Well, it seems HoYoverse have done it again. All the signs were there that Honkai: Star Rail, the latest game from the makers of Genshin Impact, was going to be a big success, but nevertheless, the results are impressive. According to Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad, Honkai: Star Rail was downloaded over 20 million times on its day of launch.
Expect those numbers to balloon even larger quickly, as over 30 million people had pre-registered for the game. While the majority of those pre-registrations came from HoYoverse’s home country of China, Honkai: Star Rail is a hit around the world, as, according to Ahmad, the game has reached #1 on the iOS charts in a record number of countries simultaneously.
Haven’t been keeping up with Honkai: Star Rail? Much like Genshin, it’s a free-to-play game that uses a randomized gacha system to distribute new characters and weapons (here’s a rundown of how it works in Genshin Impact). You can check out trailers for some of the game’s characters here and a brief official story outline, below.
“Honkai: Star Rail is a brand-new space fantasy RPG with a journey through immense worlds of the unknown. The game features fantasy elements with myths and legends integrated into a space sci-fi story. Combined with the intuitive turn-based combat system, large maps with maze exploration and immersive storylines that together compose an interstellar melody filled with surprises and rewarding experiences, that echo throughout the universe!
Implanted with a Stellaron, the protagonist bravely set sail for the galaxy to drill down to the truth surrounding the so-called Cancer of All Worlds. Players will be able to experience a vast universe abundant in distinctive cultures, landscapes, and scenery. From Herta Space Station where the story starts and you receive the prerequisite knowledge for the forthcoming journey, to Jarilo-VI where numerous dangers and conflicts are frozen beneath the snow, to the eastern-fantasy-infused silkpunk flagship Xianzhou Luofu where the topic of immortality is the cause of both development and strife.”
Honkai: Star Rail launches on PC and mobile devices on April 26. A release date for the PS4 and PS5 versions of the game has yet to be revealed.
