A new 'Honkai' game is in development, HoYoverse confirms in teaser starring Blade, Kiana-lookalike

The teaser for the new Honkai game notably features familiar faces from the series alongside Pokemon-like companions.

HoYoverse, the developer behind smash-hit gacha games Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero, has revealed that they are working on a brand-new game in the ‘Honkai’ series. The new title, which has yet to be officially named, was revealed at the end of Honkai: Star Rail's second anniversary concert livestream on Saturday (4 May).

The teaser features a character that looks very similar to Kiana Kaslana, the main protagonist of Honkai Impact 3rd, engaging in a Pokemon-like battle against Honkai: Star Rail character Blade. Both characters are notably accompanied by dog-like creatures that share similarities with them, with then Kiana-lookalike accompanied by a cute dessert-dog hybrid while Blade is joined by a more menacing wolf-like creature.

Two other unfamiliar characters are also shown in the teaser with their own companions.

A line from the Kiana-lookalike character, which says “Here I am, in a new Plane!”, suggests she may actually be Honkai Impact 3rd's Kiana Kaslana traveling to a new universe. This may also explain the surprising appearance of Blade, an original character from Honkai: Star Rail that has yet to appear in other Honkai games.

This new Honkai game will be the fifth title in HoYoverse's Honkai series after FlyMe2theMoon (2011), Houkai Gakuen (2012), Houkai Gakuen 2 (2014), Honkai Impact 3rd (2016), and Honkai: Star Rail (2023). 

Is this new Honkai game Honkai: Nexus Anima?

While HoYoverse has yet to officially reveal the title of this new Honkai game, this announcement notably comes a week after the developer filed a trademark for ‘Honkai: Nexus Anima’ with the South Korean government. 

The trademark application for Honkai: Nexus Anima was discovered online through the Korea Intellectual Property Information Search (KIPRIS), with four separate applications found. In addition to the trademark applications, HoYoverse also created multiple Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) pages under the name Honkai: Nexus Anima. 

Since the discovery of the trademark application, the internet has been rife with speculation on the nature of this new Honkai game. Aside from the continued development of its three flagship titles–Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero–HoYoverse is also known to be working on multiple games in different genres, such as a Pokemon-like title and an 'auto-chess' game.

With that said, recent job postings by HoYoverse found online have given the public a glimpse into what this new title may be all about. Translations of the aforementioned job postings revealed that the developer is working on an auto-chess game where players can collect, train, and evolve so-called ‘Destined Spirits’ to use in battle.

Auto-chess, also known as 'auto battlers', is a relatively recent genre of games that spawned from a popular custom game created through mod tools in the MOBA title Dota 2. In auto-chess games, players choose between units of different types to create their teams and place them in different spots on a grid. In each round of play, the chosen units will then automatically engage in battle against the units of other players–which gave the genre its name–with damage being dealt to losing players until a lone victor is decided. 

The aforementioned job posting by HoYoverse stated that the game will let players traverse and explore “a tranquil seaside town and diverse locations" as they collect ‘Destined Spirits’ to build unique teams. The Latin word ‘Anima’ translating to ‘soul’ or ‘spirit’ in English led many to believe that Honkai: Nexus Anima may very well be HoYoverse's upcoming auto-chess game.

However, the latest reveal has definitely shaken up speculations regarding the next Honkai title, as the teaser gave off more of a Pokemon-like vibe. It could be that Honkai: Nexus Anima is actually a Pokemon-like game or that Honkai: Nexus Anima is a different title under the auto-chess genre. It is also possible that Honkai: Nexus Anima will be a Pokemon-like with auto-chess elements. 

If the reveal has you pumped for a new Honkai game, then you might want to temper your excitement for a bit, as the game is very likely at least a year or two away from a full release. HoYoverse hasn't even revealed its official title yet, after all. But given the developers' track record with Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero, Honkai fans and newcomers to the series alike can expect a fun and engaging game.