Honkai Star Rail 2.3: Release date, new endgame mode, banners, more

Honkai Star Rail is bringing more characters and game modes with the version 2.3 update, so here’s everything you need to know, including its release date, banners, events, gameplay updates, and more.

After a whole storyline alongside Firefly, Honkai Star Rail players will finally be able to get the character when the version 2.3 update arrives. But that’s not all, as many new elements are coming to HoYoverse’s RPG to keep the experience as fresh as possible.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2.3 update of HSR, including its banners, new game modes, events, and more.

• Release date
• Banners
• New endgame mode
• Events
• Divergent Universe explained
• New Relics & Planar Ornaments
• Light Cones

Honkai Star Rail 2.3 release date

The Honkai Star Rail version 2.3 update will arrive on June 19, 2024, as confirmed by the devs on June 7’s Special Program.

Players can expect downtime of five hours before the update goes live to bring the Epilogue of Penacony’s storyline.

Honkai Star Rail 2.3 Firefly & Jade banners

Firefly and Jade will headline the Honkai Star Rail 2.3 banners, and here’s what the two phases will look like:

Phase One | June 19 – July 10

• Firefly – Five-star | Fire | The Destruction
  • Gallagher – Four-star | Fire | The Abundance
  • Misha – Four-star | Ice | The Destruction
  • Xueyi – Four-star | Physical | The Destruction
• Ruan Mei – Five-star | Ice | The Harmony
  • Gallagher – Four-star | Fire | The Abundance
  • Misha – Four-star | Ice | The Destruction
  • Xueyi – Four-star | Physical | The Destruction

Phase Two | July 10 – July 31

• Jade – Five-star | Quantum | The Erudition
  • Serval – Four-star | Lightning | The Erudition
  • Natasha – Four-star | Physical | The Abundance
  • Asta – Four-star | Fire | The Harmony
• Argenti – Five-star | Physical | The Erudition
  • Serval – Four-star | Lightning | The Erudition
  • Natasha – Four-star | Physical | The Abundance
  • Asta – Four-star | Fire | The Harmony

Honkai Star Rail 2.3 new Apocalyptic Shadow endgame mode

Honkai Star Rail players finished the Penacony storyline with the 2.2 update, but an epilogue in 2.3 will add a new game mode called Apocalyptic Shadow.

This new endgame mode will put players against bosses and Formidable Foes they faced before. However, this time there will be four different difficulties for each challenge alongside different traits and special conditions that will keep the battles interesting.

Similar to Memory of Chaos (MoC) and Pure Fiction (PF), players will have to find the perfect team compositions to break high scores and get enticing rewards.

The featured bosses will rotate alongside those of MoC and PF, and players will be able to get a total of 800 Stellar Jade on each phase. What’s more, clearing Apocalyptic Shadow Difficulty 2 in any phase will reward players with Xueyi, 300 Stellar Jade, and 1x Self-Modeling Resin.

Honkai Star Rail 2.3 events

Honkai Star Rail players will be able to enjoy a new edition of Gift of Odyssey to get 10 Star Rail Special Passes to pull for one of the featured characters. That’s not all, as players can expect many more events with update 2.3:

Origami Bird Clash

Origami Bird Clash is a new fictional videogame where players will need to feed Origami Birds to win battles against different opponents. It’s rumored that, once players clear the basic challenges of the event, they’ll be able to face other players in the first multiplayer mode for HSR, so look forward to that.

The game looks like a Bejeweled or Candy Crush kind of title where you have to line up three or more fruits to score points. As with most events in HSR, there will be limited-time rewards to claim.

Stellar Shimmer

Players will be back at Herta Space Station to help with another research. This time, you’ll need to defeat waves of enemies before time runs out to get all the rewards. The gameplay will be similar to the endgame modes in HSR. What’s more, the event will run for eight days, adding new challenges each day.

One of these events will feature a limited-time character selector for players who clear all challenges. You’ll be able to pick between Gallagher, Hanya, Luka, and Arlan, according to leaks.

Lastly, the Planar Fissure and Realm of the Strange events will be back with doubled rewards for players tackling the Simulated Universe and different Caverns of Corrosion, respectively.

Honkai Star Rail Divergent Universe explained

Update 2.3 of Honkai Star Rail will also add a new version of the Simulated Universe called Divergent Universe. Screwllum will build a brand-new version of the rogue-like experience, adding new Occurrences, Curios, and other game mechanics.

While many elements will be similar to the regular Simulated Universe in terms of gameplay, the new Weighted Curios will change a character’s role in the team, which can be extremely exciting for players.

You’ll be able to obtain similar rewards to the ones in the regular Simulated Universe, including Stellar Jade, Light Cone and character EXP materials, and Herta Bonds. Additionally, the Divergent Universe will add new Planar Ornaments for players to obtain.

Honkai Star Rail 2.3 new Relics & Planar Ornaments

Honkai Star Rail will add new Relics and Planar Ornaments for the brand-new units, and here are their leaked descriptions:

Iron Cavalry Against Scourge (Relic set)

• Two-piece bonus: Increases Break Effect by 16%.
• Four-piece bonus: When the wearer’s Break Effect is greater than or equal to 150%/250%, the Break DMG dealt ignores 10/18% of the enemy’s DEF.

The Wind-Soaring Valorous (Relic set)

• Two-piece bonus: Crit Rate increases by 6%.
• Four-piece bonus: When the wearer uses a follow-up attack, increases the wearer’s DMG dealt by their Ultimate by 36% for one turn.

Forge of the Kalpagni Lantern (Planar Ornament)

Increases the wearer’s SPD by 6%. When the wearer hits an enemy with Fire Weakness, Break Effect increases by 40% for one turn

Duran, Dynasty of Running Wolves (Planar Ornament)

When an ally unleashes follow-up attacks, the wearer gains one stack of Merit, up to a maximum of six stacks. Each stack of Merit increases the wearer’s follow-up attack DMG dealt by 4%. When six stacks are reached, additionally increases the wearer’s CRIT DMG by 24%.

While Jade and Firefly will benefit greatly from these Relics, many other characters can make good use of them as well.

Honkai Star Rail 2.3 Light Cones

With the arrival of new characters, Honkai Star Rail players will also get new Light Cones, and here are their leaked descriptions:

Whereabouts Should Dreams Rest – Five-star | The Destruction

Increases the wearer’s Break Effect by 60%/100%. When the wearer deals Break DMG to an enemy target, inflicts Routed on the enemy for two turns. Targets afflicted with Routed receive 15%/25% increased DMG, and their SPD reduces by 15%. Effects of the same type cannot stack.

Yet Hope Is Priceless – Five-star | The Erudition

Increases the wearer’s CRIT Rate by 16%/28%. While the wearer is in battle, for every 20% CRIT DMG that exceeds 120%, the DMG of the wearer’s follow-up attack is increased by 16%/28%. This effect can stack up to four times. When the battle starts or after the wearer uses their Basic ATK, enables the Ultimate and the follow-up attack to ignore 16%/28% of the target’s DEF for two turns.

Eternal Calculus – Five-star | The Erudition

Increases the wearer’s ATK by 8%/12%. After using an attack, for each enemy target hit, additionally increases ATK by 4%/8%. This effect can stack 5 times and lasts until the next attack. If there are 3 or more enemy targets hit, this unit’s SPD increases by 8/16% for one turn.

After the Charmony Fall – Four-star | The Erudition

Increases the wearer’s Break Effect by 28%. After the wearer uses their Ultimate, increases their SPD by 8% for two turns.

That’s everything you need to know about Honkai Star Rail 2.3. For more on HoYoverse’s RPG, you can check how to build Robin, Aventurine, and Acheron to stay on top of the meta.