Honkai: Star Rail's third-anniversary livestream is almost here. HoYoverse's Version 4.2 Special Program, titled "So Laughed the Masses," premieres on April 10, 2026, at 7:30 PM China Standard Time (UTC+8). That translates to 11:30 AM UTC — just hours away.
Quick answer: The livestream begins April 10, 2026, at 11:30 AM UTC (7:30 PM CST). You can watch it live on the official Honkai: Star Rail YouTube or Twitch channels.
Livestream time: April 10, 2026, 11:30 AM UTC / 7:30 PM UTC+8
Version 4.2 Livestream Start Times by Region
Because the broadcast airs simultaneously worldwide, the local clock time varies depending on where you are. The table below covers every major timezone.
| Region | Local Time (April 10, 2026) | Timezone |
|---|---|---|
| US West Coast | 4:30 AM | Pacific Daylight Time (UTC−7) |
| US Mountain | 5:30 AM | Mountain Daylight Time (UTC−6) |
| US Central | 6:30 AM | Central Daylight Time (UTC−5) |
| US East Coast | 7:30 AM | Eastern Daylight Time (UTC−4) |
| Western Europe | 12:30 PM | Western European Summer Time (UTC+1) |
| Central Europe | 1:30 PM | Central European Summer Time (UTC+2) |
| Eastern Europe | 2:30 PM | Eastern European Summer Time (UTC+3) |
| India | 5:00 PM | Indian Standard Time (UTC+5:30) |
| China / Philippines | 7:30 PM | CST / PST (UTC+8) |
| Japan / Korea | 8:30 PM | JST / KST (UTC+9) |
Where to Watch the HSR 4.2 Special Program
The broadcast will air on two platforms at the same time. Both carry identical content, so pick whichever you prefer.
If you can't catch it live, the full recording stays available on YouTube afterward. However, the redeem codes shared during the stream expire quickly — typically within about 24 hours — so you'll want to grab those as soon as possible, even if you watch the replay.
Free Stellar Jade Codes During the Broadcast
HoYoverse will drop three redeemable codes over the course of the livestream. Combined, they grant 300 Stellar Jades along with Traveler's Guides, Credits, and other materials. Each code is only valid for a limited window after it appears on screen, so redeem them the same day.
What the Anniversary Livestream Will Cover
As the third-anniversary Special Program, this broadcast is expected to be significantly more packed than a standard patch preview. The confirmed and widely anticipated reveals include:
- New 5-star characters: Silver Wolf Lv.999 (Path of Elation, Imaginary) and Evanescia (Physical DPS, Path of Elation) headline the Version 4.2 banners.
- Rerun banners: Up to six characters may return across two triple-rerun banners spanning both halves of the patch.
- Novaflare buffs: Reworks for older units — Firefly, Welt, Seele, and Huohuo are among the names expected to receive upgrades.
- New Trailblazer Path: An Elation-aligned Lightning form for the protagonist, unlocked through new Trailblaze Missions.
- Anniversary rewards: A login event granting 1,600 Stellar Jades, an upgraded Gift of Odyssey event offering 20 limited-banner tickets over seven days, updates to the Stellar Convergence shop (adding Robin and Huohuo), and a new free Golden Companion Spirit.
- 50/50 pool update: Yunli, Argenti, and Silver Wolf are expected to join the standard 50/50 pool.
- Events: Two major limited-time events — Cosmicon Roll-On (the main anniversary event, rewarding 1,200 Stellar Jades) and Express Renovation Escapade, which introduces co-op room visits.
- Character skin: A new outfit for Castorice.
- Story continuation: Further Planarcadia arc content expanding the Phantasmoon Games and Aeon of Elation lore.
A special music-event stream is also rumored to run on the same day, with participation rewards available during four specific time slots. Details on the exact reward remain unconfirmed.
Version 4.2 Patch Release Date
The patch itself lands shortly after the livestream. Asia and Europe servers are expected to receive Version 4.2 on April 22, 2026, while America servers update on April 21, 2026. The game's actual third anniversary falls on April 26, which is when the 1,600 Stellar Jade login reward is scheduled to go live.
With the broadcast just hours out, set an alarm for your local start time, keep the redemption page handy, and be ready to grab those codes the moment they appear. Whether you're pulling for Silver Wolf Lv.999 or just stacking Stellar Jades, the Version 4.2 Special Program is the single most important stream of the year for Honkai: Star Rail players.