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2025
May 4, 2025. First teaser
Honkai: Nexus Anima was first teased during the Honkai: Star Rail LIVE Concert 2025 with a 20-second PV. The teaser showed Kiana and Blade together, immediately generating excitement from fans who recognized both characters. No gameplay was shown. Just enough to confirm the project existed and that it would bridge the Honkai series.
August 28, 2025. First dynamic video
The first animated video was released on HoYoverse's official Bilibili account, one day before the full worldwide reveal.
August 29, 2025. Official unveiling
The full worldwide reveal dropped on August 29, 2025. HoYoverse released the first gameplay trailer, a recruitment PV, and launched the official website. The trailer showed the auto-chess combat system, open-world exploration, Anima collection, and the seaside town of Iia. Recruitment for the "Nexus Bond Test" (closed beta) opened the same day.
September 17-23, 2025. Nexus Bond Test
The first closed beta ran for one week on PC and iOS only. Android was not included. Beta acceptance emails went out on September 15. The test gave players access to Iia, the auto-chess combat system, exploration, mini-games, and 66 Anima (32 fully revealed, 34 as silhouettes).
Beta feedback
Coverage from beta participants described the game as a casual, relaxing experience that was rougher in execution than presentation. Specific criticisms included:
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Combat too simple | Early-game auto-chess encounters lacked strategic depth. Fights often resolved without meaningful decision-making |
Visual quality | 3D models, textures, and environments needed significant polish compared to other HoYoverse titles |
Quest system | Too text-heavy with insufficient variety in quest types. Players wanted more gameplay variety in story delivery |
Limited skin tones (only 3, all light-skinned), restricted clothing options, female-only protagonist during beta | |
Performance | Optimization issues on lower-tier hardware |
Post-beta DevTalk
After the beta concluded, the development team posted a DevTalk on HoYoLab acknowledging player feedback. The key revelation was a timeline statement: the game is "more than a year away" from launch. This put the earliest possible release around late 2026 or later, significantly further out than some players had hoped.
Specific improvements mentioned in the DevTalk:
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Visuals | Better 3D models, textures, rendering, and lighting. New architectural styles and expanded regions |
Expanded abilities and town interactions for Anima companions | |
Combat | Reworked Kardia combat models and skills. Improved character animations and expressions |
Content | Overhaul of the Infinite Vortex mode with branching choices and replayable checkpoints. New questlines tied to Nexus Association and Nexus Syndicate factions |
Platforms | Android version in active development |
Performance | Optimization for lower-tier hardware |
Localization | More accurate translations and broader language support |
Customization | Expanded clothing, accessories, and other options for the protagonist |
Production team
The game is produced by David Jiang, who also produces Honkai: Star Rail. Having the same producer across both titles explains the narrative connections and the decision to share characters across the Honkai IP.
Soundtrack
Music for Honkai: Nexus Anima is composed by HOYO-MiX, HoYoverse's in-house music studio. HOYO-MiX is responsible for the soundtracks across all HoYoverse titles, including Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. Their involvement ensures Nexus Anima will have the same level of musical production quality that players associate with the studio's other games.
Release outlook
Based on the "more than a year away" statement from the DevTalk (made in late September/October 2025), the earliest realistic launch window is late 2026. The scope of the improvements outlined suggests the team is prioritizing quality over speed.
Confirmed platforms at launch: PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), iOS. Android is in development but was not available during the first beta. Console versions have not been announced, though HoYoverse's pattern with other titles (Star Rail eventually launched on PS5) leaves the door open.