Honkai: Star Rail version 4.0 arrives with two five-star companions

HoYoverse has scheduled Honkai: Star Rail version 4.0 for release on Feb 12, 2026 in North America, with other regions rolling out starting Feb 13. This update marks the formal close of the 3.x cycle and the start of a new chapter for the game’s roster, content loop, and banner schedule.

The headline additions for 4.0 are two new five-star characters, Sparxie and Yao Guang. Alongside the new servants, the update will introduce new Light Cones, relic sets, enemies and boss encounters designed around the characters’ kits, and a slate of events tied to the version cycle. Expect limited-time event quests and rewards that typically accompany a major version change, as well as fresh challenges aimed at both new and veteran players.

Banner rotations for 4.0 will follow the usual rhythm of limited debut rates and scheduled reruns. Players should plan pulls and resource allocation now: the update is positioned as a gate between cycles, so saving or spending Stellar resources (the community’s starlit shorthand for summon currency) will materially affect your options across the next weeks. The version change also tends to shift which reruns appear and when limited banners return, so timing pulls around the Feb 12–13 window can be decisive for getting the characters you want.

Practical matters will matter more than ever on patch day. Track the official special program livestreams and HoYoverse announcements for precise maintenance windows, regional server release times, and patch sizes. Patch downloads can differ across platforms, so prepare for varying download times on PC, iOS, and Android. Expect short maintenance windows around the version transition and plan Playtime accordingly to avoid wasted resin or daily mission conflicts.

For community organizers and content creators, 4.0 opens fresh material for guides, team-builds, and boss walkthroughs. Raid groups, co-op players, and forum strategists will want to test the new relic synergies once the bosses arrive and confirm whether any meta shifts emerge from Sparxie and Yao Guang’s playstyles.

What comes next is straightforward: watch the HoYoverse roadmap livestreams for the final banner schedule and maintenance details, decide whether to hold or commit your summons, and set aside time Feb 12–13 for patching and first-run content. Version 4.0 looks set to reset the flow of banners and events, so plan your pulls and community sessions with that cadence in mind.