Star Rail Version 2.0 Release Date, Banners, and More

It seems like the crew of the Astral Express has been loitering around the streets of the Xianzhou Luofu forever now. To be fair, there hasn’t been a new planet for Trailblazers to explore since Honkai: Star Rail’s launch back in April of 2023. But after a number of updates that added new characters and side quests to keep players busy, it’s finally time for a new planet to explore.

Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.0 will be the game’s first major update and its release is right around the corner. Here’s everything you need to know about version 2.0, including when you should expect to be able to play it, what the new character banners are, and what you should do ahead of time in order to dive into the new story content as quickly as possible.

When is the Honkai: Star Rail version 2.0 release date?

For the first major update of Honkai: Star Rail. HoYoverse is deviating from the typical Wednesday release for updates. Instead, version 2.0 launches on Tuesday, February 6. Depending on your timezone, you might be able to play the game on Monday evening.

Ahead of the 2.0 release, Honkai: Star Rail will go down for a lengthy maintenance period starting at 5 p.m. EST on Monday, February 5. While not exact, players should expect maintenance to last close to five hours, meaning that version 2.0 will be playable at around 10 p.m. Monday evening. Here are the expected release times in other timezones:

• U.S. West Coast: February 5 at 7 p.m. PST
• UK: February 6 at 3 a.m. GMT
• Europe: February 6 at 4 a.m. CET
• Japan: February 6 at 12 p.m. JST
• Australia: February 6 at 2 p.m. AEDT

How to start the new Trailblaze Mission in Honkai: Star Rail version 2.0 

The most anticipated part of the version 2.0 update is without a doubt the release of a new Trailblaze Mission that continues the main story of Honkai: Star Rail. Players haven’t had a new Trailblaze Mission since version 1.3 added “Xianzhou Luofu — Obsequies Performed, A Long Road Ahead” back in August of 2023.

Version 2.0 will add the next chapter of the story, titled “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.” The mission will bring the Astral Express Crew to the new planet of Penacony, a hedonistic paradise filled with new characters to meet and intrigue to unravel. However, there is one prerequisite players will have to make sure they have met before diving right into “Long Day’s Journey Into Night” and it is a good idea to tie up that loose thread before 2.0 releases. That prerequisite is making sure you have completed the Trailblaze mission “Xianzhou Luofu — Obsequies Performed, A Long Road Ahead.” If you have done that then once version 2.0 is live, you will be able to immediately accept the new Trailblaze Mission and head on your way towards Penacony.

Honkai: Star Rail version 2.0 character banners

Of course version 2.0 also brings the usual refresh of the available character and weapon banners for players to pull from. Version 2.0 is offering up a great collection of new and returning characters that players will be eager to add to their roster. Like past updates, version 2.0 will be broken up into two phases. Phase 1 will start when the update releases and run until Thursday, February 29. The Phase 1 banners include the new character Black Swan (5-star Wind Nihility) and the returning Dan Heng – Imbibitor Lunae (5-star Imaginary Destruction). New character Misha (4-star Ice Destruction) will be the boosted 4-star on both banners. Black Swan and Imbibitor Lunae will have their Signature Light Cone’s—Reforged Remembrance and Brighter Than the Sun, respectively—on the Brilliant Fixation weapon banner during Phase 1 as well.

Phase 2 of version 2.0 will run from Thursday, February 29 through Tuesday ,March 26th (unlike past updates, 2.0 will last seven weeks rather than six). The characters running during Phase 2 are new character Sparkle (5-star Quantum Harmony) and the returning Jing Yuan (5-star Lightning Erudition). Both characters’ respective Signature Light Cones— Earthly Escapade and Before Dawn—will be available during Phase 2’s Brilliant Fixation weapon banners.

Everything else coming in Honkai: Star Rail version 2.0

While the new Trailblaze Mission and character banners are the big-ticket items, version 2.0 is adding a wealth of new content to Honkai: Star Rail. That includes Companion Missions for Black Swan and Sparkle in the new Penacony area. There will be new Light Cones and two new Relic Sets: Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters and Watchmaker, Master of Dream Machinations. The usual double drops event in Golden and Crimson Caly as well as double drops for Planar Ornaments in the Planar Fissure Event are also coming in version 2.0.

Players who log in on consecutive days will be able to earn 20 Special Star Rail Passes thanks to the Gift of Odyssey and Gift of Stellarium events. Other new features of note include Dreamwalking, a new puzzle and traversal mechanic, as well as the Fate’s Atlas, a helpful timeline of Honkai: Star Rail’s main story and any side content of note. Players will have a lot of new content to get lost in for some time once version 2.0 drops on Tuesday February 6.