Honkai: Star Rail lead designer on Aha and the first playable Aeon

Aha arrives as the first playable Aeon

Honkai: Star Rail has launched a major update, and Pocket Gamer spoke to the game's lead designer about what it contains. ChengNan An, lead game designer on the title, answered questions at the HoYoverse Media Tour 2026 in Seoul. His answers were edited for clarity and brevity by the outlet.

The headline addition in Version 4.7 is Aha, described in the interview as the God of all Elations. An said this character is what he is most excited about, because Aha becomes the very first playable Aeon in the game. Aeons are the ultimate beings in the game's lore, so this marks a notable shift for the roster.

According to Pocket Gamer, the update also arrives as the Planarcadia arc draws to a close, giving the team a natural moment to look back on the story so far.

Combat changes beyond the four-character team

One of the more significant design shifts mentioned in the interview concerns team building. An said the team has begun new design work intended to move past the standard four-character squad. In his words as reported by Pocket Gamer, this should let players create different team combinations, strategies and options in battle, and bring a sense of novelty to encounters.

He also reflected on the game's turn-based battle system. He said the development team are fans of turn-based games, that they studied the classics of the genre, and that they saw room to expand on it. He added that they built something more story-driven while drawing on the action of Honkai Impact 3rd, and that the team is glad players are rediscovering the appeal of turn-based combat.

Version 4.7 also adds reward stages, according to the report. An said the team will keep looking for ways to reduce the burden on players while they play.

Keeping the game open to newcomers

A recurring theme in the interview was accessibility. An said that since launch, the team has looked for ways to offer fresh experiences while keeping the barrier to entry low. Shortly after release, the game received quality-of-life changes to give players more flexible options.

He pointed to features that help players follow the storyline more easily, including the ability to speed up dialogue. Players can also reach the latest content without completing every prerequisite quest. He said the team balances long-term planning with quicker changes, and that player feedback feeds into the planning process.

The game's popularity gives this effort context. Pocket Gamer notes that Honkai: Star Rail has passed 10 million downloads on Google Play alone, roughly three years after launch.

Adapting to new hardware

Mobile hardware keeps advancing, and file sizes keep growing, so the interview also touched on upcoming devices. An was asked about the iPhone Duo. He said the team keeps improving the game to adapt to modern platforms, and that they have already received the adaptation requirements for the iPhone Duo. He asked players to stay tuned for more information.

No release timing or technical details for that adaptation were given in the report, so the scope of the work remains unconfirmed.

Why the story matters to the team

An closed the interview with a reflection on what drives the project. He said the team works together to give players lasting memories, and that his favourite moments come when story highlights and characters land in the game and players react to them.

He suggested characters can give players a new perspective on real-world difficulties and help them live better lives, calling that the most touching part of the work. Looking ahead, he described Honkai: Star Rail as a journey across different planets, and said the development team sees it as a journey of exploration too. He wants players to have memories they can look back on years later.