HoYoverse Announces Character Reworks for Kafka and Beloved Classics in Honkai Star Rail Version 3.4

HoYoverse recently revealed during the latest Honkai Star Rail livestream that they’re planning to breathe new life into some of the game’s once-powerful characters. Scheduled for the 3.4 update, these reworks aim to bring favorites like Kafka, Silver Wolf, Blade, and Jingliu back into the spotlight. While the specifics of these changes are still under wraps, the announcement follows a wave of fan feedback calling for these characters to be revamped, according to HoYoverse.

If everything stays on track, the update is expected to roll out in early July 2025. Back in 2023, these four characters were among the top picks in Honkai Star Rail, with Kafka even gaining renewed popularity in 2024 with the introduction of Acheron. However, over time, their effectiveness in battles has waned. For instance, Jingliu demands significant investment but still falls short on the damage front, while Kafka hasn’t had many new allies to synergize with lately—Mydei, the latest addition, doesn’t quite shake things up being another iteration of Blade.

This phenomenon of older characters becoming less effective, often referred to as “powercreep,” is a familiar scenario in gacha games. Interestingly, HoYoverse’s titles have typically managed to minimize this issue. Take Genshin Impact, for example, where some top-tier characters from its early days still shine brightly, easily handling the game’s challenging content. Similarly, Zenless Zone Zero allows players to face formidable foes with the initial free characters, showing that updates haven’t rendered these heroes obsolete.

However, the future doesn’t seem as promising for other Honkai Star Rail characters like Bailu, Yanqing, Natasha, Hook, and Welt, as there’s been no indication they’ll be getting similar attention any time soon.

In the meantime, players should keep an eye on version 3.2. Once it launches, you’ll have the opportunity to snag one of two free 5-star characters—either Ruan Mei or Luocha—adding a bit more excitement to your roster.