miHoYo has confirmed that Honkai: Star Rail update 4.0, titled “No Aha at Full Moon,” launches February 13 on all platforms. This next major patch pushes the story into a flashy new setting, introduces two new 5-star characters, and adds a wave of fresh events and long-term gameplay updates designed to keep Trailblazers busy well beyond launch week.
The headline addition is Planarcadia, a brand-new world described as Aha’s personal playground—an “arcadia” where clout is everything and society “amuses itself to death.” It’s not just a new destination, either. The journey tied to The Elation begins here and is set to continue across the entire coming year, giving version 4.0 the feel of a true story kickoff rather than a one-and-done stop.
Planarcadia comes with deep ties to the Astral Express crew. Beneath the glittering surface, it carries major significance as Navigator Himeko’s homeland and the place where the Astral Express reignited its journey fifteen years ago. When the crew arrives, they’re welcomed by Madam Pearl from the IPC’s Strategic Investment Department, one of the “Ten Stonehearts.” And in a very Planarcadia twist, the Express crew is already famous here—thanks to a hit comic based on them that’s currently being serialized, pushing everyone into the spotlight before the real drama even begins.
After initial dealings with the IPC, Trailblazers will make their way to Duomension City, home to the “imagenae,” strange beings intertwined with everyday life. These include the station master Meowton, the train-like Bullet Wyrm, a looming thundercoil presence over the city, and a mechatron that Mr. Yang is particularly fond of. But there’s a catch: imagenae aren’t guaranteed to last. They survive on “Wishpower,” meaning attention keeps them alive—while being forgotten causes them to fade away. That single concept explains why Duomension City is packed with entertainment on every street and why the laughter never seems to stop.
The city also hides mysterious entrances that lead into a more wondrous Duomension realm, opening routes to places like the commercial district of Dovebrook, the prestigious art school Graphia Academy (also tied to Himeko), and even a rumored hideout for the Masked Fools: the Tavern of Elation, said to be tucked somewhere within Dovebrook.
At the center of Planarcadia’s chaos is the Phantasmoon Games—an attention-fueled spectacle and one of the Astral Express crew’s key objectives. The Games are said to have been designed by “The Laughter,” and the prize is as absurd as the setting: the winner earns an audience with THEM and the honor of “becoming an Aeon for one minute.” There are no fixed rules; the only real measure is who can attract the most attention, by any means necessary, as long as it’s dazzling. Entry comes through a mask, and only eight exist—naturally pulling multiple factions into the same high-stakes arena. The Astral Express, the Masked Fools, the IPC, and the Xianzhou Alliance are all involved, and even the Stellaron Hunters show up, with Silver Wolf and Blade seemingly already in motion. Whether they’re competing, sabotaging, or chasing something bigger is part of the suspense that will unfold over time.
Version 4.0 also introduces a new combat layer themed around Aha and the Path of Elation. When you field Elation characters or fight special enemies, you’ll gain “Punchlines.” Build enough Punchlines and Aha’s interest peaks—triggering “Aha Instant,” where Aha personally takes the stage and leads the Elation characters on your team to unleash Elation Skills one after another. More Punchlines means stronger effects. When the sequence ends, Elation characters receive unique “Certified Banger” buffs, adding new strategic angles and a distinct rhythm to battles in Planarcadia.
Two new 5-star characters join the roster in this patch, both aligned with the Path of Elation.
First is General Yao Guang, the Seer Strategist from the Xianzhou Alliance’s Yuque. Previously heard only as a voice in the storyline, she now makes her full debut. Known to many on the Xianzhou as “Madam Yao,” she’s treated like a goddess of fortune—resolving crises and delivering good omens through divination. Yao Guang is a Physical Elation unit who manipulates “Weal and Woe Lots” to shape the fight. Weal Lots boost ally Elation and grant Punchline stacks when she uses her Skill. During Aha Instant she casts Woe Lots to make enemies take increased damage while regenerating Skill Points for the team. Her Certified Banger buff enables teammates’ attacks to deal an additional instance of Elation damage, with extra scaling if that attack consumes a Skill Point. Her Ultimate adds Punchlines, immediately triggers an extra Aha Instant, and increases All-Type RES PEN for all allies—positioning her as both a damage enabler and a tempo controller for Elation-focused teams.
The second new 5-star is Sparxie, a mysterious Fire Elation character who resembles the Masked Fool Sparkle and reigns as Planarcadia’s hottest streamer. In the story, Sparxie appears alongside Sparkle, hinting at a surprise reveal for Trailblazers. Her combat style leans fully into the influencer chaos: she opens a livestream “room” and turns battles into an upvote showdown. Players can repeatedly consume Skill Points to send random “Gifts” to Sparxie, generating varying returns in Skill Points or Punchlines. The more Skill Points spent, the more Punchlines gained and the higher the final damage at settlement. During Aha Instant she runs a loud lucky draw that deals massive damage to all enemies with multiple bounces. While Certified Banger is active, every Gift triggered adds additional Elation damage to a random enemy on settlement, and her Ultimate also deals extra Elation damage—making her a flashy, resource-hungry option that rewards aggressive play.
Warp events are also stacked in version 4.0. Limited 5-star characters Black Swan, Evernight, and Hysilens will appear alongside Sparkle, Cerydra, and Rappa across the first and second halves of the update. Black Swan and Sparkle are receiving enhancements as well: Black Swan is positioned to push damage-over-time team output even further, while Sparkle’s support is expanded to apply to Elation damage—aimed at raising the floor and ceiling for Elation team compositions.
Players will have plenty of reasons to log in, too. After version 4.0 goes live, Trailblazers can claim a 20-pull reward, and Ruan Mei’s new outfit will be available for free. A Yao Guang-themed fortune event will award 1,600 Stellar Jades, with additional benefits rolling out over the update period, including new Trailblaze outfits, new headwear, and even a free 5-star character selector.
On top of the new world and characters, version 4.0 brings multiple new events and expansions to ongoing modes. “Cosmicon Collective” focuses on battling powerful foes through card-based combat as you aim for the pinnacle of cosmic might. “Furbobo Weekly” puts you in the role of a magazine editor, leaning into management gameplay and decision-making. For permanent content, “Currency Wars” gets its first expansion, while “Divergent Universe” receives an update to add more variety to long-term challenges.
With Planarcadia’s attention-obsessed satire, the wild stakes of the Phantasmoon Games, and a combat system that literally rewards punchlines, Honkai: Star Rail 4.0 looks set to deliver one of the game’s most distinctive updates yet when it arrives on February 13.
