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Nexus Anima
Honkai: Nexus Anima is in closed beta testing, with the Evolution Test running July 9-27 on PC, iOS, and Android. The game is an auto-chess creature-collection title in the Honkai franchise, with characters from earlier Honkai entries appearing as Mirror Heart supports.
Synthesized from 5
Yomimono stories · updated
Aug 30
HoYoverse is building out Honkai: Nexus Anima as an auto-chess creature-collection game set in the Honkai universe, a departure from the series' action-RPG roots. The second closed beta, the Evolution Test, runs July 9-27 on PC, iOS, and Android. It adds new characters, Anima, areas, and game design elements, and it features returning Honkai series characters like Kiana and Blade. The test deletes all data after it ends.
Gameplay centers on bonding with Anima creatures, using their skills for traversal, and deploying them in strategic auto-battles. The branching main quest changes based on player choices. Honkai series characters appear as Mirror Heart supports. A promotional video introduced Nanafi, a girl from the town of Iatown who dreams of traveling between dimensions, voiced by Saho Shirasuna. The Evolution Test began on July 9, 2026.
The game is part of a broader HoYoverse push into new genres. In May, miHoYo posted R&D job listings for a UE5 realistic shooter and a life MMO, while continuing recruitment for Honkai: Nexus Anima, Petit Planet, and Varsapura. Those listings do not guarantee commercial release. At gamescom 2026, HoYoverse announced a separate project, Nodusfall, a free-to-play four-player co-op souls-like action game with realistic graphics, indicating the company is experimenting across multiple genres beyond its established portfolio.
Key facts
- Beta test
- The Evolution Test closed beta runs July 9-27 on PC, iOS, and Android. ↗
- Gameplay
- Players bond with Anima creatures, use their skills for traversal, and deploy them in auto-chess style battles. ↗
- Story
- The branching main quest changes based on player choices. ↗
- Characters
- Honkai series characters appear as Mirror Heart supports. ↗
- New character
- Nanafi, a girl from Iatown who dreams of dimensional travel, is voiced by Saho Shirasuna. ↗
- Returning characters
- Kiana and Blade return from earlier Honkai series entries. ↗
- Franchise position
- It is the latest game in the Honkai franchise, following Honkai Impact 3rd and Honkai: Star Rail. ↗
- Beta recruitment
- Recruitment for the Evolution Test ran June 22 to July 4, with selection by lottery from applicants who completed pre-registration and a survey. ↗
Timeline
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
All coverage
Aug 27
At gamescom 2026 Opening Night Live, HoYoverse announced Nodusfall, a new multiplayer action game with realistic graphics and a dark fantasy setting. The next day, a preview event let media and influencers try the game. Nodusfall is a four-player co-op action game where players hunt giant mythological monsters. The demo featured a warrior, an archer, and a spellcaster, with roles like damage dealer, tank, and support. Combat uses an Xbox controller with standard attacks, dodges, and lock-on, plus Divine Skills that charge a gauge and deliver powerful effects. The first boss was Qiongqi, a beast from Chinese classics, who fled mid-fight, leading to a second boss, the dragon Maldrake. The developers said characters are not obtained through gacha but unlocked by playing. Monetization will focus on cosmetic items. The game is free-to-play on PC, with other platforms and the release date undecided. Pre-registration has begun on the official website. The developers aim for a "wide entrance" with low barriers for new players and a high skill ceiling for veterans. They also plan a large RPG-style story map and small-scale PvP content.
Jul 14
HoYoverse's closed beta test for Honkai: Nexus Anima, a new Honkai series game, features creature collection, exploration in Iatown, and auto-chess style battles. Players bond with Nexus Anima creatures, use their skills for traversal, and deploy them in strategic auto-battles. The branching main quest changes based on choices. Honkai series characters appear as Mirror Heart supports. The Evolution Test runs July 9-27.
Jul 9
HoYoverse released character details and a promotional video for Nanafi, a girl from the town of Iatown who dreams of traveling between dimensions, voiced by Saho Shirasuna. The closed beta test, the Evolution Test, began on July 9, 2026.
Jun 22
HoYoverse will run a second closed beta test for its new auto-chess strategy game Honkai: Nexus Anima, called the Evolution Test, from July 9 on PC, iOS, and Android. Participant recruitment runs from June 22 to July 4, with selection by lottery from applicants who complete pre-registration and a survey. The test deletes all data after it ends. Alongside the announcement, HoYoverse released a new trailer titled Evolution PV 'Until the Day We Meet' and gameplay footage. The video shows multiple new characters, including Kiana and Blade, who are returning from earlier Honkai series entries. Honkai: Nexus Anima is the latest game in the Honkai franchise, following Honkai Impact 3rd and Honkai: Star Rail. It is an auto-chess-style title where players collect and battle creatures called Anima. The Evolution Test is meant to expand on the core systems and story, adding new characters, Anima, areas, and game design elements.
May 28
MiHoYo has posted multiple research and development job listings that suggest the company is exploring new genres beyond its established action RPGs. The listings, published on May 28, 2026, include positions for a "UE5 realistic shooter" tagged as "military sci-fi" and "hardcore shooter." One role, a Senior IP Narrative Planner (Military Direction), requires understanding of military themes and the military fan base. Another listing seeks expertise in PvP shooters, AI NPCs, and sandbox survival shooters. The technical requirements mention Unreal Engine 5, ultra-realistic rendering at high frame rates, and technologies like procedural generation, MassAI, and AI Workflow. Separately, a "life MMO" project is described as focusing on social elements, large-scale multiplayer, and sandbox content. All listings are for R&D and do not guarantee a commercial release. The company continues to recruit for previously announced titles Honkai: Nexus Anima, Petit Planet, and Varsapura.