During the latest Honkai Star Rail livestream, HoYoverse unveiled plans for a series of character reworks that aim to restore some of the game’s beloved yet somewhat forgotten heroes to their former glory. The update, slated for HSR version 3.4, will see characters like Kafka, Silver Wolf, Blade, and Jingliu receive much-anticipated revamps. Although the specific details are under wraps, this move comes as a response to fans eager for these characters to shine once more.
If everything stays on track with the game’s update cadence, we can expect HSR 3.4 to roll out in the early days of July 2025.
When these four characters made their appearances in 2023, they were top-tier choices among players. Kafka, for instance, found a resurgence in popularity with the introduction of Acheron in 2024. But as the meta evolved, their impact dwindled. Jingliu, despite requiring significant resources, struggles to keep pace with her peers. Similarly, Kafka has been left wanting without any fresh damage-over-time partners, while Mydei’s entry feels like a mere reiteration of Blade.
This phenomenon, known as “powercreep,” is quite common in gacha games like Honkai Star Rail. However, HoYoverse’s other popular titles have managed to combat this issue better; characters in Genshin Impact from the initial years still rank highly and remain viable in tackling endgame content. In Zenless Zone Zero, players can effectively face formidable bosses with just the starting trio. These games have evolved without discarding their original characters.
On a broader scale, HoYoverse doesn’t seem to have similar rejuvenation plans for everyone. Characters like Bailu, Yanqing, Natasha, Hook, and Welt remain overlooked, with no current plans to revamp their roles.
In older character news, the upcoming version 3.2 offers an exciting opportunity: players can choose between two free 5-star characters, Ruan Mei or Luocha. It’s a nice nod to dedicated players who appreciate a touch of nostalgia amidst the newness.
