HoYoverse announces the next closed beta for Honkai: Nexus Anima, its first creature-collecting adventure strategy game. The “Evolution Test” runs July 9 on PC, iOS, and Android, and registration is now open through the official website. The test introduces new characters, Anima, regions, and gameplay systems, expanding the game's core loop beyond what earlier tests showed. Announced June 22 from Singapore, this marks the most substantial look yet at a project that carves a new lane inside the Honkai series.
Quick Take
Honkai: Nexus Anima positions itself as HoYoverse's answer to the creature-collecting RPG, but the Nexus bond system and Aspect-driven combat suggest something mechanically distinct from the obvious comparisons. The Evolution Test will be the first opportunity for a wider audience to see how Anima evolution, overworld exploration, and narrative progression fit together. With new regions like Iia and new characters joining the cast, HoYoverse is signaling a test that goes well beyond a vertical slice.
Key Highlights
- First closed beta since the game's initial reveal, running July 9 on PC, iOS, and Android
- Creature-collecting built around Nexus bonds between paired Aspects (Love and Hate, Light and Dark, Reality and Illusion)
- Anima evolution system where companions change form as your bond deepens
- New starting region: Iia, a town in the Reality Plane with explorable districts and faction hubs
- Chromatic Anima, rare variant creatures that appear under specific conditions
- Ability to photograph and name each Anima you bond with
- New characters Nanafey, Bai Mei, and Olympia join the traveler's journey
- Data wipe after test, progress will not carry forward
What We Don't Know Yet
- How many players will be selected for the test
- The full Anima roster count
- Whether cross-progression between PC and mobile will be supported in the test
- Specific system requirements for PC
- Monetization model or whether this test includes any store functionality
- Full release window beyond the beta phase
Key Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Game | Honkai: Nexus Anima |
| Developer | HoYoverse |
| Genre | Creature-collecting adventure strategy RPG |
| Test Name | Evolution Test |
| Test Start | July 9, 2026 |
| Platforms | PC, iOS, Android |
| Registration | Official website |
| Progress Carryover | No (data wipe after test) |
| Test Type | Limited closed beta, selection-based |
| Release Date | TBD |
What Is Honkai: Nexus Anima?
Honkai: Nexus Anima is HoYoverse's first creature-collecting game, set in a world fractured by an event called the Sundering. Before the Sundering, the world was held together by Nexus bonds, invisible connections between paired Aspects such as Love and Hate, Light and Dark, and Reality and Illusion. When the Sundering broke those bonds, their remnant power scattered across the world as creatures called Anima. Your job as the player, a plane-hopping traveler, is to forge bonds with these Anima, harness the power of Aspects through them, and uncover the truth buried in your own past.
The game runs on a party-based combat system that HoYoverse calls Nexus Battles. Aspect pairings feed directly into battle tactics: the combination of Anima you bring and the Aspects they embody changes your tactical options. The same Aspect powers also shape how you navigate the overworld, solve environmental puzzles, and interact with the setting. It is a system where the creatures you collect are not just combat units: they are also your keys to exploration.
Anima Evolution and the Bond System
The standout feature in the Evolution Test is Anima evolution. HoYoverse describes Anima evolution as one of the world's “most wondrous phenomena.” Each transformation goes beyond a simple stat bump or visual swap. According to the announcement, the form an Anima takes reflects the depth of your bond with it. The creature changes to protect what started that bond in the first place.
On the player side, you can photograph any Anima you connect with and give it a custom name. These are small touches, but in a genre built on attachment to the creatures you collect, they signal that HoYoverse understands why people play these games. The photo feature in particular doubles as a record of the moment you first met each companion, which ties the mechanic back to the bond theme rather than treating it as a sticker-book feature.
Chromatic Anima also debut in this test: rare color variants that appear under what HoYoverse calls “especially fortunate” conditions. The language is deliberately vague, which suggests low spawn rates, specific environmental triggers, or both. If Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail are any guide, HoYoverse knows how to build rarity systems that keep players hunting, and Chromatic Anima look positioned to fill that role here.
Iia: A Starting Town with More to Show
The Evolution Test opens in Iia, a town in the Reality Plane that serves as the journey's starting point. The press release points to specific locations within Iia: the New Quarter with its commercial spaces and architectural landmarks, Nexus Hall, and the True Nexus Building. These are not just scenic backdrops. Nexus Hall and the True Nexus Building house key figures from different factions, and your encounters with them will, in HoYoverse's words, reveal the world's hidden complexity.
That framing matters. HoYoverse's past games, particularly Honkai: Star Rail, put real weight on faction politics and competing ideologies as narrative drivers. If Iia's faction hubs operate on a similar model, the town could function as more than a tutorial zone. It may serve as the narrative hub where the game's major conflicts first take shape.
Iia also features quieter spaces: benches, tree-lined paths, windows glowing with warm light. The press release emphasizes these alongside the faction hubs, which suggests HoYoverse wants to establish a town that feels lived in rather than purely functional. Creature collectors live and die on the strength of their worlds, and Iia is the first test of whether Nexus Anima's setting can carry that weight.
New Characters Joining the Cast
Three new characters cross paths with the traveler during the Evolution Test: Nanafey, Bai Mei, and Olympia. The press release does not detail their roles, factions, or combat styles, but it states they will venture deeper into the unknown alongside the player, following traces of forgotten histories. Given the game's Aspect system, each character likely aligns with specific Aspect pairings, which would tie them into both the narrative and the combat system in ways that go beyond typical gacha character introductions.
Who Should Pay Attention
Honkai Series Fans Curious About a Different Genre
If you have followed Honkai: Star Rail or Honkai Impact 3rd and wondered how HoYoverse's approach to world-building and combat design translates to a creature collector, the Evolution Test is your first real look. The Aspect system and Nexus Battles suggest the studio is not content to simply slot Honkai branding onto a familiar template.
Creature-Collecting RPG Players
The bond-driven evolution system, photo and naming features, and rare Chromatic Anima variants all speak directly to players who value the relationship side of the genre over pure collection metrics. If games where your creatures feel like companions rather than checklist entries appeal to you, this test warrants attention.
Gacha Players Watching HoYoverse's Next Move
Honkai: Nexus Anima represents HoYoverse's first new IP-structured project since Zenless Zone Zero. The closed beta will offer the earliest signal of where the studio is taking its formula next, from monetization approach to content cadence.
Who Should Wait
If you are not selected for the test or prefer to go in fresh at launch, sitting this one out is reasonable. The data wipe means every hour you invest vanishes at the end of the test, and HoYoverse will likely run additional beta phases before release. Registration takes minutes, but if you are on the fence, waiting for impressions from those who get in costs you nothing.
Competitive Context
Honkai: Nexus Anima enters a creature-collecting space that has been hungry for a high-budget contender. The genre's dominant titles carry years of legacy, but no recent entry has come from a studio with HoYoverse's production resources and live-service track record. Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail each generate billions in revenue and maintain massive active player bases. If HoYoverse brings even a fraction of that operational expertise to the creature-collecting format, the competitive landscape shifts.
The question is not whether HoYoverse can make a polished game. The question is whether the bond system, Aspect pairings, and Anima evolution create a loop that feels distinct enough to pull players away from established favorites. The Evolution Test will not answer that fully. It will, however, show whether the foundation is there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Honkai: Nexus Anima?
Honkai: Nexus Anima is HoYoverse's first creature-collecting adventure strategy RPG, set in a world where players forge bonds with creatures called Anima. The game uses a Nexus bond system powered by paired Aspects (Love and Hate, Light and Dark, Reality and Illusion) that influence both combat and exploration.
When does the Evolution Test start?
The Evolution Test begins July 9, 2026. Registration is open now via the official website. Selected players will be notified through the contact information provided in the recruitment survey.
What platforms will the Evolution Test support?
The Evolution Test runs on PC, iOS, and Android. HoYoverse has not specified whether console versions are planned for the test or for the full release.
Will progress from the Evolution Test carry over to the full game?
No. The Evolution Test includes a data wipe. All progress, Anima, and unlocks will be reset at the end of the test period.
What systems are new in the Evolution Test compared to previous tests?
The Evolution Test adds the Anima evolution system, the town of Iia with its faction hubs, Chromatic Anima variants, Anima photography and naming features, and three new characters: Nanafey, Bai Mei, and Olympia. The test also expands the game's narrative content beyond what was shown in earlier builds.
How can I register for the Evolution Test?
Complete the recruitment survey on the official Honkai: Nexus Anima website. Submission does not guarantee access. HoYoverse will select a number of participants from the pool of completed surveys.
When will Honkai: Nexus Anima fully release?
HoYoverse has not announced a release date for Honkai: Nexus Anima. The Evolution Test is a closed beta, and further test phases or a release window may be announced after it concludes.
When will Honkai: Nexus Anima be available in Canada?
HoYoverse has not announced region-specific release dates. Based on the company's track record with Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, Canadian players can expect simultaneous North American availability when the full game launches. HoYoverse typically distributes through major Canadian retailers like Best Buy Canada, Canada Computers, and Memory Express for any physical or gift card offerings. For the Evolution Test, registration is open globally through the official website with no region restrictions indicated.
Where Things Stand
Honkai: Nexus Anima enters its next phase with a test that appears designed to answer the big questions: does the bond system work at scale, does Iia feel like a place worth spending time in, and do Anima evolutions create the kind of attachment the genre demands? The creature-collecting space has been waiting for a new heavyweight. HoYoverse has the resources and the live-service pedigree to be that contender. The Evolution Test is where we start finding out whether the design lives up to the positioning.
Registration is open now. The latest trailer and gameplay showcase are available for a closer look at what the test will include. Canadian players should watch for announcements from HoYoverse Canada in the coming months. We will provide hands-on coverage and a full review once the game becomes available for testing.
