Arknights: Endfield's first major post-launch patch went live on March 12, 2026, bringing a roughly five-week content cycle that runs through mid-April. Version 1.1, subtitled "Old Deep Water Dies, by Rising Tide It is Denied," adds two new 6-star Operators, a new Wuling sub-region, an entirely new ore-and-gear production chain, and a long list of quality-of-life improvements that players have been requesting since the January launch.
Tangtang and Rossi — Version 1.1's Two New Operators
Both new characters are 6-stars. There are no new 4- or 5-star Operators in this patch.
| Operator | Rarity | Role | Element / Damage | Banner Phase | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tangtang | 6★ | Caster (Handcannon) | Cryo | Phase 1 | Mar. 12 – Mar. 29 |
| Rossi | 6★ | Guard (Sword) | Physical | Phase 2 | Mar. 29 – Apr. 14 |
Tangtang is the Supreme Chief of the Qingbo Stockade and a Feline-race Caster who deals AoE Cryo damage through whirlpools and waterspouts. Her Ultimate, DA CHIEF SEES YOU!, immobilizes all enemies in range — including bosses — for several seconds. That crowd-control window makes her an especially strong partner for Yvonne, whose own Ultimate demands that targets stay put. Tangtang also provides Arts Susceptibility and SP generation, filling a support gap that Cryo teams have struggled with since launch.
Rossi is the leader of the Wulfgard pack and the game's first Operator who can convert Arts Infliction stacks on enemies into Vulnerability (the physical-damage equivalent of a defense break). She applies her own Heat Infliction through her Ultimate, so she can self-sustain the conversion loop, but she also opens up hybrid arts-and-physical team compositions. Her Operator Side Mission, "The Red Knight," unlocks on March 29 alongside her banner.
On Tangtang's banner, Gilberta and Yvonne appear as off-rate 6-stars. On Rossi's banner, the off-rates shift to Tangtang and Yvonne. Notably, Laevatein is the first limited Operator to rotate out of the off-rate pool entirely.
Signature and Protocol Pass Weapons
| Weapon | Type | Source | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brigand's Calling | Handcannon (6★) | Arsenal Exchange banner | Phase 1 |
| Lupine Scarlet | Sword (6★) | Arsenal Exchange banner | Phase 2 |
| Home Longing | Handcannon (6★) | Protocol Pass weapon crate | Both |
| Glorious Memory | Sword (6★) | Protocol Pass weapon crate | Both |
Weapon banners still carry over across three consecutive banner cycles, so Gilberta's signature weapon remains available during Phase 1, and Yvonne's stays through both Phase 1 and Phase 2. The Protocol Pass weapon crate now offers five total choices, stretching from Laevatein's alternate all the way through Rossi's alternate. Glorious Memory, Rossi's Protocol Pass sword, doubles as a strong option for Chen Qianyu thanks to its agility boost and critical-rate stats.
Qingbo Stockade — New Map and Main Story
Version 1.1 opens the Qingbo Stockade, a new sub-region within Wuling. It includes new enemies, a new story boss, and new AIC facilities like defense turrets. The main story continues with Chapter 2 Process 3, titled "'Twas One River That Gave Us Drink," which centers heavily on Tangtang and the conflict between Wuling and the Stockade. There is no new outpost in 1.1 — the AIC expansion focuses on the main base instead.
Cuprium Ore, New Gear, and AIC Factory Additions
A new resource called Cuprium Ore is introduced in the Qingbo Stockade area. Mining it requires a Hydro Mining Rig, meaning you need to pipe water to the rig before it can operate. Cuprium feeds into new crafting formulas that produce a new gear component, which in turn unlocks 10 new gear pieces.
Other factory changes include a Water Treatment Plant with new formulas, underground conduit pipes that route fluid beneath the surface for cleaner layouts, new Steward expansions, upgraded defense towers, and a doubling of the Forge of the Sky cap from two to four. All Wuling Stock Redistribution nodes, depots, and environment monitoring areas can now be upgraded for more Stock Bills.
Essence Crafting and Combat Entry Changes
Two of the most impactful mechanical changes sit outside the new content:
Craftable Essences: After reaching Stock Redistribution Level 4 at Origin Lodespring, you can purchase a Valley Multi-Line Engraving Kit with Stock Bills. This item lets you create an Essence with all three stats of your choice — no randomness involved. It effectively removes the RNG grind that plagued endgame weapon optimization.
Full HP and Ultimate on domain entry: Operators now enter Protocol Spaces, Recrisis stages, and Crisis Drills with maximum health and full Ultimate charge. You no longer need to pre-heal or wait for skill cooldowns before challenging endgame content.
Events Running During Version 1.1
| Event | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Quietly Flows the Spring | Mar. 12 – Apr. 2 | Explore Qingbo Stockade for discovery-based rewards |
| Gently Flows Qingbo Sign-In | Mar. 12 – Mar. 29 | 7-day login rewards including Headhunting Permits |
| Supply: Exploration Day | Mar. 19 onward | Daily task completion for exchangeable rewards |
| Sanity Discount (first window) | Mar. 22 – Mar. 29 | Reduced Sanity costs on farming stages |
| Cleanse and Rinse | Mar. 29 onward | Power-wash-style cleaning minigame using jet drones |
| Pearl of the Pack Sign-In | Mar. 29 – Apr. 14 | 7-day login rewards for Rossi's banner phase |
| Survival Training | Apr. 9 onward | Tower-defense-style survival challenge using Industrial Explosives |
| Sanity Discount (second window) | Apr. 10 – Apr. 14 | Another round of reduced Sanity costs |
Survival Training stands out as the most mechanically distinct event. Instead of racing to kill enemies, you need to stay alive through waves of threats — a format that rewards defensive play and dodge mechanics over raw DPS. The third set of Umbral Monument stages and a new Delver of the Cryptic puzzle set (Grotto Survey) also arrive, along with Etchspace Salvage Zone 4.
Quality-of-Life Improvements
The patch ships with a dense list of UI and system fixes. The most notable ones:
| Category | Change |
|---|---|
| Base management | Auto-production on Dijiang facilities; quick collection for Recycling Stations (requires level 4); visiting a friend's Dijiang now returns you to your original map location |
| Gacha / economy | Beginner's Chartered Tribute event grants 10 limited Headhunting Permits (auto-completed for existing players); Basic Headhunting Permits added to Protocol Pass and Stock Redistribution rewards; extra AIC Quota on first-time Operator acquisition (retroactive via mail); simplified AIC Quota conversion for duplicates |
| Combat visibility | Red Flash enemy attack telegraphs are significantly more visible, especially helpful for Heat team players |
| Controller support | Full button remapping; construction connections no longer snap during dialogue or combat triggers; dedicated facility-move button added |
| Map and exploration | Minimap and world map accessible while on ziplines; mining rig status and rare material locations visible on the map; shared facilities can now be deleted from the map |
| Inventory | Bottles filled with liquid no longer get quick-stashed; improved filtering for weapons, Essences, and backpack items |
| Tutorials and UI | Streamlined tutorials; quest items like character gifts given during quests instead of requiring purchase; cutscene skip option; reduced red-dot notification clutter |
| AIC infrastructure | Electric cable buffer range in Valley 4 increased to 20 meters before destruction (100 meters total from relays); cables no longer disconnect during dialogue; new PC setting to choose Caps Lock or Escape for exiting top-view mode |
| Farming | Plot cultivation time reduced; fertilizers more effective |
What Version 1.2 Has Teased
During the dev log stream, Hypergryph previewed Version 1.2 as a substantially larger update. It will feature two new maps, a new outpost, a new fluid-based production system for the AIC Factory, and continued main story content involving Tianshi Zhuang defending the Xiranite Dam from a siege by Ardashir. Characters teased for future banners include Zhuang Fangyi (a sword user) and Mi Fu. No official release date for Version 1.2 has been confirmed.
Version 1.1 is a focused, systems-heavy update rather than a sprawling content drop. The gear expansion, craftable Essences, and full-health domain entry address some of the most persistent friction points from 1.0, while Tangtang and Rossi each carve out clear roles in Cryo and hybrid-physical teams respectively. Whether the roughly five-week patch cadence holds going forward will say a lot about how Endfield plans to compete with other 3D gacha games over the long run.