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Evolution Test - Version 7 vs Version 8
Jul 22, 2026, 07:17 AM
Removed duplicate in-body wikilinks
Aug 6, 2026, 04:18 PM
Added test conclusion and recap of planned post-test changes; added gamescom dates
11Overview22The Evolution Test is the third closed beta for Honkai: Nexus Anima. HoYoverse opened recruitment on June 22, 2026 and confirmed the test starts July 9, 2026. It follows the Nexus Bond Test (the first beta, September 2025) and the Aspect Exploration Project (the second beta, recruited in April 2026). The test takes its name from the Anima Evolution system, the headline feature this round puts in players' hands.44Schedule and Access77DetailInformationRecruitment windowJune 22, 2026 12:00 to July 3, 2026 23:59 (UTC+8)Test windowJuly 9, 2026 10:00 to July 27, 2026 18:00 (UTC+8)Test typeLimited, free, closed beta with a full data wipePlatformsPC, iOS, and AndroidAge requirement18 or older; real-name registration requiredContent sharingAllowed. Recordings, screenshots, and livestreams may be sharedAccount bindingOne account binds one device per platform; progress syncs across devices on the same accountData policyAll progress is wiped after the test and does not carry over99This is the first test to run on Android alongside PC and iOS. The earlier Nexus Bond Test was limited to PC and iOS. A number of players are selected from those who pre-register and complete the recruitment survey; an official post put the figure at around 200 invited testers for the survey draw.1010How to Apply1212Applicants reserve the game on the official site, sign in with a HoYoverse account, complete the reservation, and fill out the recruitment questionnaire. The survey cannot be edited after submission, and qualification is personal and non-transferable. Selected players receive a download link by email after recruitment closes. It is also possible to win a slot through official community activities.1414Relationship to Earlier Tests1616The Evolution Test and the Aspect Exploration Project are separate tests. Qualification for one does not affect the other, and data from neither carries forward. Players who took part in an earlier build are asked to uninstall it before installing the Evolution Test client.1818BetaWindowPlatformsSharingNexus Bond TestSept 17 to 23, 2025PC, iOSUnrestrictedAspect Exploration ProjectRecruited April 2026PC, iOS, AndroidNDA, no sharingEvolution TestJuly 9 to 27, 2026PC, iOS, AndroidUnrestricted2020New Content2121HoYoverse highlighted several systems and additions for this build:2323Anima Evolution: Anima transform into new forms that change their model and icon, and the player can preserve the moment with an Anima photo and give each companion a name.Chromatic Anima: rare alternate-color Anima that may appear on fortunate days, aimed at collectors.Nexus Battles: the refined auto-chess combat shown in full for the first time, including formation adjustment, synergy triggers, and battle animations.Character assist layer: playable characters gain levels, skill trees, and equipment, raise capture rates while exploring, and can cast commander skills that swing key combat rounds.Iia districts: the streets of the New Quarter plus landmark buildings including Nexus Hall and the True Nexus Building, where key figures from different factions appear.Open-world activities: riding Anima to roam the city, Anima racing, surfing, Anima concerts, and city-life management features.2626The build also carries a visual overhaul over the first reveal, with higher-fidelity models, redesigned characters, and improved scene lighting while keeping the Honkai art identity. The player still begins as a traveler who escaped captivity and sets out from Iia, a quiet town in the Reality Plane.2828During the Test3030The servers opened on schedule on 9 July 2026. HoYoverse published a short set of practical notes for testers alongside the launch, which double as the clearest public description of the build's support tooling.3232ItemDetailStarter supply dropDelivered by in-game mail after the quest "The Hunted Prisoner": 5 Protean Pills, 15 Nexus Wisps, and 10 Nexus Traces. The mail is titled "Evolution Test Resupply"FeedbackReached from the main menu, on the second page if it is not on the firstRecoveryA Recover from Stuck State option under Settings and then Other, for characters that cannot move or respondPC supportA separate launcher FAQ covers DPI scaling, update failures, plugin installation, and disk-space and file-verification errors3434A week into the test, HoYoverse ran a community event from 15 to 19 July 2026 around Friend Battles, the head-to-head mode this build introduced. The event published the mode's counting rules, capping recorded battles at five and recorded wins at two against any single opponent.3535HoYoverse also announced two public showings while the test was running: the game appears at gamescom in Cologne in the HoYoverse exhibition area, and at HoYo FEST 2026 across six Southeast Asian cities from 30 July to 2 August 2026, where an on-site playable session is available to visitors holding a queue card.36+HoYoverse also announced two public showings while the test was running: the game appears at gamescom in Cologne from August 26 to 30, 2026 in the HoYoverse exhibition area, and at HoYo FEST 2026 across six Southeast Asian cities from 30 July to 2 August 2026, where an on-site playable session was available to visitors holding a queue card.37+Test Conclusion39+The test closed on schedule at 18:00 (UTC+8) on July 27, 2026. The same day, HoYoverse published a DevTalk recap titled "Evolution Test Wrap-Up", thanking testers and previewing the changes planned in response to feedback. The recap grouped the planned work into five areas:41+AreaPlanned changesAnima bondingStory moments added at some stages of the bonding process, and adjusted success rates and pacing for bonding with Skeins, to reduce repeated attempts and the frustration of an Anima escapingCharacter controlsFaster movement speed, more responsive character handling, and refined jumping and animationsStorytellingA refined opening story and more expressive, polished story presentationCombatExpanded strategic depth, stage variety, and teambuilding, with more synergy opportunities between characters, between characters and Anima, and between different Anima, plus progression options such as adjusting Anima dispositionsPerformanceContinued optimization and device-compatibility work, including for the Android build used in this test43+The recap also said players should expect to encounter more Anima in the world the next time the game is playable.
