Honkai: Star Rail 4.4 has a locked launch date, a full banner lineup, and a second Fate/stay night crossover that arrives a little later than the patch itself. The version pushes the Planarcadia story toward its climax and adds Himeko Nova alongside two collaboration characters.
Quick answer: Version 4.4 goes live globally on July 15, 2026. The Fate collaboration banner and event follow on July 24, 2026. The three livestream codes expire on July 4, 2026 at 23:59 (UTC+8), so redeem them first.
Version 4.4 release status and timing
Status: Confirmed. HoYoverse set the update for July 15, 2026 across every platform where the game runs. Depending on your region, servers can flip on the night of July 14. A patch this far along in its cycle, with the livestream already aired and a date announced, is very unlikely to slip.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Version 4.4 launch | July 15, 2026 |
| Phase 2 banners | August 5, 2026 |
| Fate collaboration banner and event | July 24, 2026 |
| Livestream code expiry | July 4, 2026, 23:59 (UTC+8) |
Banner schedule for 4.4
Himeko Nova is a full-version banner, meaning she stays available across both phases for the entire 40 days. The Fate collaboration warp runs on its own longer timeline with no announced deadline, and its pity is shared with the earlier Saber and Archer banner.
| Phase | Start | 5-star units | 4-star units |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | July 15, 2026 | Himeko Nova, Sparxie, Dan Heng PT, Evernight | Moze, Hanya, Serval |
| Phase 2 | August 5, 2026 | Cerydra, Anaxa, Aventurine | Moze, Hanya, Serval |
| Fate collab | July 24, 2026 | Rin Tohsaka, Gilgamesh | — |
Note: Gilgamesh’s Light Cone is free if you complete 200 total rolls during 4.4. Those rolls count on any banner, including Himeko Nova’s, so you are not locked into the collaboration warp to earn it.
New characters in 4.4
Three 5-star characters join the roster this version. Himeko Nova is the confirmed Himeko SP, a Fire unit on the Path of Erudition. She works as a Skill-based DPS with Astral Express synergy, an Assist Skill mechanic, and a deployed field that helps allies break enemy Toughness. She functions well in free-to-play setups and leans toward a sub-DPS support role.
The two Fate characters come from Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works. Rin Tohsaka is a 5-star Quantum unit on the Path of Erudition who spends Skill Points to empower herself and has a special interaction with Archer on the team. Gilgamesh is a 5-star Lightning unit on the Path of Destruction, a DPS who rewards allies acting often and using Ultimates, with strong synergy in Ashveil and Mortenax Blade cores and a special interaction tied to Saber.
Gilgamesh is free for every player as long as you claim him during the Fate/Star Rail Night event, though you may take Archer instead.
Story, new areas, and the weekly boss
The Trailblaze mission “In Ravages Does the Whistle Sound” closes the Planarcadia crisis arc. The story ties into Himeko’s past and the Astral Express’s involvement, with the Lord Ravager Asat Pramad at the center. Himeko unlocks new power during the mission.
Two new zones open up as part of the mission, Desolate Maw’s Demonhold and Fallen Star’s Cradle. Asat Pramad becomes the version’s weekly boss, appearing with three forms, dice-roll buff distribution, and an attack that grabs and throws the Astral Express.
Beating Asat Pramad drops a new enhancement material, High Hopes of the Falsely Enlightened, from The Comedy of Doom, Echo of War. Two new Planar Ornament sets also arrive, Fallen Star Anchorage and Cosmic Life Sciences Institution.
Events and rewards
The version runs a full slate of limited-time events. The Fate/Star Rail Night event is where you claim Gilgamesh for free, and its combat uses Noble Phantasms played as cards during Master and Servant duels.
| Event | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Antigraft Brickbuster | Tower-building event |
| Fate/Star Rail Night | Two new characters, a combat stage, and a free Gilgamesh claim |
| Gift of Odyssey | Daily log-in rewards including free warps |
| Planar Fissure | Double drops for Planar Ornaments |
| Garden of Plenty | Double drops for Golden and Crimson Calyx materials |
Currency Wars also expands. The level cap rises to 170, new difficulty tiers are added, and Himeko Nova, Mortenax Blade, Rin Tohsaka, and Gilgamesh join the mode. Rin, Gilgamesh, Saber, and Archer share a Fate-only Bond that grants Noble Phantasm effects as it upgrades.
Version 4.4 livestream codes
Three codes each grant 100 Stellar Jade plus extra materials, for 300 free Stellar Jade in total. They are time-limited and stop working after July 4, 2026 at 23:59 (UTC+8).
| Code | Rewards |
|---|---|
| WAK84U29VLYP | 100 Stellar Jade, 50,000 Credits |
| HT3QMCJ9U4JB | 100 Stellar Jade, 5 Traveler’s Guide |
| XTJ9MV38DL3X | 100 Stellar Jade, 4 Refined Aether |
Quality-of-life changes
Two convenience updates ship with the patch. Characters and Light Cones gain Quick Level Up, and the Achievement system is optimized so you can instantly claim rewards from achievements you have already unlocked.
With the date set for July 15 and the Fate crossover trailing on July 24, the two things worth doing right now are clearing those three codes before the July 4 cutoff and deciding whether your Stellar Jade goes toward Himeko Nova, the returning 5-stars, or the collaboration duo.
