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Aspect Exploration Project - Version 5 vs Version 6
Jun 22, 2026, 11:27 AM
Copyedited recruitment-survey wording to neutral phrasing
Sep 21, 2026, 06:06 AM
Reframed the project as a rolling programme and added the third recruitment phase announced September 17, 2026 on the Chinese community site
11Overview22Aspect Exploration Project is a small-scale, confidential closed beta test for Honkai: Nexus Anima, announced in April 2026 as the successor to the Nexus Bond Test. Unlike the open Nexus Bond Test in September 2025, this round is invite-only, requires participants to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and gathers focused feedback on Anima combat, the new Town of Iia districts, and refreshed character customization systems.44Test Format66DetailInformationScaleSmall-scale confidential testNDAMandatory; participants cannot share screenshots, livestreams, or video recordingsLanguagesMultilingualPlatformsPC, iOS, and AndroidAge requirement18 or olderRecruitmentSurvey on the official community; no fixed deadline. Selected participants are notified by email in batches.Data policyBeta progress is not preserved; a fresh start is required for each test phase.88Goals99The developers framed the project as a focused design-feedback round rather than a public stress test. Stated focus areas include making battles between Anima feel more dynamic by introducing larger and more powerful foes, polishing the visual fidelity of the Town of Iia, and exposing players to new Anima, new characters, and the three newly revealed Iia districts: Kakatini Grand Hotel, Pedestrian Street, and Fleming Tower.1111Recruitment Process1313Players sign up through the official recruitment survey. The form asks for basic device specifications, prior closed-beta participation, region, and language. There is no fixed deadline, so additional recruitment waves can pull from the same form pool over time.1515Selected players receive instructions and a beta client by email. Because the run carries an NDA, no public guides, livestreams, or screenshots from inside the test client are permitted while the project is active. This contrasts directly with the Nexus Bond Test, which had no content-sharing restrictions.1717Relation to Earlier Tests1919The Aspect Exploration Project is the second beta in the lead-up to release. Its predecessor, the Nexus Bond Test, ran on PC and iOS for a single week in September 2025 with no NDA and no Android support. The new project widens platform coverage to include Android, narrows participation, and tightens secrecy so the team can iterate on unfinished systems without external speculation. Patch-level summaries and additional reveals continue to come through DevTalk posts.20+The Aspect Exploration Project began as the second beta in the lead-up to release and has continued as a rolling programme since. Its predecessor, the Nexus Bond Test, ran on PC and iOS for a single week in September 2025 with no NDA and no Android support. The project widened platform coverage to include Android, narrowed participation, and tightened secrecy so the team can iterate on unfinished systems without external speculation. Patch-level summaries and additional reveals continue to come through DevTalk posts.2121Tips for Applicants2323Use a HoYoverse account in good standing; the survey is gated to logged-in community members.Be honest about your device. Selection is calibrated to spread devices across iOS, Android, and PC tiers.Save the email address tied to your HoYoverse account; invitations are batched and may arrive weeks after sign-up.Re-read the NDA before installing the client. Any breach can result in account-level penalties.Plan for a fresh start. Progress and stored characters do not carry over between test phases or to the live game.2525Third Recruitment Phase (September 2026)27+On September 17, 2026, the Chinese community site announced a third recruitment phase for the project. The announcement describes it as a long-term, small-scale confidential test on PC, iOS, and Android, open to players aged 18 and over with real-name verification, bound by a non-disclosure agreement, with no fixed recruitment deadline, no top-up on the test server, and a full data wipe. It states that this is not the same test as the Evolution Test or the Nexus Bond Test. As of September 21, 2026, no English-language announcement of the third phase had been published on HoYoLAB.29+Successor: the Evolution Test2731The Aspect Exploration Project was followed by the Evolution Test, the third closed beta. Recruitment for the Evolution Test opened on June 22, 2026, and the test starts July 9, 2026 on PC, iOS, and Android. The two are separate tests: qualification for one does not carry over to the other, and progress from neither is preserved. Where the Aspect Exploration Project was NDA-locked, the Evolution Test lifts the sharing restriction and lets players post recordings, screenshots, and livestreams.32+The Evolution Test, the third closed beta, ran after the project's first two recruitment phases. Recruitment for the Evolution Test opened on June 22, 2026, and the test ran from July 9 to July 27, 2026 on PC, iOS, and Android. The two are separate tests: qualification for one does not carry over to the other, and progress from neither is preserved. Where the Aspect Exploration Project is NDA-locked, the Evolution Test lifted the sharing restriction and let players post recordings, screenshots, and livestreams. The project itself continued afterwards, with a third recruitment phase opening in September 2026.
