Blackbird, the witch who has been quietly handing out fortunes and rewards from her house near Bridge’s Crossing since the early hours of Neverness to Everness, is becoming playable. Hotta Studio confirmed her as a character arriving in version 1.4, ending a long stretch of speculation about whether the Oracle Stone collector would ever step onto the battlefield herself.
Quick answer: Blackbird is an S-Rank character with the Psyche Esper Ability, confirmed for NTE version 1.4. Version 1.4 is expected to arrive on September 30, 2026, with Blackbird most likely headlining the phase 1 banner.
What Hotta Studio confirmed about Blackbird
The reveal came through the official drip marketing channel, the same format used for previous character announcements. Two concrete details were attached to it. Blackbird is S-Rank, and her Esper Ability is Psyche.
Her combat role, Arc compatibility, weapon type, and signature Arc have not been announced. Hotta Studio typically holds those back until the version preview program, so expect the full kit breakdown closer to launch rather than alongside the initial reveal.
The announcement also carried a line of dialogue from Blackbird addressed to the Appraiser, the player character known as Zero.
Each time our paths cross, it is a reunion written in destiny.
It fits her established habit of speaking in prophecy, and it hints that her playable debut arrives with a bigger story role than the cameos she has had so far.
Blackbird’s confirmed details
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Rarity | S-Rank |
| Esper Ability | Psyche |
| Version | 1.4 |
| Banner phase | Not officially stated; phase 1 is the likely slot |
| Combat role | Not announced |
| Arc compatibility | Not announced |
| Signature Arc | Not announced |
Where you have already met Blackbird
Blackbird runs the Witch’s House in Bridge Crossings, near Wertheimer Tower in Hethereau. She is the character who handles the transactions there, and most players have visited her repeatedly without thinking of her as a future banner unit.
Inside the Witch’s House, she gates several recurring systems. She trades rewards for Oracle Stones collected across the city, gives daily Fortune Readings and Blessings, unlocks Lost Tales, and drops hints for Treasure Hunts pointing toward more Oracle Stone locations. Those activities feed EXP and other materials, which is why the house stays relevant long after the opening hours.
On the story side, she has stayed in the background. Blackbird appears in the version 1.1 main story and is tied to the Yggash Court through Lavinia, who stood in for her during a meeting with the Eibon in the A Research in Scarlet episode. Up through version 1.3, that has been the extent of her involvement, though the framing of her reveal suggests the coming chapters pull her further into the plot.
Version 1.4 release date and banner order
Version 1.4 is expected to go live on September 30, 2026. Blackbird is the only character revealed for the update so far, and the pattern of previous patches makes her the natural fit for the opening banner. Version 1.3 followed the same two-character structure, with Zankou launching alongside the patch on August 19, 2026 and Linko taking the second half.
Hotta Studio has not named the second 1.4 character. Phase 2 banners in NTE have generally opened a few weeks into a patch, so a second reveal would be expected before the update goes live. Anything beyond that, including her damage numbers, team synergies, and whether she leans toward damage, support, or survivability, stays unconfirmed until the version preview program.
What is worth waiting on before pulling
A drip marketing post tells you the character exists, the rarity, and the element. It does not tell you whether the unit is worth your pulls. Psyche is currently held by Fadia on the S-Rank side and Haniel at A-Rank, so Blackbird will slot into a smaller pool than Cosmos or Anima units, but that alone does not determine her value.
Note: element and rarity have no bearing on how a kit performs in practice. Hold judgment until the official kit reveal covers her skills, ultimate, and signature Arc.
For anyone budgeting resources across the next two patches, the safe read is that one S-Rank Psyche unit is locked in for 1.4 and a second character is still unannounced. If Blackbird takes phase 1, saving through the back half of 1.3 gives you room to react once the kit lands, and a second window later in the patch if the unannounced character turns out to fit your roster better.
