HoYoverse Announces Character Reworks for Kafka and Fan Favorites in Honkai Star Rail Version 3.4

During the latest livestream event of Honkai Star Rail, HoYoverse announced some exciting updates fans have been eagerly waiting for. In the upcoming HSR 3.4 update, expected to roll out in early July 2025, the studio will introduce character makeovers for popular heroes who have somewhat lost their shine. Characters like Kafka, Silver Wolf, Blade, and Jingliu are set to receive significant updates to bring them back into the spotlight, addressing long-standing fan calls for these revamps. However, the specifics of what these changes will entail remain under wraps for now.

When these characters first graced the game back in 2023, they were among the top-tier picks. Kafka even found a resurgence in popularity in 2024 when Acheron was introduced. That said, over time, their abilities and synergy with team compositions have diminished. Jingliu, for instance, demands a lot of investment but still doesn’t quite deliver the punch needed compared to her peers. Kafka hasn’t had any new allies to enhance her damage-over-time strategies for months, and Mydei feels like another iteration of Blade.

This kind of character decline, often referred to as “powercreep,” is a familiar issue within gacha games like Honkai Star Rail. Interestingly, other HoYoverse titles haven’t experienced this to the same extent. Take Genshin Impact, for instance. Some of its early characters continue to hold high rankings and perform well in challenging scenarios. Similarly, Zenless Zone Zero lets players effectively tackle major bosses with the initial three free characters, showing a dedication to maintaining character viability.

For now, it doesn’t seem like HoYoverse has any immediate plans to refresh other aging characters such as Bailu, Yanqing, Natasha, Hook, and Welt. These characters still linger on the sidelines without any promise of renewal soon.

In some good news, as a nod to veteran players, the forthcoming version 3.2 update offers a special treat. You’ll have the opportunity to claim one of two free 5-star characters: Ruan Mei or Luocha. This is a great way for players to bolster their teams and potentially shake up their current strategies.