Honkai Star Rail fans have a treat in store: HoYoverse has announced a round of character reworks set to breathe new life into some fan favorites. During the game’s latest livestream, they unveiled plans to refresh Kafka, Silver Wolf, Blade, and Jingliu, acknowledging player feedback that these once-dominant characters were overdue for a makeover. Details on what exactly will change remain under wraps, but the anticipation is real as we head toward the roll-out of HSR 3.4.
If all goes according to plan, we can expect this update to hit in early July 2025. When these characters first made their entrance in 2023, they were top-tier options. Kafka even enjoyed a resurgence in popularity the following year when Acheron shook up the game. But as time marched on, these characters found themselves lagging behind. Jingliu, for instance, demands a heavy investment but hasn’t quite kept pace with her peers in terms of damage. Meanwhile, Kafka has been stuck waiting for new units to synergize with, and recent recruit Mydei hasn’t helped matters much, being a bit too similar to Blade.
This phenomenon, where older characters become less effective over time—often called “powercreep”—is something players of gacha games are all too familiar with. Yet, HoYoverse’s titles don’t usually see this happen so swiftly. Take Genshin Impact, for example: some of its early stars still hold top spots in tier lists and can perform admirably in endgame content. On the other hand, Zenless Zone Zero allows players to tackle tough foes with the initial trio of free characters. These games have evolved but continue to retain the value of their characters.
However, it seems other Honkai Star Rail characters like Bailu, Yanqing, Natasha, Hook, and Welt might not enjoy a similar revival anytime soon. No hints have suggested any updates for them as of now.
On a brighter note for fans of classic characters, the upcoming version 3.2 will give players the chance to snag one of two complimentary 5-star characters: either Ruan Mei or Luocha. So, while some characters may remain in the shadow of their past glory, there are still exciting updates on the horizon for all players.
