HoYoverse Announces Honkai Star Rail Character Updates for Kafka and Beloved Classics in Version 3.4

During the latest Honkai Star Rail livestream, HoYoverse announced some exciting updates coming in version 3.4, set to rekindle the flames of fan-favorite characters that have lost their shine. With character reworks planned for Kafka, Silver Wolf, Blade, and Jingliu, the developers aim to breathe new life into these once-celebrated heroes. There’s plenty of anticipation about what the adjustments will entail, though HoYoverse is keeping the specifics under wraps for now.

If all goes according to plan, we can expect HSR 3.4 to arrive in early July 2025.

Back when they first launched in 2023, these four characters were powerhouse choices in Honkai Star Rail. Kafka, in particular, found a second wind with the introduction of Acheron in 2024. However, as time marched on, their effectiveness waned. A significant investment is needed to maximize Jingliu’s potential, yet she still struggles to compete with her peers in terms of damage output. Meanwhile, Kafka hasn’t had much synergy with newer damage-over-time heroes lately, and the latest addition, Mydei, feels like a revamped version of Blade.

This kind of “powercreep,” where older characters grow less effective, isn’t uncommon in gacha games like Honkai Star Rail. Yet, it’s worth noting that HoYoverse’s other games usually handle this better. Genshin Impact, for example, has seen some of its earliest stars remain competitive in endgame content. In a similar spirit, Zenless Zone Zero allows players to tackle tough challenges using the trio of characters they start with. These games evolve, but they don’t leave their characters behind.

Despite these planned reworks, HoYoverse hasn’t hinted at adjustments for other characters who have also fallen behind, such as Bailu, Yanqing, Natasha, Hook, and Welt. There’s no indication that they’ll be brought up to speed soon.

In other news, players will soon get a nifty bonus: with the release of version 3.2, you’ll have the choice to grab one of two free 5-star characters: Ruan Mei or Luocha. Make sure you don’t miss out!