Honkai Star Rail 4.0 Livestream: New Planet, Banners, and F2
Planarcadia launches in Honkai Star Rail 4.0, bringing new banners, meta buffs, crossover teasers, and major freebies. Here’s what matters most for F2
Tyler Smith Honkai Star Rail 4.0: Planarcadia, Banner Reruns & Mega Freebies Breakdown
Honkai: Star Rail’s 4.0 livestream has set a bold new course for the game’s second year, dropping the curtain on Planarcadia—a sprawling, content-heavy planet—and confirming some of the largest free rewards outside an anniversary event to date. While the headline-maker is the Fortnite crossover tease, veteran and F2P Trailblazers will want to dig into the actual patch meta, banner value, and currency windfall now slated for early 2026.
At a Glance: Star Rail 4.0 Essentials
- Patch Release: Planarcadia opens with v4.0, start date not explicitly stated in official materials.
- New Banner Units: Yao Guang (Phase 1), Sparxie (Phase 2), plus major reruns: Hysilens, Black Swan, Evernight, Sparkle, Cerydra, Rappa.
- Major Freebies: Claim 1 free 5-star (7 choices) between v4.0 and v4.2, 20 Special Passes, 1600 Stellar Jades, and a Ruan Mei outfit.
- New Systems: Debut of Elation Path characters and relics. Unique "livestream boss" combat with Sparxie. Additional accessories and QOL functionality.
- Fortnite Collaboration: Teaser only—crossover implementation details remain unconfirmed.
- Time Zone: Please verify dates/times with your local server (UTC+8 for CN, UTC-5 for NA/EU; not specified in source).
New World: Planarcadia & Story Progression
Planarcadia is the star of patch 4.0, promising diverse zones (Duomension City, Graphia Academy, Dovebrook District, World's End Tavern) and a fresh main quest—No Aha At Fullmoon. This expansion serves as the anchor for new Trace materials, advanced Elation relics, and multi-phase storylines, ensuring players have both progression and lore incentive to return daily.
Suggested Visual:
– Panoramic in-game screenshot of Planarcadia’s major city (alt text: "Planarcadia’s cityscape, blending sci-fi and fantasy—new explorable planet in Honkai Star Rail 4.0").
Banners & Banner Table: 4.0 Overview
Banner cadence is fast-tracked, with both debut units and valuable reruns sharing the update:
| Patch Version | Phase | Start/End (Exact date not stated) | Featured Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | Phase 1 | Not stated | Yao Guang, Evernight, Hysilens, Black Swan (rerun) |
| 4.0 | Phase 2 | Not stated | Sparxie, Cerydra, Rappa, Sparkle (rerun) |
Banner Details (Official):
– Yao Guang and Sparxie—lead the new Elation Path, bringing fresh meta tools.
– Six reruns—ensure even recent players can consolidate older favorites or chase meta veterans.
– Four Elation-path Light Cones introduced, with Mushy Shroomy’s Adventures (4-star) as a premium F2P pick and Today’s Good Luck as the Battle Pass option.
Should You Pull? F2P/Low-Spend Guidance
- F2P/Low-Spend: The free 5-star selection between seven units (see full list below) fundamentally changes pull calculus for 4.0. Rerun banners overlap with value picks, so check your 5-star roster and future patch rumors before spending accumulated currency. The debut of new characters (Yao Guang, Sparxie) may shape meta teams, but many current veterans will want to maximize free pulls and prioritize Signature Cones only if they support core comps strongly.
- Pity Mechanics: Standard patch rates and pity are unchanged; refer to the EarlyGG Honkai Star Rail banner tracker for phase-by-phase breakdowns.
- Competing Banners: Heavy rerun density could split wishes—prioritize flexibility, especially if you still need premium support (e.g., Sparkle, Black Swan) or want to future-proof for later Abyss/Simulated Universe updates.
Meta Shifts: Teams, Synergies, and New Relics
- Yao Guang (Elation Path, recommend pairing with Diviner of Distant Reach Relic) and Sparxie unlock new Elation synergies. Expect substantial skill and Energy buffs for Sparkle (quantum support) and increased Arcana stack potential for Black Swan (debuffer/DoT carry).
- Ever-Glorious Magical Girl and Diviner of Distant Reach Relics target Elation and Hunt-path carries, shoring up common weaknesses (burst, sustain, or crowd control).
- Material Farming: New Hunt Trace, Elation, and Lightning Ascension materials drop only in Planarcadia—stack daily stamina for new domain unlock.
Universal Freebies: 1-of-7 Five Star, Special Passes, and Cosmetics
Honkai Star Rail 4.0 is giving one of its largest free character pools:
– Choose 1 free 5-star (from): Jing Yuan, Kafka, Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae, Jingliu, Sparkle, Acheron, Aventurine. Full eligibility details not stated in official materials; expect requirements similar to previous large-scale giveaways.
– 20 Star Rail Special Passes + 1600 Stellar Jades guaranteed.
– Ruan Mei Outfit—distinct visual for fan-favorite support.
– 0.01% chance for 100 extra Special Passes (officially stated as extremely rare).
Suggested Visual:
– Collage of the seven 5-star options, labeled and with alt text: "All eligible 5-star units offered as free claim in HSR 4.0."
Accessory and Shop Updates
Players can purchase the Vim and Vigor outfit (Gift of Stardust Store), as well as new head accessories—Sparkly Rabbit, Fire Shroom, Raccoon Supplicant Mask, and Ah! Youth!—through a mix of shop purchases, bundle buying, and event participation. Permanent store rotations improve collection tracking but do not impact competitive meta.
Events & Limited-Time Content
- Cosmicon, Roll On! (card game event)—Offers a break from standard combat and diverges from prior puzzle/event structures.
- Ding! Arcadia Fun-Time Clock-In Essentials—Daily/weekly "check-in" event, rewards not fully detailed in official material.
- Planar Fissure and Realm of the Strange—Return for bonus relic/material drops; recommended for resource efficiency during duration.
- Permanent updates for Currency Wars: Zero-Sum Game and Divergent Universe: Protean Hero expand ongoing play.
Preparation Checklist—Patch-Ready F2P Plan
- Pre-farm: Stock up on stamina items, especially if aiming for new Ascension/Trace materials.
- Finish: Previous event shops, battle pass milestones, and daily mission streaks before the patch goes live.
- Inventory Review: Hold off on spending passes or jades until all banners and free-5-star details go live post-patch.
Unconfirmed — Subject to Change
- Fortnite Crossover: Confirmed as a collaboration teaser, but in-game effects, login rewards, or special banners related to Fortnite are not stated in official materials.
- Precise release date/time for v4.0 not included in the livestream summary—please double-check on the official Honkai: Star Rail website closer to launch.
Conclusion: What’s Next?
Honkai: Star Rail 4.0 reasserts HoYoverse’s commitment to inventive F2P compensation, layered banner design, and persistent world-building. Planarcadia is more than a narrative set-piece; it’s poised to redefine material and team planning for the next quarter. Keep tracking EarlyGG’s Star Rail hub for deep-dive relic, team, and banner analyses as the meta settles and new event runs unlock.
Relevant reads:
– Honkai: Star Rail current and upcoming banners
– Best Yao Guang and Sparxie builds (EarlyGG guides)
Questions about the patch? Share your pulls and strategies in the EarlyGG comment threads.