is interesting because she travels...
News Free-to-Play Juggernaut Genshin Impact Is Delisting and Shutting Down PS4 Version
PS5 version unaffected
Hoyoverse has announced the PS4 version of its free-to-play RPG Genshin Impact will soon be delisted and eventually shut down. In a post on its official site, the company has detailed its plan to remove the PS4 game from PS Store, disable in-game purchases, and ultimately discontinue all support. "Thank you for your...
Salad fingers
Honkai: Star Rail’s next major update will of course continue the tale of Amphoreus, as the story enters its second phase. But we must admit, we’re more concerned with the upcoming restaurant management minigame, which will debut as part of the new patch, due out on 13th August. Before we get into all the details, you’ll...
News Genshin Impact Lore Bomb Introduces 11 New Characters for PS5, PS4 Gacha
Alice! Varka! Columbina!
Genshin Impact’s summer update is right around the corner, but all roads lead to new region Nod-Krai, and a year-long storyline named the Song of the Welkin Moon. Out of nowhere, developer HoYoverse has dropped an epic five minute trailer introducing the cast we’ll encounter in the new location, as part of the Archon...
Here are the new redemption codes
Genshin Impact’s newest summer event will be sticking around permanently, as Natlan expands with an all-new beach resort. The open world gacha has always added incredible new locations during the summer, but historically they’ve been time limited, meaning they’ve long since been removed from the game. This...
News It's All Sunshine and Rainbows in ZZZ's Summer Update, Here's the New Redemption Code
Fun in the sun
Zenless Zone Zero’s slathering on the sunscreen and heading to the Waifei Peninsula’s coastal Fantasy Resort for a spot of fun in the sun this 17th July. The next update for the gargantuan gacha will include two new playable characters, a slew of beach-themed minigames – including surfing! – and much, much more. But first,...
Type swoon
In what is looking like the most brutal collection of Honkai: Star Rail banners since the game’s inception, v3.4 will serve up Phainon, Tribbie, Sunday, Sparkle, and their respective Light Cones all during the first phase of the update, starting 2nd July. Fate/Stay Night characters Saber and Archer will also follow from 11th July,...
News Your Forgotten Honkai: Star Rail Characters Are About to Get a Lot More Useful
Looking buffed
As we’ve reported in the past, power creep is a real issue in gacha games like Honkai: Star Rail. To summarise the issue for those not in the know, developers will gradually make new characters more powerful than their predecessors to entice steady spending. But that means older units gradually become useless over time. Zenless...
News Genshin Impact Ups the Ante En Route to Nodkrai, Here Are the New Redemption Codes
Skirk makes her long-awaited arrival
Genshin Impact is substantially upping the ante ahead of new region Nodkrai in its v5.7 update, which is scheduled to release on 18th June. Before we get into all the details, you’ll probably want to redeem the latest redemption codes, which are: MasterSkirk0618 YourSpaceTime VoidStar0618
Review Zenless Zone Zero (PS5) - v2.0 Update Completes Gacha Game's Glow Up
No Hollow victory
Zenless Zone Zero has changed dramatically since it debuted last summer. The game, which paced its story around controversial board game-inspired television segments, has seen its main quest structure completely revamped. The release now resembles a more traditional character action game, with combat gauntlets interspersed with...
News Here's How Zenless Zone Zero Is Making One of Its Most Popular Characters Much More Powerful
Power creep? Pah
Power creep is a big problem in gacha games. Here’s the issue the genre faces: fans spend liberally on the characters they like, investing time and money into assembling squads capable of clearing the most difficult content. Then new avatars come along, disrupting the meta and rendering those older heroes redundant. It’s a big...
It's a big'un
Zenless Zone Zero’s colossal anniversary update will release on 6th June, and will bring with it a frightening array of new content. But before we delve into the dozens of new details, you may want to grab the latest redemption code before it expires on 25th May: ZZZANNIVERSARY Okay, where to even begin with this one? Perhaps...
News Zenless Zone Zero's Sequel Sized PS5 Update Will Be Revealed This Week
You're the Yixuan we want
Zenless Zone Zero’s first anniversary is upon us, and so is its epic v2.0 update. If you follow HoYoverse’s other games, then you’ll know this is shaping up to be a milestone patch for the free-to-play affair. All will be revealed at 7PM PT on 23rd May. Thanks to a roadmap stream earlier in the year, we already know...
News Honkai: Star Rail's Best Combat Event Returns in Massive Upcoming PS5 Update
Legend of the Galactic Baseballer is back
As a turn-based game, Honkai: Star Rail is always finding interesting ways to reinvent its combat system. This aspect of the HoYoverse outing is underrated, and while some modes are better than others, we really liked the Legend of the Galactic Baseballer from a few updates ago. This mode was presented as a...
News Genshin Impact Players Must Verify Their Age or Risk Losing All Their Progress on PS5, PS4
Fail to comply and your account could get deleted
Due to government rulings, Genshin Impact players in the US will now need to verify their age or risk losing access to their account forever. A recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ruling concluded that the juggernaut gacha game is “misleading” children over the true cost of its characters. Fo
News Honkai: Star Rail Maker Teases Pokémon-Style Spin-Off
Gotta gacha ‘em all
That sound you can hear is Nintendo’s legal team tightening its collective belts. It’s going to take a whole lot more muscle to go head-to-head with Chinese titan HoYoverse than Palworld maker Pocket Pair, however. The company has announced a third game in the Honkai franchise, which looks from the trailer like a...
Available from 11th July
After being announced an eternity ago, Honkai: Star Rail has finally revealed its first crossover content with Fate/Stay Night. The characters available from the legendary Type-Moon visual novel, which has had versions on both the PS2 and PS Vita, include: Archer (The Hunt, Quantum) Saber (Destruc
News One of the Biggest PS5, PS4 Games Appears to Be on the Cusp of Massive Change
Genshin Impact devs give rare insight into the future
Make no mistake about it: Genshin Impact pioneered the current gaming climate. Without it, we wouldn’t have juggernauts like Wuthering Waves, Honkai: Star Rail, Infinity Nikki, and Zenless Zone Zero on the PS5. But being the frontrunner means newcomers have been able to stand on its shoulders,...
News Genshin Impact Goes Theme Park in Colossal PS5, PS4 Update
Manage Fontaine's finest amusement park
Our favourite events in HoYoverse’s gacha games are the ones where you get to temporarily do a bit of business management, so you can bet Genshin Impact’s new amusement park minigame is going to bring us back to Teyvat. While the highlight for most players will surely be the new Archon Quest Interlude –...
News Zenless Zone Zero's Wise-Cracking Protagonists Get Affordable Statues
You've gotta have Phaethon
There are video game collectibles that basically break the bank, like the new hyper-realistic Stellar Blade models – and then there are actually affordable ones. Pop Up Parade has built its business around offering high quality figurines which the average consumer can actually afford, and it’s just opened pre-orders...
News PS5's Zenless Zone Zero Adds a Parasol Wielding Waifu, Here's the Latest Redemption Code
Hugo boss
Zenless Zone Zero is definitely treading water ahead of its massive v2.0 seasonal overhaul, so cut it some slack while it recycles some content in v1.7, which is launching on 23rd April. Before we get into all of the details, you’ll probably want to redeem the newest redemption code, which will expire on 13th April. It is as follows:...
News You Will Want This Stunning Honkai: Star Rail Art Book
Free for Chinese players who fulfil certain gameplay conditions
HoYoverse is releasing a gorgeous commemorative Honkai: Star Rail art book ahead of the game’s second anniversary, and players in mainland China can actually obtain it for free. The hardback book includes tons of artwork from the game, including character renders, concepts, and...
News Zenless Zone Zero Planning a Sequel Sized Update for PS5 Fave's First Anniversary
Gacha get up-to-date
Zenless Zone Zero’s massive v2.0 update will be arriving just in time for the game’s first anniversary, and it looks set to shake up the gacha in an impressive way. As part of an epic info drop, HoYoverse has announced that the main storyline will take Phaethon to the Waifei Peniunsula – and yes, we can already see users...
News Zenless Zone Zero's PS5 Console Exclusivity Is Coming to an End
Zen there was none
Sony had dibs on HoYoverse’s hottest new urban action RPG Zenless Zone Zero, but the title’s period of PS5 console exclusivity is coming to an end. After originally teasing an Xbox release in what many interpreted as an April Fool’s Day joke, now the Chinese developer has announced a livestream where it’ll officially...
Interview Inside Honkai: Star Rail - PS5's Biggest and Most Ambitious Live Service RPG
A deep dive into HoYoverse's huge hit ahead of its second anniversary
With the second anniversary of Honkai: Star Rail mere weeks away, we had the opportunity to reflect on one of the PS5’s most successful live service efforts with Lead Game Designer Chengnan An at GDC in San Francisco last month. Our interview was wide-ranging, digging into the...
News PS5 RPG Honkai: Star Rail Celebrates Its Anniversary with an Abundance of Free Pulls
Old favourites getting big buffs in the future
Believe it or not, juggernaut turn-based RPG Honkai: Star Rail will celebrate its second anniversary next month – and it’ll be marking the occasion with an abundance of free pulls. Fans will be able to earn 20 Star Rail Special Passes just for logging in, while you’ll be able to pick a companion...
News Genshin Impact Community in Flames as English Cast Turn on New Voice Actor
"This is diabolical"
We reported recently how two Zenless Zone Zero actors were replaced without prior knowledge, as they held back their services due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, where performers are seeking protection from their employers against AI exploitation. Now it’s Genshin Impact’s time to make the headlines, as a slew of...
Random Everyone's Talking About Cats' Testicles in Zenless Zone Zero on PS5
Even they jiggle now, too
Zenless Zone Zero is notorious for its, shall we say, buoyant anatomy. In a recent update for the HoYoverse gacha, there was controversy when the developer made it more difficult to peek up characters’ skirts. That decision was quickly reversed. Now everyone’s talking about the mog’s bollocks – credit to
News As War on AI Rages, Two Zenless Zone Zero Stars Say They Were Replaced Without Prior Notice
Recast and removed
Two actors from gargantuan HoYoverse gacha Zenless Zone Zero say they found out about their replacements when patch notes for the game dropped alongside its latest update this week. Soldier 11 star Emeri Chase and Lycaon actor Nicholas Thurkettle have had all of their voice lines removed from the game and re-recorded by new...
News Launch Day Character Anby Gets a Makeover in Mega Zenless Zone Zero PS5 Update
Anby go again
It’s hard to find a hook for the latest Zenless Zone Zero update, because in reality this is just more of a very, very fun gacha game. But we suppose the biggest story is that Anby, the burger loving launch day character who appears on the game’s PS5 game tile, is getting a makeover. The character will be upgraded to a 5-Star in...
News Honkai: Star Rail's Adventures in Amphoreus Continue in Next PS5 Update
Titan time
For those of you who didn’t get a chance to play Honkai: Star Rail’s new Amphoreus update, it’s effectively an epic 10-hour JRPG storyline set against a loosely European-inspired backdrop involving multiple deities and an impending cataclysmic event. And that’s just part one of a plot that’s scheduled to run all year long. The...
News Honkai: Star Rail May Be Planning to Buff Older Characters in Upcoming PS5 Update
Power creep freak
Power creep is phrase that may be familiar to those of you who play live service gacha games. The idea is that older characters slowly get outperformed by newer ones, as developers aim to keep you spending on your roster. This means that, unless you’re investing heavily, it can become difficult to complete endgame content, as...
News The Traveler Takes to the Bathhouse in Light Genshin Impact Update on PS5, PS4
And breathe
Genshin Impact’s big Natlan storyline is largely over, so v5.4 is a lighter update overall. Due out on 12th February, you can look forward to a trip to the bathhouse, a bunch of minigames, and a new experimental event featuring some slice of life events from all over Teyvat. We suppose the highlight here is the addition of Yumemizuki...
News Genshin Impact Maker to Pay $20 Million FTC Fine Over Gacha System
As part of "commitment to transparency"
Genshin Impact maker Cognosphere – which conducts business as HoYoverse – has agreed to pay a $20 million fine to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), settling a case which alleges it’s misleading children over the true cost of obtaining rare gacha rewards. The action RPG, which first launched on PS4 in...
News Zenless Zone Zero Maintains Momentum with Massive PS5 Update
Astranomical
The previous Zenless Zone Zero update, v1.4, was pitched as a kind of soft reboot for the hit gacha game – and it was an enormous success. In addition to reworking the opening chapters of the campaign, it also introduced an epic story quest, centring on hugely popular Agent Miyabi. Now the HoYoverse team, fresh from topping gacha...
News Honkai: Star Rail's Biggest Ever PS5 Update Will Start a Year-Long Storyline
Amphoreus is almost here
Honkai: Star Rail’s anticipated v3.0 update will launch on 15th January, bringing with it a new location named Amphoreus and a fresh storyline. Said plot will be split into an enormous eight parts and will run all year. Let’s hope it’s good, eh? We won’t get into the full extent of the lore here – you can watch...
The eternal land awaits
Need sobering up after a late night of New Year festivities? HoYoverse should have the goods, as it reveals Honkai: Star Rail’s next major destination, Amphoreus. A livestream, named Paean of Nova Era, will air on 1st January. The life of a gacha game is filled with regular updates, but every year or so, titles receive...
News We're Getting Closer and Closer to That Genshin Impact Anime
Animated shorts keep coming
Years and years ago, HoYoverse announced a Genshin Impact anime, which fans are still waiting to watch. There’s been no real update on the project, and many have assumed it’s now on hiatus. However, that’s not stopped the Chinese studio from starting to make more and more anime shorts to promote upcoming updates...
News Genshin Impact's New Best Girl Rides a Motorcycle Through Teyvat on PS5, PS4
Tons to look forward to in next major update
Natlan’s main storyline will come to a conclusion in Genshin Impact’s next enormous update, scheduled to release on 1st January for both PS5 and PS4. The new content will make the motorcycle riding Pyro Archon, Mauvika, playable for the first time. She’ll headline the first phase of the banner,...
News Zenless Zone Zero Dev Fixes Fading Upskirts in Under 24 Hours
The gooners gonna be alright
A big new Zenless Zone Zero update is available today, but discussion is not being dominated by the free S-Rank agent or new storyline structure. Reddit is instead overrun by complaints that you can no longer peek at panties. <related ids="175658"> The official patch notes point out that “when viewed from...
