Here’s what we know so far about Honkai: Nexus Anima

Honkai: Nexus Anima is a new creature-collection adventure strategy RPG from HoYoverse, the studio behind Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. First teased during the Star Rail anniversary concert in May 2025, the game marks the next chapter in the Honkai franchise and shifts focus from character-based combat to exploration, strategy, and creature bonding.

In Nexus Anima, players take on the role of a plane-hopping traveler who has escaped captivity. Starting in a peaceful town, the journey soon leads into mysterious lands shattered by a cosmic rupture. This rupture broke the Nexus—connections between dual concepts like Love and Hate or Light and Dark—giving rise to creatures called Anima. These beings embody fragments of those lost bonds, and players must form partnerships with them to unlock their abilities in both combat and exploration.

Combat is inspired by auto-chess mechanics. Players collect, place, and strategize with Anima on a grid-based battlefield where synergy, positioning, and traits play major roles. Outside of combat, gameplay includes open-world traversal, puzzle-solving, mini-games, and story-driven events.

HoYoverse has released the game’s first trailer, showcasing its vivid art style, cinematic narrative, and various Anima companions. While a global release date has not yet been confirmed, the first closed beta—titled the Nexus Bond Test—is now accepting sign-ups. The beta will be available for PC and iOS, with registration open until September 12, 2025, via the official HoYoverse sign-up page. Selected players will participate in a limited test, with all progress wiped after the event.

Currently, the game is only confirmed for PC and iOS, with more platforms possibly announced later. As the Honkai universe expands once more, Nexus Anima promises a fresh blend of tactical depth, creature collecting, and emotional storytelling.