5 upcoming Honkai Star Rail characters we’re most excited for

From Jing Yuan's master to #76 of the Genius Society, here are the five upcoming characters we're most excited for.

It's only been a bit over a month since Honkai: Star Rail officially released, but already we are excited for more playable characters to be released! Here are the five upcoming characters already being teased we're most excited for. Pictured: Xueyi, Fu Xuan, Jingliu. (Photos: HoYoverse)
It's only been a bit over a month since Honkai: Star Rail officially released, but already we are excited for more playable characters to be released! Here are the five upcoming characters already being teased we're most excited for. Pictured: Xueyi, Fu Xuan, Jingliu. (Photos: HoYoverse)

It’s only been a bit over a month since Honkai: Star Rail officially released, but already we are thrilled to see what more the game has in store for us Trailblazers.

And while the release of new versions of the game brings tons of content, what we’re most looking forward to are new playable characters.

With Silver Wolf, Luocha, and Yukong coming very soon in version 1.1, and Kafka, Blade, and Luka up next in version 1.2, who else can we expect coming to the game soon?

Lucky for us, Honkai: Star Rail developer HoYoverse has left plenty of crumbs that tease future playable characters both in-game and in promotional material. Here are the 5 upcoming Honkai: Star Rail characters we’re most excited for.

Fu Xuan

(Photo: HoYoverse)
(Photo: HoYoverse)

Fu Xuan is the head of the Xianzhou Luofu’s Divination Commission, using her third eye and the Matrix of Prescience to guide and protect the worldship. She is one of the prominent figures in the Xianzhou Luofu that the Astral Express crew encountered during the game’s ongoing storyline there, helping them apprehend the Stellaron Hunter Kafka.

With Jing Yuan already released and the other characters in the Xianzhou Luofu storyline already slated to be released in versions 1.1 and 1.2, we predict that Fu Xuan will be next in line. Perhaps in version 1.3?

HoYoverse quietly revealed in a HoYolab post that Fu Xuan will wield the Quantum element and follow the Path of Preservation. With both Quantum and Preservation characters being relative rarities in the game right now, we also expect Fu Xuan to be a very valuable character.

Jingliu

(Photos: HoYoverse)
(Photos: HoYoverse)

Jingliu was once the swordmaster of the Xianzhou Luofu and the master of the Arbiter-General Jing Yuan.

She first appeared in the animated short ‘A Flash’, where it was revealed that she was stricken by the mara and escaped the worldship while leaving a trail of bodies behind her. Jing Yuan would later confront Jingliu and defeat his former master, though her fate was left unknown.

But with the release of the version 1.1 trailer, we now know that Jingliu has returned to the Xianzhou Luofu and is seen battling Yanqing, Jing Yuan’s lieutenant. Jingliu’s appearance remains largely unchanged from how she looked during her battle with Jing Yuan, though she now wears a black blindfold. She also appeared briefly in the ‘Interstellar Journey’ release trailer.

With her deep connections to the Xianzhou Luofu and many of its prominent characters, not to mention her upcoming appearance in version 1.1, we expect Jingliu to be released sooner than later. Perhaps she may even come out at the same time as Fu Xuan in version 1.3 or a bit after in version 1.4.

Screwllum

(Photos: HoYoverse)
(Photos: HoYoverse)

Screwllum is member #76 of the Genius Society, a collective of intellectuals favoured by the Aeon of Erudition, Nous. Most of what we know about Screwllum comes from his connection with another Genius Society member, Herta (kuru kuru~).

Screwllum is a mechanical life form who rules Planet Screwllum. He earned the right to rule the planet after leading a resistance against fellow Genius Society member Rubert I, who started a war to destroy all organic life forms and caused the Interastral Peace Corporation to consider exterminating all mechanical life forms in response. Screwllum eventually won peace for the mechanical lifeforms and ushered in an era of prosperity for his planet.

Aside from his aforementioned exploits, Screwllum has also worked with Herta and Ruan Mei (more on her below) to create the Simulated Universe. He even had an encounter with the Stellaron Hunter Silver Wolf, defeating her and proving their hackings skills were on par. This battle is depicted in the ‘We Will Meet Again’ Light Cone.

Screwllum is set to make his first in-game appearance in version 1.1, with the trailer briefly showing him looking at the displays in the newly-opened Belobog History and Culture Museum. With his upcoming appearance, it’s safe to say he’ll be making his debut as a playable character sooner than later too.

Xueyi

(Photos: HoYoverse)
(Photos: HoYoverse)

Xueyi is a judge of the Xianzhou Luofu’s Ten Lords Commission, first appearing in Dan Heng’s side adventure with Luocha and Sushang during the reemergence of the Ambrosial Arbor.

The Xueyi we see in the game is actually a puppet, the Xianzhou term for an android, with the real Xueyi apparently dying some time ago. Aside from her first in-game appearance, most of what we know about Xueyi’s past comes from the lore of the Light Cones ‘Under the Blue Sky’ and ‘Return to Darkness’.

From ‘Under the Blue Sky’, we learn that Xueyi has an unnamed younger sister and originally had white hair. ‘Return to Darkness’ depicts Xueyi in the arms of her younger sister, with the two now much older and with the former having lost her white hair. The lore suggests that the Xueyi being held by her younger sister is actually the puppet, as the younger sister thinks that “Big sis’ body is cold” but “has been cold like this for a very long time”.

While Xueyi hasn’t done much in the story yet, our belief that she will be a playable character is reinforced by a brief glimpse of her wielding a spear in battle in the ‘Interstellar Journey’ trailer. We also expect her younger sister to also become playable, even though she remains unnamed and has yet to appear outside of the aforementioned Light Cones.

Ruan Mei

(Photos: HoYoverse)
(Photos: HoYoverse)

Ruan Mei is member #81 of the Genius Society and one of the creators of the Simulated Universe alongside fellow Genius Society members Screwllum and Herta. And sorry Raiden Mei fans, she seems to have no relation to the beloved Herrscher of Thunder.

When the Trailblazer talks with Herta about the Simulated Universe, she described Ruan Mei as “a master of creation” who designed the all-important simulations for the Aeons. Ruan Mei also seems to be a member of the Xianzhou Alliance, as she was the one that gave Herta information about the Aeon Lan that the latter could not otherwise obtain. Lan is Aeon of the Path of the Hunt and is the patron of the Xianzhou Alliance.

Ruan Mei only has two appearances so far in Honkai: Star Rail. First is in the Light Cone ‘Geniuses’ Repose’, which depicts her in a dinner party with Herta and Screwllum. Second is in a rare event in the Simulated Universe Domains of Occurence, where she can either grant all of the blessings from a random Path or 2,000 Cosmic Fragments.

Since Ruan Mei hasn’t made any other appearances aside from those two we mentioned, we don’t expect her to be released any time soon. But that doesn’t mean we’re any less excited for her to be released as a playable character though.

Honkai: Star Rail is currently in the second half of version 1.0, featuring the Lightning Erudition character Jing Yuan as the banner 5-star. Version 1.1, featuring the debuts of Silver Wolf, Luocha, and Yukong, will be released on 6 June.

Honkai: Star Rail officially launched on 26 April on PC, Android, and iOS. The game will also be made available on PlayStation some time after release. You can download the game here.

If you're still just starting with Honkai: Star Rail or want to try the game out for yourself, we've got you covered! You can check our beginner's guide, guide to building the starter characters, and guide to its gacha system.

Yan Ku is a full-time dog parent, part-time (gacha) gamer, and part-time writer.

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