Image: HoyoVerse
Two new playable characters have been unveiled for Zenless Zone Zero’s upcoming 1.3 update.
HoyoVerse has unveiled two new playable Agents coming to Zenless Zone Zero’s 1.3 update: Tsukishiro Yanagi from the Section 6 faction and Lighter from the Sons of Calydon faction. Both are S-Rank Agents tied to Version 1.3’s Exclusive Signal Search banner, but Lighter will notably be the game’s first S-Rank male Agent.
In addition to this, HoyoVerse also unveiled a series of new content changes and additions coming to Zenless Zone Zero, including a higher Battery Charge limit, the ability to free roam as any Agent in your roster and new ways to secure key upgrade materials.
Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.3 S-Rank Agents revealed: Lighter and Yanagi
Zenless Zone Zero’s Section 6 faction is expanding its ranks at long last. HoyoVerse has revealed that the department’s deputy chief Tsukishiro Yanagi will be featured in Version 1.3 as a new playable Agent. Yanagi will be an Electric-Anomaly Agent, making her a suitable fill-in for Grace Howard for those who don't have her, or are just looking for an upgrade.
We previously saw a glimpse of Yanagi in previous marketing material for the game and its story campaign, but it’s likely that new story content in Version 1.3 will flesh her - and other members of Section 6 like Soukaku and Hoshimi Miyabi - out more. Her Agent Record seems to imply that she plays the role of a mother figure to the rest of her team, to the point that she receives flowers on Mother’s Day.
Zenless Zone Zero patches typically feature two S-Rank Agents as separate Exclusive Signal Search banners, and Version 1.3 is no different. The upcoming patch’s second S-Rank Agent is Lighter from the Sons of Calydon faction, rounding out the entire faction’s known roster following the introduction of Caesar and Burnice in Version 1.2. He will also be the game’s first male S-Rank character, which has been a long time coming.
Lighter is a Fire Stun character, making him a potential fill-in for Koleda. In his Agent Record, Lighter is described as a superior fighter capable of taking down his enemies with overwhelming force. In previous trailers for the game, he could be seen riding a motorcycle alongside the rest of the Sons of Calydon. Players might have also bumped into Lighter in Lumina Square during free roam exploration. Speaking of…
Future Zenless Zone Zero content updates, additions and fixes
HoyoVerse has also announced a new series of ‘optimisations’ coming to Zenless Zone Zero in future updates, ranging from Version 1.2 to Version 1.4 and beyond. You can read a brief summary of these changes here, but we’ll cover the big ticket items starting with an Agent control function. In Version 1.4, players will be able to play as any Agent in their roster while roaming in-game environments. In a future update, Belle and Wise will also be able to find their favourite Agents in the city and interact with them.
A much-needed Backup Battery Charge system is also coming to the game, allowing Battery Charge to stack up to 2,400 points even after reaching its upper limit. Starting from Version 1.2, the game’s semi-controversial TV mode is also being thrown out the window. ‘Story stages’ will replace the TV mode for exploration in all main story content going forward. Additionally, a new Hollow Zero mode eschewing the TV mode is coming to the game.
Players will also be able to spend Battery Charge to obtain Notorious Hunt materials after hitting the weekly reward limit. In a future update, players will also be able to reduce the game’s package size by manually managing in-game resources.
Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.2 launches on September 25, 2024.