As the creators behind the biggest gacha games of today—Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero, to name just a few—miHoYo must be stinking rich. While the developer has expanded out into other industries, it's used at least a bit of that wad of cash to pursue AI tech. Yippee.

Just last month, miHoYo announced that it would invest up to $14.6bn into AI for in-house tools, claiming it would "prioritise AI as a central and primary means of problem-solving". The first fruits of its AI research are already on display in BSide: Olivia Lin, currently only available on Steam in China.

Meet Lin Li, an AI chatbot masquerading as a Shanghai student "majoring in piano and minoring in psychology," as its Steam description reads. Since it's only available in China, I've had to translate the text, but Lin Li apparently "loves vinyl records, old movies, and rainy days."

You can listen to her play music on her piano, and upload files if you want her to play something specific. You can also write her letters to "express your current emotions in words and exchange a story that belongs only to you."

They added ChatGPT 😭 from r/PetitPlanet

BSide: Olivia Lin is an experiment for the studio, but it's not stopping here. It's already using AI-powered tools to create its upcoming life sim, Petit Planet, including the Planet Life Guide chatbot NPC. Genesis, its upcoming MMO made in Unreal Engine 5, is reportedly integrating AI to some degree. Plus, it's reportedly hiring artists with experience using generative AI for Honkai: Nexus Anima, its Pokémon-like auto-battler.

Yes, it's working on multiple new games at once—at least four, in fact. Combined with the unceasing, substantial updates for its suite of gacha games even years after release, I wouldn't be surprised to see miHoYo deploy these tools to help maintain the pace.

You probably haven't heard of the indie puzzle game Ouros before now, but you may have seen it and possibly even played it in an altogether different game. That's because, according to Ouros developer Michael Kamm, MiHoYo "copied" the game and put it into Zenless Zone Zero, a claim he backed up with some solid video evidence.

The puzzle was added to Zenless Zone Zero in 2025, according to Kamm, but he's bringing the matter to light now because of recent comments accusing him of copying Zenless. Which, he says, is understandable: "Because MiHoYo is an established billion-dollar company, and Ouros isn't well known, I can see why people would assume that I copied them," Hamm says in the video. "But still, it's frustrating to have your work cloned and then credited to somebody else."

Last year, miHoYo copied my puzzle game Ouros in Zenless Zone Zero. Because they are a recognized, billion-dollar studio and my game isn't well known, some people are now assuming that their version is the original, and mine is the clone. I hope this video clears that up.

— @michaelkamm.games (@michaelkamm.games.bsky.social) 2026-05-27T20:56:39.978Z

The video comparing Ouros and ZZZ highlights the very similar gameplay they share—both involve manipulating curves in a roughly identical manner—as well as "specific design choices" including "curve portals" that teleport the ball to different spots on the track, the hint system, a reverse direction control, and even the hazy flowing background that appears in both versions of the game. There's enough to it that ascribing the similarities to coincidence takes a little more effort than it does in other cases where games look alike but are distinct enough to be different.

Which happens: Over on X, some people responding to Kamm's message have suggested that Ouros is actually a copy of the 2023 online game Primo, which offers very similar gameplay. But Kamm countered by saying that Primo looks like a copy of Splines 'n Shapes, a Ludum Dare game jam project he made in 2020.

The exchange illustrates the difficulties faced by developers (especially small indie developers) when games that are similar to existing projects—sometimes very similar—come to light. Broad concepts are borrowed all the time by both indie and big developers: Just look at the surge in bullet heaven games following the success of Vampire Survivors, for instance, or the similar rise of Balatro-likes after that game became a runaway hit. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, as they say, and it's tricky to win copyright claims over game design. Of course, only big publishers generally have the resources to even consider lawsuits.

In this particular case, there are two things weighing against MiHoYo. First and foremost are the granular similarities between the two games, which go beyond just "they look alike" and get into, as Kamm put it, specific elements of design.

And second, well, this is not the first time something like this has come to light. In April, Pipapo Games levelled a similar accusation against MiHoYo, saying it had copied the studio's upcoming Map Map (a game about maps, in case that wasn't clear) for Genshin Impact.

Our cartography game got so popular that Genshin Impact decided to copy us right before release from r/IndieGaming

Map Map isn't out yet—it launches on May 28—but a demo for the game has been available on Steam for about a year, according to one developer. "It's a strange feeling to see one of the biggest games on the market straight up copying it," they wrote. "And all of that just shortly before we want to release."

Kamm hasn't indicated that he intends to pursue the matter further, only that he wants to set the record straight. I've reached out to Kamm and MiHoYo for comment and will update if I receive a reply.

The Genshin Impact 6.6 livestream codes have arrived, or should I say, the Luna 7 codes, since we've hit the 7th version since we first entered Nod-Krai—time flies, huh? As was revealed in the recent Snezhnaya livestream, which previewed some of 7.0, the next major version is arriving on August 12. This means there are still a few more versions between now and then that will tie together and conclude Nod-Krai's story.

If you're new to Genshin, each livestream acts as a little preview for upcoming characters, events, and quests, but miHoYo also drops a few codes in each one that you can redeem for Primogems to use on pulling characters.

In 6.6, it looks like we've got three fresh faces: Pyro-character Nicole, Cryo-character Lohen, and Anemo-character Prune. There's also apparently a rerun for Mavuika on the cards, meaning it's your chance to snag the Pyro Primarch if you haven't already, though we won't know for sure until the livestream. I'll drop codes in here as they go live in the stream—don't forget to redeem them ASAP, since livestream codes usually expire within a day or so.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• BacktoSumeru - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• NicolaCoco - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• WilltoWin - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

You can only redeem Genshin livestream codes once you reach Adventure Rank 10 in the game. This won't take you too long, though, even if you are just starting out. Once you're there, you have two different options in terms of claiming codes. The first is through the game:

• Start Genshin Impact
• Enter the in-game menu
• Click Settings and then choose Account
• Select Redeem Now and insert a code into the box
• Collect your Primogems from the in-game mailbox

While the second is via the official redemption website:

• Head to the Genshin Impact redemption site
• Input your info and character region
• Place a code in the box and click redeem
• Claim your rewards via the in-game mailbox

Zenless Zone Zero, a game I primarily associate with the neologism "gooner 9/11," is finally en route to PC's biggest digital storefront. This game produced a headline on this very website containing the phrases "divine domain," "jiggle physics," and "cat balls" all one right after the other. It got a glamorous 55% from reviewer Kerry Brunskill, who called it a "shallow, polished front for a relentless online store." In other words, it'll fit right in.

You can take a look at the game's new Steam page, which reveals a release window: Q2 2026. Prospective players can sign up for pre-release tests and secure exclusive rewards for the full launch. A "milestone event" will let the whole community unlock rewards by getting the game's wishlist numbers up, with the final goal being 300,000 wishlists. I can't say developer MiHoYo doesn't have this stuff down to a science.

What's perhaps surprising is that this is coming before the studio's other gacha hits, Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. These games have had no trouble attracting an audience on PC without Steam (ZZZ alone had raked in 50 million downloads less than a week after launch), so it will be interesting to see if ZZZ's contemporaries follow suit.

Back in 2024, PC Gamer news writer Lincoln Carpenter predicted that the HoYoverse games had around a 40% chance of eventually landing on Steam. He reasoned that Steam's notorious 30% revenue cut was slightly more likely than not to dissuade MiHoYo from casting a wider net than the Epic Games Store can offer, and maybe that'll remain true for Genshin and Star Rail.

I imagine these games have enough cult appeal to where they don't strictly need Steam to stay afloat. The rub, of course, is that the Epic Games Store sucks. It sucks so bad that EGS vice president and general manager Steven Allison told Eurogamer it "sucks."—though the publisher is trying to be better. Maybe this release is to test the waters for MiHoYo's other live service titans, to see if they'll attract players who only try games on storefronts that don't suck.

If you're just itching to play, check out our tips to get started and prepare yourself for all the glorious grinding that awaits you.

The Genshin Impact 6.5 livestream codes are here. This version, also known as Luna 6, is the sixth major update since we arrived in Nod-Krai—honestly, I thought this region would just be an interlude, but we've spent quite some time in this area of Snezhnaya. If you're new to all this, miHoYo likes to run a livestream for each of its games every six weeks.

During the show, it highlights the new characters arriving, but also events and quests. And as an added incentive, you can also get livestream codes to redeem for Primogems which you can then spend on those new inbound characters.This time around it looks like we're getting Linnea, a geo five-star, and potentially reruns for Chasca, Lauma, and Nefer.

As usual, I'll add the codes to the list below as they go live, plus there's info lower down about how to redeem your Primogems. Lastly, make sure to redeem them ASAP, since livestream codes usually expire within a day or so.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• LinneaClassTime - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• TempleofSpace - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• Scaleblade - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

You won't be able to redeem your Genshin livestream codes until you reach Adventure Rank 10 in the game. Thankfully, this is quite a speedy process and doesn't require all too much playtime. Once done, you have a couple of choices in terms of redeeming your codes—either through the game itself:

1. Launch Genshin Impact
2. Open the in-game menu
3. Select Settings and then click Account
4. Choose Redeem Now and input a code into the box
5. Grab your Primogems from the in-game mailbox

Or via the official code redemption website:

1. Navigate to the Genshin Impact redemption site
2. Add your details and your character's region
3. Enter a code in the box and select redeem
4. Collect your rewards via the in-game mailbox

The Genshin Impact 6.4 livestream codes are here, or should that be the Luna V livestream—it should, since this is the fifth version since we've ventured into Nod-Krai, an autonomous zone in Snezhnaya. This new update will keep advancing the region's story, but also introduce new characters and events, as per usual.

For those who are new to Genshin, miHoYo runs a livestream every six weeks that covers all the new stuff coming in the next version. As a little bonus for those watching, you can redeem livestream codes for extra Primogems. They may be a drop in the bucket when we're talking about pulling five-stars and reaching pity requirements, but it all adds up.

This time we get the long-awaited Varka, the commander of the Knights of Favonius, and a character who's been hinted at since we first arrived in Mondstadt back in 2020. You might have guessed, but he's an Anemo five-star. As usual, I'll drop the codes below as they appear in the stream—redeem these asap if you want them, since livestream codes usually expire within a day or so.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• Homeward - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• VarkaArrives - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• VisitWonderland - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

To get your Primogems and redeem your Genshin codes, you first have to achieve Adventure Rank 10 by playing the game, though this is an easy accomplishment and won't take too long if you're just starting out. When you're done, you can redeem your livestream codes via two different methods:.

You can claim the codes in-game:

1. Open Genshin Impact
2. Enter the in-game menu
3. Choose Settings and then Account
4. Click Redeem Now and enter a code into the box
5. Collect your Primogems from the in-game mailbox

You can also redeem codes using the official website:

1. Head to the Genshin Impact redemption site
2. Enter your details and your character's region
3. Put a code in the box and tap redeem
4. Get your rewards in the in-game mailbox

Cognosphere, better known to most of us as HoYoVerse, has opened a new front in its long-running war against leakers by suing Jianuo "HomDGCat" Zhou, the operator of the HomDGCat wiki. The lawsuit, available via Aftermath, alleges that Zhou "has engaged in a sustained, coordinated campaign to steal and publicly disseminate Cognosphere's confidential, trade secret information and copyrighted materials" related to Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail.

The lawsuit claims HomDGCat obtains content for the wiki "through improper and illegal means," including asking testers to violate their NDAs and provide access to beta packages. In one social media message, included in the filing, HomDGCat wrote, "If you are in Genshin Impact beta or Star Rail beta, and would like to provide files to assist me in my datamining and research, you are welcome to message me at t.me/hom_dgcat. I will inform you of how to get the beta's download link, which is all I need. I will not know your identity and will not leak the links you give me to anyone else."

Asking people to spill the beans seems like fairly small potatoes to me—and honestly, I feel like if you break your NDA because I asked you to, well, that's on you, pal. But beyond that, Cognosphere alleges that HomDGCat then circumvented the systems used to protect the material—the datamining used to actually extract the information—which is a bigger deal.

Cognosphere claims that between September 2023 and December 2025, "Zhou published and disseminated thousands, if not tens of thousands, of pieces of unreleased content from the Cognosphere games," including character art and various pieces of text and dialog. By doing so, Cognosphere says, Zhou has reduced public interest in official Cognosphere announcements, given competing game makers "insight and knowledge about Cognosphere's confidential plans," and infringed on its copyrights.

Interestingly, Cognosphere says it sent multiple takedown requests to Zhou, and he actually responded at least once, on December 29—but it was not the response Cognosphere was looking for. Zhou said he disagreed with the claims against him and would only comply with some of Cognosphere's demands; he did not agree to stop datamining, and "all or nearly all" of the materials posted to the HomDGCat wiki are still up.

So, this lawsuit: Cognosphere wants the HomDGCat wiki, and all related sites and social media accounts, taken down, as well as an injunction against any future such actions; it's also pursuing various damages and legal fees, the full amount of which will be hammered out later, but will no doubt be huge.

It's possible that, with the lawyers now lining him up, Zhou is taking the matter somewhat more seriously: the HomDGCat wiki now carries a message on its front page stating, "HomDGCat Wiki will only update live game data in the future." Will that be enough to convince Cognosphere to call off the hounds? We'll see (but I wouldn't hold my breath).

The Honkai: Star Rail 4.0 livestream codes have arrived, giving you some extra Stellar Jade you can use for pulling characters as we venture to Planarcadia in the next major update. We don't know all that much about Planarcadia, apart from that it's got ties to Aha and the Path of Elation, effectively making it a party destination for the Astral Express crew.

If this is your first miHoYo livestream, it usually runs one every six weeks for each of its games, giving an overview of the characters, events, and quests coming in the latest update. And as a little bonus for tuning in, it drops a few codes that you can redeem to add some extra Stellar Jade to your hoard.

If leaks are to be believed, we've got five-star Elation characters Yao Guang and Sparxie on the way, plus more to come in the subsequent Planarcadia updates, similar to how Penacony and Amphoreus gradually released theirs. I'll add each code as it drops during the dream, but make sure to redeem them as soon as possible if you want them, since livestream codes usually expire within a day or so.

Honkai: Star Rail codes—All current livestream Stellar Jade

• AHAHAHAHAHAHA - 100 Stellar Jade, 50,000 credits
• QWQXDDLOLOMO - 100 Stellar Jade, five Traveler's Guide
• HITLIKETOBEAHA - 100 Stellar Jade, four Refined Aether

How to redeem Honkai: Star Rail codes

You'll first have to finish the "A Moment of Peace" Trailblaze mission to unlock the mailbox and gain the ability to redeem codes in Honkai: Star Rail. After you've sorted that, you have two options for redemption. Either through the game itself:

1. Launch Honkai: Star Rail
2. Open the phone menu
3. Select the three dots by your avatar portrait
4. Click the redemption code option
5. Enter a code and redeem it
6. Grab your rewards from the mailbox

Or you can do it online:

1. Navigate to the Honkai: Star Rail redemption site
2. Input your details and the correct server
3. Enter a code into the box
4. Collect your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The Genshin Impact 6.3 livestream codes are finally here, or should I say the Luna IV codes, since we're moving along into the fourth instalment of the special Song of the Welkin Moon story in Nod-Krai. Though these Luna versions have seen us step into Snezhnaya for the first time, we haven't technically hit the 6.0 update yet, which kind of makes sense when you consider Nod-Krai is its own autonomous region.

For those who are new to Genshin livestreams, miHoYo puts on a special programme every six weeks breaking down all of the new content coming in the subsequent update, including characters, quests, bosses, and new areas. As a little bonus for tuning in, you can grab three livestream codes to redeem for some extra Primogems.

This time around, character-wise, we can expect Hydro five-star Columbina, Geo five-star Zibai, and Geo four-star Illuga. There will also apparently be reruns for Neuvillette and Ineffa, though this isn't certain until the stream. Since livestream codes usually expire with a day or so, make sure to grab them if you want them. Either way, I'll add the codes below as they drop during the stream.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• ComeNightorDay - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• Zibai0515 - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• GallopYeah - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

To get your Primogems, you'll first have to redeem your Genshin livestream codes, which means reaching Adventure Rank 10. Even if you've just started the game, this is pretty easy to achieve. Once you've done that, you can redeem your codes in two different ways, either through the game itself:

1. Open Genshin Impact
2. Enter the in-game menu
3. Select Settings and then Account
4. Click Redeem Now and enter a code into the box
5. Claim your Primogems from the in-game mailbox

Or you can redeem codes via the official website:

1. Head to the Genshin Impact redemption site
2. Enter your details and pick your character's region
3. Add a code to the box and select redeem
4. Grab your rewards in the in-game mailbox

The Genshin Impact 6.2 livestream codes have arrived, or, as I should say, the Luna 3 livestream, marking the continuation of the Traveler's journey through Nod-Krai. It's not quite Snezhnaya, the realm of the Cryo Archon that we can expect to arrive in future, but Nod-Krai is an autonomous area that's technically part of the same region.

For those who are new to Genshin livestream codes, miHoYo puts on a live programme every six weeks, and as an incentive to tune in, it drops three codes you can redeem for Primogems with which to wish on new characters. In version 6.2, we have pyro and anemo characters coming in the form of Durin and Jahoda.

We're also apparently getting reruns for Venti and Varesa, but this isn't 100% until the livestream airs. As always, I'll put the codes down below as they go live during the stream. Since livestream codes usually expire within a day, you'll want to grab these as soon as possible if you want the Primogems.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• 1203Kuunrukous - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• Dragon1203Durin - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• GOGOCraftsPeople - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

To collect your Primogems from the Genshin livestream codes, you'll first have to reach Adventure Rank 10 in the game. This will take a little time if you've just started, but after that you'll unlock the functionality. Once done, you have two options in terms of code redemption. You can claim codes through the game itself:

1. Launch Genshin Impact
2. Open the in-game menu
3. Click Settings and then Account
4. Select Redeem Now and input a code into the box
5. Grab your Primogems from the in-game mailbox

You can also redeem codes via the official website:

1. Navigate to the Genshin Impact redemption site
2. Input your details and pick your character's region
3. Enter a code to the box and click redeem
4. Claim your rewards in the in-game mailbox

MiHoYo's version of Roblox was inevitable⁠—Genshin Impact is huge, but it's not Roblox huge. In pursuit of greater horizons to conquer, the anime action game is going to get its own mode where user-created stuff is king.

It's called Miliastra Wonderland and it's such a blatant copy of Roblox that it's funny to listen to people explain it without making the obvious comparison. Instead of playing as your normal gacha-rolled anime characters, you get to customize one of your own and wear outfits unlocked through crafting and the battle pass.

You can hang out and emote with other players in an open area called the "Wonderland Lobby". In the next major patch, update 6.1, this place will be decorated with jack-o'-lanterns and candles, but I assume it'll change with every season.

The main draw of the new mode is all the minigames you can play. There will be a whole Roblox-style catalogue of user-created games spanning several genres, including FPS, roguelike, management sim, and survival. Creators set up the rules and can even include achievements and leaderboards if they want.

All of this seems explicitly targeted at the people who may not care about Genshin Impact, but would be down to try a bunch of different games within the engine. It's so disconnected from the regular game that it's hard not to cynically see it as a play for the kids who grew up with Roblox and want to move onto something a little more complex.

The editor for creating the games looks very robust: MiHoYo shared clips of a designer placing and resizing familiar objects from Genshin Impact as if they got their hands on developer tools. It even has options for changing what skills characters can use and how they appear. There are also preset stages you can load up as a foundation to build off of.

Whether or not MiHoYo's signature of gambling for your favorite characters factors into this mode is unclear, but I guess it could be a gateway to the HoYoVerse for anyone who hasn't played one of these games before. Roblox already has rampant issues with child safety that are increasingly facing legal scrutiny, but parental controls or any kind of privacy settings weren't discussed in MiHoYo's stream.

MiHoYo says it's been working on this mode for quite a while and it shows. It will go live when update 6.1 launches on October 22.

The Genshin Impact 6.1 codes have arrived, and alongside them, a sneak peek at what's awaiting in the next instalment of Nod-Krai's new story. Version 6.1 isn't *technically* 6.1 at all; it's actually Luna 2, the second chapter of the Traveler's journey in Nod-Krai. This autonomous region is in Snezhnaya (the next major region), but is kind of its own place, too.

Confusing Genshin geography aside, the Luna 2 livestream codes offer the same old Primogem bonuses for wishing on new and returning characters. This time, we've got the new five-star dendro catalyst-user, Nefer, plus we can potentially expect reruns for Furina, Zhongli, and a long-awaited rerun for Arlecchino.

As usual, I'll drop the livestream codes in the list as they appear during the show, plus there are details about how to redeem them lower down the page if this is your first livestream or you've recently started playing. Remember, livestream codes usually expire within a day, so grab them if you want them.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• Nefer1022Ashru- 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• LunaII1022 - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• MiliastraWonderland - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

To get your Primogems from the Genshin livestream codes, you'll have to reach Adventure Rank 10 in the game. This will take a little time if you've just started playing, but it's necessary to unlock the functionality. Once done, you have two options in terms of code redemption.

You can claim codes through the game itself:

1. Start Genshin Impact
2. Open the in-game menu
3. Select Settings and then Account
4. Click Redeem Now and input a code into the box
5. Claim your Primogems from the in-game mailbox

You can also redeem codes via the official website:

1. Head to the Genshin Impact redemption site
2. Enter your details and pick your character's region
3. Add a code to the box and click redeem
4. Collect your rewards in the in-game mailbox

The Genshin Impact 6.0 codes are here, and with them, our first proper look at the upcoming region of Nod-Krai. Though Nod-Krai is technically autonomous, we're finally headed to the last Archon-inhabited region of Snezhnaya (though we'll likely be going to Khaenri'ah in the future at some point). What better way to celebrate than some free Primogems?

For those who are new to Genshin, every six weeks, miHoYo runs a livestream for upcoming updates to the game, and as a bonus incentive to watch, it gives us three codes containing Primogems. They don't amount to all that much, but it's still a little extra contribution to your hoard of fates, especially if you're a valiant free-to-player who isn't spending cash on wishes.

This time around, we've got new characters with hydro Aino, dendro Lauma, and electro Flins. As usual for a new region update, it's a lot of characters to wish for, so having extra Primogems will definitely help out. As usual, I'll drop the codes here as they go live, plus there are details on how to redeem lower down the page. Remember, livestream codes usually expire within a day, so claim while you can.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• LunaI0910- 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• LaumaNodKraiFlins - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• HiFiveTraveler - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

To claim your Genshin livestream codes, you'll first have to achieve Adventure Rank 10 to unlock the functionality. Thankfully, this won't take too long if you're new. After that, there are two ways you can redeem the codes. Either through the game itself:

1. Launch Genshin Impact
2. Open the in-game menu
3. Click Settings and then Account
4. Choose Redeem Now and enter a code into the box
5. Collect your Primogems from the in-game mailbox

Or you can also redeem codes using the official website:

1. Navigate to the Genshin Impact redemption site
2. Enter your details and choose your character's region
3. Input a code into the box and redeem
4. Grab your rewards in the in-game mailbox

The Genshin Impact 5.8 codes have arrived, providing some bonus Primogems for anyone wishing on the new or returning characters arriving in the next version update. For those who are new to miHoYo games, the developer hosts a livestream for each of its games every six weeks, running through all the new content, such as events, quests, and most importantly, characters.

In the 5.8 update, we can expect new five-star electro polearm-user, Ineffa, to arrive. There are also apparently reruns for Mualani, Chasca, and Citlali, so you can grab any of them if you missed out on their previous banner runs. As always, I'll add each of the 5.8 livestream codes to the list as it goes live.

Be aware that, unlike regular ones, these livestream codes usually expire within a day or so, meaning you'll have to be somewhat speedy in claiming them if you want the bonuses. There's also info further down the page explaining how to redeem codes in case this is your first time.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• Ineffa0730Birgitta - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• Summer0730Asha - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• TranquilBanquet - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

You'll first have to reach Adventure Rank 10 before you can redeem codes—don't worry, this is pretty speedy to do in the first area of Mondstadt and won't take long. When you're there, you can use two different methods to redeem your codes. The first is through the game:

1. Start Genshin Impact
2. Open the in-game menu
3. Select Settings and then Account
4. Click Redeem Now and enter a code into the box
5. Grab your Primogems from the in-game mailbox

And the second is using the official website:

1. Head to the Genshin Impact redemption site
2. Input your details and choose your character's region
3. Enter a code into the box and redeem
4. Collect your rewards in the in-game mailbox

Ineffa was the very first character from the region of Nod Krai to debut in Genshin Impact, and she might make a good addition to your team comps if you find that Fischl just isn't enough.

If you want to see her robotic abilities at their best, you'll need to go hunting for all of Ineffa's ascension materials and skill materials first, which includes stocking up on Glowing Hornshrooms in Natlan. Probably best not to ask what a robot needs with all those shrooms.

Before starting the pre-farming grind, make sure you take a look at Ineffa's kit and Constellations, to see if her (mercifully simple) playstyle sounds worth your Genshin Impact banner pulls.

Ineffa's ascension materials in Genshin Impact

Ineffa's ascension materials in Genshin Impact are:

• 1 Vajrada Amethyst Sliver
• 6 Vajrada Amethyst Gemstone
• 9 Vajrada Amethyst Fragment
• 9 Vajrada Amethyst Chunk
• 18 Sentry's Wooden Whistle
• 30 Warrior's Metal Whistle
• 36 Saurian-Crowned Warrior's Golden Whistle
• 46 Secret Source Airflow Accumulator
• 168 Glowing Hornshroom
• 420,000 Mora

If you prefer a level-by-level breakdown, then here's what Ineffa ascension materials and Mora you need per ascension level:

Not the most annoying character ascension materials I've even seen (that 'honor' goes to Nahida and her Kalpalata Lotuses), but you will have to spend an awful lot of time in Natlan to acquire almost all of Ineffa's ascension materials.

Thankfully, Natlan is accessible very early on in the game, even if you haven't got there as part of the main story yet, so your biggest hurdle to ascend Ineffa is hunting down Glowing Hornshrooms in the wilds, and being strong enough to defeat the Secret Source Automaton: Overseer Device boss who drops the Secret Source Airflow Accumulator materials.

Ineffa's skill materials in Genshin Impact

Ineffa has three skills that you can upgrade, and the total of all three of Ineffa's skill materials in Genshin Impact are:

• 3 Crown of Insight
• 9 Teachings of Conflict
• 18 Sentry's Wooden Whistle
• 18 Eroded Sunfire
• 63 Guide to Conflict
• 66 Warrior's Metal Whistle
• 93 Saurian-Crowned Warrior's Golden Whistle
• 114 Philosophies of Conflict
• 4,957,500 Mora

If the list above is making you sweat, don't worry, the total materials to fully upgrade just one of Ineffa's skills are:

• 1 Crown of Insight
• 3 Teachings of Conflict
• 6 Sentry's Wooden Whistle
• 6 Eroded Sunfire
• 21 Guide to Conflict
• 22 Warrior's Metal Whistle
• 31 Saurian-Crowned Warrior's Golden Whistle
• 38 Philosophies of Conflict
• 1,652,500 Mora

And for the people who prefer to see what it'll cost level-by-level, here's a table showing what Ineffa skill materials you need to improve one of her skills:

Again, most of these materials are found in Natlan, so the only major issue with farming Ineffa's skill materials is, as always, waiting for the correct days to farm the book materials materials. In Ineffa's case, you can get Conflict books from the Blazing Ruins on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Happy farming!

Ineffa's kit in Genshin Impact

Ineffa is a five-star electro character who uses a polearm. To help you understand exactly how she works, here's Ineffa's kit:

The percentages above are calculated from Ineffa's level one skills.

Ineffa plays almost exactly like Fischl in Genshin Impact, in that you use her elemental skill to apply a single instance of electro application, and you use her elemental burst to provide longer electro application to more enemies. Besides this, Ineffa also provides shields with her elemental skill, and she makes a new type of reaction—Lunar-Charged.

What a lovely simple kit Ineffa has! I hope this is a sign of things to come with future Nod Krai characters, because I don't know about you, but I'm sick of having to decipher the paragraphs upon paragraphs of information in Natlan characters' kits.

Ineffa's Constellations in Genshin Impact

If you really like the sound of Ineffa's kit, or you just think robots are cool, then you might consider getting Constellations by pulling multiple copies of Ineffa on her banner.

If it helps make a decision whether her upgrades are worth it or not, here's Ineffa's Constellations in Genshin Impact:

The Genshin Impact 5.7 codes are here, giving you a little Primogem bonus you can add to your hoard when pulling for new characters and reruns. If you're new to miHoYo's livestreams, it runs one for each of its games every six weeks, showing off what's coming in terms of new quests, events, regions, and most importantly, characters.

In 5.7 it looks like we've got five-star Cryo character, Skirk, and four-star Hydro character, Dahlia. There are also apparently reruns on the way for Mavuika, Shenhe, and Emilie, if leaks are to be believed, so a few extra Primogems will definitely help if you haven't bagged the Pyro Archon yet, and are looking to before she returns to cold storage for a while.

As always, we'll lay out each code below as they drop during the 5.7 stream and also include some details about how to redeem said codes below if it's your first time doing this. Remember, these livestream codes usually expire within a day or so, meaning there's no time like the present if you want to claim those Primogems.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• MasterSkirk0618 - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• YourSpaceTime - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• VoidStar0618 - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

Before you redeem your Genshin codes, you'll first need to reach Adventure Rank 10 by playing the game a bit. Once you're there, you can redeem your codes in two different ways. The first method is in-game:

• Launch Genshin Impact
• Enter the in-game menu
• Choose Settings and then Account
• Select Redeem Now and enter a code into the box
• Collect your bonuses from the in-game mailbox

The second is via the official website:

• Navigate to the Genshin Impact redemption site
• Enter your details and select the region with your character
• Input a code into the box and click redeem
• Find your rewards in the in-game mailbox

The banners in Genshin Impact are constantly changing, so it's a good idea to keep track of what the current banners and next banners are, to prepare for a sudden hit to your precious Primogem reserves.

Here's everything we know about the current version 6.7 and next version 7.0 banners in Genshin Impact, including both character and weapon information, with a list of all banners history detailed at the end of the page. Prepare yourself, there's been a lot of banners over the years. 😵‍💫

Next banners in Genshin Impact

Odette and Alyosha are on the version 7.0 banners in Genshin Impact, with Odette a five-star with the cryo element, and Alyosha a four-star with the electro element. As Alyosha is a four-star, there will be rerun banner in 7.0 as well, we just don't officially know who yet.

However, reliable leakers come in clutch, like always, as Kuroo claims that Arlecchino, Ineffa, an Flins are rerunning in version 7.0.

Upcoming characters

Not including Odette and Alyosha, the Snezhnaya character trailer revealed nine brand new characters:

• Vodyanitsa
• Vesna
• Valeriy
• Pulcinella
• Noy
• Mitya
• Danica
• Pantalone
• Tsaritsa (Anastasya Feodorovna Snezhnaya)

Just like with previous regional trailers, a character's inclusion doesn't mean they'll be playable (cries in Il Capitano). Although, the majority should be. Rumors from leakers say that Pantalone won't be playable, and his fellow Fatui Harbinger, Pulcinella, might be not playable either, seeing as he uses a child's model—but that's just guesswork for now.

Current banners in Genshin Impact

Columbina and Raiden Shogun are the current banners in Genshin Impact during Phase 2 of version 6.7 (Lunar VIII), with their banners running from July 21 - August 11. Columbina is a returning five-star hydro catalyst-user, Raiden Shogun is a returning five-star electro polearm-user, and all of the boosted four-star characters on their banners are:

• Jahoda (anemo, bow-user)
• Ororon (electro, bow-user)
• Sethos (electro, bow-user)

You think HoYo wants you to pull an archer, or..?

Current weapon banner in Genshin Impact

Here's what the current weapon banners are in Genshin Impact (July 21 - August 11):

• Nocturne's Curtain Call catalyst (Columbina's signature weapon)
• Engulfing Lightning polearm (Raiden Shogun's signature weapon)

And all of the four-star boosted weapons on the current weapon banner are:

• Waveriding Whirl (catalyst)
• Sacrificial Sword (sword)
• The Bell (claymore)
• Favonius Lance (polearm)
• Favonius Warbow (bow)

Genshin Impact banner history

Sometimes, you can be waiting a really long time for a banner rerun (hi, Wriothesley, you took your dang time) and as proof you're not going crazy, working out just how long you've been waiting can help pass the time in-between pre-farming materials for whichever character is lost in gacha purgatory this time. A banner list is also a great way to quickly glance at who's currently running, and for how long.

Whatever you're using the information for, here's the entire history of all banners in Genshin Impact:

Archer was added as part of the Fate/Stay Night collaboration in version 3.4 of Honkai: Star Rail, and you can claim one free copy of him right up until the end of version 3.6. Dr Ratio sends his nod of approval, I'm sure.

To make him the best he can be, you'll need to collect all of Archer's Ascension materials and Trace materials first.

Make sure you also take a nosy at Archer's kit and Eidolons too, to see if his playstyle sounds worth some extra banner pulls or not.

Archer's ascension materials in Honkai: Star Rail

Archer's ascension materials in Star Rail are:

• 15 Extinguished Core
• 15 Glimmering Core
• 15 Squirming Core
• 65 Darkveil Moonlight
• 308,000 credits

You need to take on the 'Shape of Gelidmoon' Stagnant Shadow boss to collect Darkveil Moonlight. Whereas killing Fragmentum monsters, taking on certain Golden Calyxes, and collecting the right assignment rewards are the best ways to get Extinguished Core, Glimmering Core, and Squirming Core.

You can also take advantage of the Omni-Synthesizer to exchange other materials to get what you need to ascend Archer instead. This is a good way to save Trailblaze Power and fuel if you've just finished a recent farming spree, or have a lot of extra materials rattling about your inventory.

Archer's trace materials in Honkai: Star Rail

Archer's trace materials in a Star Rail are:

• 8 Tracks of Destiny
• 12 Guardian’s Lament
• 18 Meteoric Bullet
• 41 Extinguished Core
• 56 Glimmering Core
• 58 Squirming Core
• 69 Destined Expiration
• 139 Countertemporal Shot
• Three million credits

This is the total you need to bring all of Archer's traces to their max levels. So you don't actually have to farm this much if you're not interested in maxing out his skills and passive boosts.

As for the materials not mentioned in the section above: Guardian’s Lament is obtained from the 'End of the Eternal Freeze' Echo of War, and farming the 'SoulGlad Scorchsand Audition Venue' Bud of Hunt (Crimson Calyx) is the best way to get Meteoric Bullet, Destined Expiration, and Countertemporal Shot.

Again, you can use the Omni-Synthesizer to exchange other things to get these trace materials, but you can't use the Omni-Synthesizer to get Tracks of Destiny. These are obtained by taking part in events, the Simulated Universe, spending your currencies at the Embers Exchange and Starlight Exchange shops, and levelling up the battle pass.

Archer's kit in Honkai: Star Rail

Archer is a five-star Quantum attacker of the Hunt path, breaking Star Rail's streak of only having women Quantum characters. Congrats Archer! Welcome to the gals' mono Quantum teams.

Not all characters of the same path or element play the same, however, so to help you understand how he works, here's Archer's kit:

The percentages above are calculated from Archer's level one skills.

Summed up, Archer is a single-target attacker who can use his skill up to five times in a single turn, as long as you have the required skill points to do so. This is similar to how Imbibitor Lunae plays. So you'll want to play Archer in teams where allies use their skill points as little as possible, or with characters like Sparkle who increase the amount of skill points you have.

Archer also consumes Charges to launch a follow-up attack when an ally hits an enemy, with Charges built up by using his ultimate, technique, and when entering battle (as long as his third 'Projection Magecraft' bonus ability is unlocked).

All in all, Archer's kit is pretty simple to understand and play. A blessing when compared to some other characters out there (I'm looking at you and your annoying Speed requirements, Aglaea).

Archer's Eidolons in Honkai: Star Rail

If you've got a fat stack of Stellar Jade burning a hole in your virtual pockets, then getting Eidolons by pulling multiple copies of Archer on his banner is something you might want to consider.

However, for the average player, I'd advise against going for Eidolons, as your pulls are often better spent on getting a five-star weapon, or saving them for another character entirely.

If it helps make a decision, here are Archer's Eidolons in Honkai: Star Rail:

Saber was added as part of the Fate/Stay Night collaboration in version 3.4 of Honkai: Star Rail.

But unfortunately, you can't claim her for free like Archer. Yeah, I'm pretty bummed about that too.

To make her the best she can be, you'll need to collect all of Saber's Ascension materials and Trace materials first. Make sure you take a nosy at Saber's kit and Eidolons too, to see if her playstyle sounds worth some extra banner pulls or not.

Saber's ascension materials in Honkai: Star Rail

Saber's ascension materials in Star Rail are:

• 15 Thief’s Instinct
• 15 Usurper’s Scheme
• 15 Conqueror’s Will
• 65 A Glass of the Besotted Era
• 308,000 credits

You need to take on the 'Shape of Gloam' Stagnant Shadow boss to collect A Glass of the Besotted Era. Whereas killing Antimatter Legion enemies, taking on certain Golden Calyxes, and collecting the right assignment rewards are the best ways to get Thief’s Instinct, Usurper’s Scheme, and Conqueror’s Will.

You can also take advantage of the Omni-Synthesizer to exchange other materials to get what you need to ascend Saber instead. This is a good way to save Trailblaze Power and fuel if you've just finished a recent farming spree, or have a lot of extra materials rattling about your inventory.

Saber's trace materials in Honkai: Star Rail

Saber's trace materials in a Star Rail are:

• 8 Tracks of Destiny
• 12 Destroyer’s Final Road
• 18 Borisin Teeth
• 41 Thief’s Instinct
• 56 Usurper’s Scheme
• 58 Conqueror’s Will
• 69 Lupitoxin Sawteeth
• 139 Moon Rage Fang
• Three million credits

This is the total you need to bring all of Saber's traces to their max levels. So you don't actually have to farm this much if you're not interested in maxing out her skills and passive boosts.

As for the materials not mentioned in the section above: Destroyer’s Final Road is obtained from the 'Supply Zone' Echo of War, and farming the 'Scalegorge Waterscape' Bud of Destruction (Crimson Calyx) is the best way to get Borisin Teeth, Lupitoxin Sawteeth, and Moon Rage Fang.

Again, you can use the Omni-Synthesizer to exchange other things to get these trace materials, but you can't use the Omni-Synthesizer to get Tracks of Destiny. These are obtained by taking part in events, the Simulated Universe, spending your currencies at the Embers Exchange and Starlight Exchange shops, and levelling up the battle pass.

Saber's kit in Honkai: Star Rail

Saber is a five-star Wind attacker of the Destruction path. A little rude to introduce her at the same time that Blade—another five-star Wind attacker of the Destruction path—is getting a buff. Here's hoping it's a good buff that can keep up with Saber's kit!

That said, not all characters of the same path or element play the same, so to help you understand how she works, here's Saber's kit:

The percentages above are calculated from Saber's level one skills.

To break Saber's kit down into its simplest terms: more Core Resonances equals more damage. You accumulate Core Resonances by using Saber's enhanced basic attack, skill, technique, when entering battle, and when an ally uses their ultimate. So Saber benefits from being on teams with allies who use their ultimate a lot, as they not only give her more Core Resonances when activating an ultimate, they also increase her personal damage.

Also, remember that after you use Saber's ultimate, her next attack is fixed as being 'Release, the Golden Scepter', essentially enhancing it into a skill that you don't have to use skill points on.

There's a few things you have to balance with Saber's energy regeneration and timing as well, but as she can store energy past her maximum amount, taking advantage of these additional buffs shouldn't be as hard as it initially seems.

Saber's Eidolons in Honkai: Star Rail

If you've got a fat stack of Stellar Jade burning a hole in your virtual pockets, then getting Eidolons by pulling multiple copies of Saber on her Banner is something you might want to consider.

However, for the average player, I'd advise against going for Eidolons, as your pulls are often better spent on getting a character's weapon, or saving them for another character. That said, it's completely up to you!

If it helps make a decision, here's Saber's Eidolons in Honkai: Star Rail:

Phainon is one of the most important characters in Amphoreus' story arc in Honkai: Star Rail.

And if you're after a very strong Physical attacker of the Destruction path, then he might be just as important to your team comps. To truly take advantage of his 'Deliverer' power though, you'll need to first collect all of Phainon's Ascension materials and Trace materials.

Before starting the pre-farming grind, however, make sure you take a nosy at Phainon's kit and Eidolons too, to see if his playstyle sounds worth your banner pulls.

Phainon's ascension materials in Honkai: Star Rail

Phainon's ascension materials in Star Rail are:

• 15 Ethereal Omen
• 15 Echoing Wail
• 15 Eternal Lament
• 65 Invasive Clot
• 308,000 credits

You need to take on the 'Shape of Deepsheaf' Stagnant Shadow boss to collect Invasive Clot. Whereas killing Black Tide creatures, taking on certain Golden Calyxes, and collecting the right Assignment rewards are the best ways to get Ethereal Omen, Echoing Wail, and Eternal Lament.

You can also take advantage of the Omni-Synthesizer to exchange other materials to get what you need to ascend Phainon instead. This is a good way to save Trailblaze Power and fuel if you've just finished a recent farming spree. Or, if you're lazy like me and just so happen to have thousands of Extinguished Cores sitting in your inventory for some reason.

Phainon's trace materials in Honkai: Star Rail

Phainon's trace materials in a Star Rail are:

• 8 Tracks of Destiny
• 12 Daythunder Anamnesis
• 18 Borisin Teeth
• 41 Ethereal Omen
• 56 Echoing Wail
• 58 Eternal Lament
• 69 Lupitoxin Sawteeth
• 139 Moon Rage Fang
• Three million credits

This is the total you need to bring all of Phainon's traces to their max levels. So you don't actually have to farm this much if you're not interested in maxing out his skills and passive boosts.

As for the materials not mentioned in the section above: Daythunder Anamnesis is obtained from the 'Glance of Twilight' Echo of War, and farming the 'Scalegorge Waterscape' Bud of Destruction (Crimson Calyx) is the best way to get Borisin Teeth, Lupitoxin Sawteeth, and Moon Rage Fang.

Again, you can use the Omni-Synthesizer to exchange other things to get these trace materials, but you can't use the Omni-Synthesizer to get Tracks of Destiny. These are obtained by taking part in events, the Simulated Universe, spending your currencies at the Embers Exchange and Starlight Exchange shops, and levelling up the battle pass.

Phainon's kit in Honkai: Star Rail

Phainon is a five-star Physical attacker of the Destruction path. Not all characters of the same path play the same, however, and Phainon is particularly unique with his fancy two-form gameplay.

So to help you understand how he works, here's Phainon's kit:

The percentages above are calculated from Phainon's level one skills.

Okay, so what does that wall of text actually mean? Basically, Phainon has a regular form, and an enhanced 'Transformation' form. Apart from the three bonus abilities, anything without 'enhanced' in its name above is what Phainon's bog standard kit looks like before you use his ultimate, and anything with 'enhanced' is what Phainon's kit changes into after you use his ultimate.

As his enhanced skills send Phainon into god mode damage territory, your goal while playing him is to activate Phainon's ultimate as often as possible to stay in his enhanced form. Unlike most ultimates, however, you don't use energy to activate it. Instead, you need to reach twelve points of 'Coreflame'.

Coreflame is accumulated by using Phainon's skill, when Phainon is the target of an ally or an enemy's ability, and—once you unlock his second and third bonus abilities—when Phainon receives energy regeneration ability effects provided by teammates, and when his Transformation state ends.

Phainon's Eidolons in Honkai: Star Rail

If you've got a fat stack of Stellar Jade burning a hole in your virtual pockets, then getting Eidolons by pulling multiple copies of Phainon on his Banner is something you might want to consider.

However, for the average player, I'd advise against going for Eidolons, as your pulls are often better spent on getting a character's weapon, or on another character entirely.

If it helps make a decision, here's Phainon's Eidolons in Honkai: Star Rail:

Just like our beloved Trailblazer's bizarre personality, the banners in Honkai: Star Rail are constantly changing, so it's a good idea to keep track of what the current banners and next banners are. Here's everything we know about the current version 4.4 banners and the next version 4.5 banners in Honkai: Star Rail. We've also got a list of the banner history detailed at the end of the page.

Next banners in Honkai: Star Rail

The next banners in Honkai: Star Rail are Cerydra, Anaxa, and Aventurine. They're all reruns on the Indelible Coterie banner in Phase 2 of version 4.4 (August 5 to 25). Remember that Himeko Nova's banner is still running in Phase 2 as well.

The boosted four-star characters on all their banners are the same as in Phase 1:

• Moze (Lightning, Hunt)
• Hanya (Physical, Harmony)
• Serval (Lightning, Erudition)

4.5 banners

Thanks to drip marketing, we know that Aventurine and Robin are getting special summer-themed banners in version 4.5: Aventurine Waveflair and Robin Summeretto. These aren't outfits you can buy in the shop—they're brand new five-star characters.

Current banners in Honkai: Star Rail

Himeko Nova, Sparxie, Dan Heng Permansor Terrae, and Evernight are the current banners in Honkai: Star Rail during Phase 1 of version 4.4. New character Himeko Nova runs from July 15 to the end of the patch on August 25. With Sparxie, Dan Heng, and Evernight rerunning on the Indelible Coterie banner from July 15 to August 5.

The boosted four-star characters on all of their banners are:

• Moze (Lightning, Hunt)
• Hanya (Physical, Harmony)
• Serval (Lightning, Erudition)

New Fate banners

Gilgamesh and Rin Tohsaka's new Fate banners are now live. Just like Archer and Saber, their banners will be available for “a long time after launch,” with all four Fate characters now part of the Fate [UBW] banner system, which basically means they all share guarantees and pity.

Also, you can claim one copy of Gilgamesh for free just by logging in before the end of version 4.6, or get yourself another copy of Archer instead. I'm probably going to go for Archer, seeing as he's so busted against single-targets even without his E1, but maybe Gilgamesh will turn out to be meta-worthy and I'll make a liar out of myself.

Current Light Cone banners

Here's what's on the current 4.4 Phase 1 Light Cone banners in Star Rail (July 15 - August 5):

• A Star That Lights the Night - Himeko Nova 's signature (Brilliant Fixation)
• Dazzled by a Flowery World - Sparxie's signature (Coalesced Truths)
• Though Worlds Apart - Dan Heng's signature (Coalesced Truths)
• To Evernight's Stars - Evernight's signature (Coalesced Truths)

And the boosted four-star Light Cones are:

• After the Charmony Fall (Erudition)
• Under the Blue Sky (Destruction)
• The Birth of the Self (Erudition)

Don't forget that Archer and Saber's signature Light Cones are also a part of the Collaboration Banner. Just tab to the A Thankless Coronation Light Cone to try for Saber's, and The Hell Where Ideals Burn Light Cone to try pulling for Archer's instead.

Honkai: Star Rail banner list

Honkai: Star Rail has taken to throwing banners our way at an alarming rate these days. The 'ol standard of a new character and a rerun every phase of a patch has now turned into a dice roll on whether the Indelible Coterie banner and its six character reruns will appear or not. (Do you not have enough of our money already miHoYo!?)

I you're looking to see how long it's been since a character has ran, or just want a quick look at the current banners, here's the entire list of all banners history in Honkai Star Rail:

The Honkai: Star Rail 3.3 livestream codes have arrived, giving you a little bump of Stellar Jade you can put to use when pulling for new or returning characters in the big update. For those of you who might have only started playing recently, miHoYo runs a livestream for Honkai: Star Rail every six weeks, previewing what's expected to arrive in the upcoming version.

This includes events, quests, new areas, and yes, the official announcements of characters that are arriving—beyond the usual social media drip marketing. For the 3.3 update, we've got five-star remembrance wind character, Hyacine, and five-star nihility quantum character, Cipher. We've also got apparent reruns for Aglaea and The Herta.

I'll include each livestream code in the list below as it drops during the program, as well as some info on the two ways you can redeem them lower down. These livestream codes usually expire within a day or two, so make sure to redeem them soon if you want them.

Honkai: Star Rail codes—All current livestream Stellar Jade

• WS25K4Y4C5ET - 100 Stellar Jade and 50,000 credits
• GT34K5Z4U4EX - 100 Stellar Jade and five Traveler's Guide
• SAJ4KLZLDMW3 - 100 Stellar Jade and four Refined Aether

How to redeem Honkai: Star Rail codes

To redeem your codes, you'll need to complete the "A Moment of Peace" Trailblaze mission and unlock the mailbox. After that, you have two different options for redemption, either through the game itself:

1. Start the game
2. Open the phone menu
3. Select the three dots next to your avatar portrait
4. Click the redemption code option
5. Add a code and choose redeem
6. Grab your rewards from your mailbox

Or you can do it online:

• Navigate to the Honkai: Star Rail redemption site
• Input your details and select server
• Collect your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The Genshin Impact 5.6 codes have arrived, giving you another bump to your Primogem hoard that you can use when pulling for new or rerunning characters in the latest update. For those who might have just started playing, miHoYo holds a livestream every six weeks in which it runs through the latest content arriving in the game—missions, events, new regions, but most importantly, what characters are coming.

As an incentive for tuning in, there are three Genshin Impact codes that they drop during the livestream, which you can redeem for a few extra Primogems. It's not exactly enough to get you a five-star, but any extra helps, especially if you're a free-to-player. This time around we can expect five-star cryo character Escoffier, four-star anemo character, Ifa, as well as rumoured reruns for Kinnich, Navia, and the Raiden Shogun.

As always, I'll put the livestream codes in the list as they go live, and I've included redemption details down below in case this is your first time claiming them. Since livestream codes usually expire within a day or so, you'll want to grab these as soon as possible.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• GI56Paralogism - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• ChefEscoffier0507 - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• IfaCacucu0507 - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

There are two different ways to redeem your Genshin codes, but to do either, you'll need to get to Adventure Rank 10 in the game by playing a bit—it doesn't take too long, don't worry. Once you've reached the appropriate rank, you can redeem codes in the game itself:

• Start Genshin Impact
• Open the in-game menu
• Select Settings and then choose Account
• Click Redeem Now and enter a code into the box
• Grab your rewards from the in-game mailbox

Or you can redeem codes via the official website:

• Head to the Genshin Impact redemption site
• Input your details and choose the region with your character
• Enter a code into the box and click redeem
• Grab your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The Genshin Impact community is a little, uh, on fire at the moment. That's due to SAG-AFTRA, an American union of actors across entertainment media (including, naturally, videogames), and its ongoing strike.

Said strike has been proceeding apace for over eight months now, with voice actors still embroiled in fights over deals for protection against AI exploitation. Being a game with voice actors in it, Genshin Impact has been… well, impacted.

The 'good' news for Genshin Impact players who don't care about such protections (and MiHoYo, mind) is that one of the games' characters, Kinich, will have voice acting again. The bad news for everyone else is that a Japanese-based voice actor has swept in and accepted the role without acknowledging the ongoing strike.

"I'm honored to join the English cast of Genshin Impact as the voice of Kinich," writes Jacob Takanashi, "Taking up the mantle of Malipo is a privilege, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to carry the flame from the previous flamebearer, John, who did an incredible job. Those are big shoes to fill, and I promise to give it my all—out of respect for him, for HoYoverse, and for you, the fans … I'm deeply grateful for the privilege of entertaining you all."

To be blunt—Takanashi has written this as though John Patneaude, who has been voicing the character for half a decade, stepped down from the role due to illness or a tragic accident or something. Which seems ignorant of the reality of the situation. Patneaude was on strike.

As explained in a post on the actor's X account, Patneaude has been "withholding voice-over services during the SAG AFTRA Interactive Strike because Hoyo/Cognosphere wouldn't offer Al protections in the form of a SAG Interim Agreement. They'd kept my character's dialogue silent for months, all the while I had made the difficult decision to continue not going in until an interim agreement was signed, and this ultimately was why I was recast.

"Now obviously, a recast is not what I wanted. I'd hoped that any progress behind the scenes would be made and I could come back safely, or that if recast auditions went out my colleagues wouldn't read for them. Unfortunately, I was wrong."

I will note that Takanashi is based in Tokyo, and as such is not part of an American union like SAG-AFTRA. He is, however, joining an English-speaking cast alongside many American castmates—who'd consider themselves peers of the actor he's replacing. It's also relevant that Patneaude doesn't appear to be in the union—though he was striking in solidarity, which isn't uncommon.

While Takanashi isn't crossing a picket line by technical definitions, he is coming in from the outside and replacing someone who was withholding their work in protest. In other words, he's a strikebreaker—sometimes called a "scab".

Whatever your opinions are on the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, whether voice actors have a right to be worried about AI profiting off their likeness with zero protections and without their consent, or the efficacy of SAG-AFTRA in general, that is unavoidably what's going on here. It's not the move you make if you care about getting on with your co-workers, to put it lightly.

English castmates respond

Takanashi has not been given a warm welcome. Corina Boettger, who voices Paimon, writes: "This wasn't a passing of the torch." Kayli Mills, who voices Keqing, adds: "This is actually kinda diabolical. If you need the money, at LEAST take the role uncredited. This just comes off as an easy grab for clout. It’s not a good look."

Valeria Rodriguez, the voice of Sucrose, responded with a trio of thumbs down emoji—they've also been voicing their frustration at fan responses, too.

For context, there's a non-zero amount of fans who've replied to Takanashi expressing support for him, and hoping that other striking actors will be replaced in short order—with some believing that the English cast is acting "elitist" or cliquey for critiquing a Japanese voice actor who isn't technically bound by union rules, just etiquette. Some are also just frustrated that the characters in their gacha game are unvoiced.

Rodriguez is having none of it. "It’s insane how entitled the gacha fanbase is holy sh*t. 'Keeping the characters hostage from us and hurting our experience' WHAT?!? We’re fighting for worker’s rights, that’s what a strike is all about. If this was the 1940s & we were striking it’d be based or some sh*t.

"I’m grateful that the projects I’m still working on offer humane protections and livable wages. And fan bases that aren’t insane and appreciate real, integral voices. Also I know this ISN’T ALL gacha fans. But the replies to some of my fellows are HORRENDOUS."

Voice actors from elsewhere in the industry have also expressed their disapproval, such as Stephanie Sheh, English VA for Naruto's Hinata and Bleach's Orihime—in videogames, she's recently worked on Like a Dragon: Infinite wealth, Armored Core 4, and Mortal Kombat 1:

"There are many reasons why roles get recast. I personally draw the line when the original actor is holding out because they are fighting for better work conditions. I have refused many auditions to take over roles from my peers because I’d never do that to another fellow actor."

It is, to borrow a phrase, a dumpster fire of a situation. To be clear, there is nuance to this sort of thing. By Boettger's own admission, they've still chosen to voice Paimon through the strike due to their disability, and a need to pay for their medical bills. The specificities of Takanashi's personal or financial situation are, likewise, unknown.

Other actors working on Genshin Impact have tried to calm the situation down. Nathan Nokes, who voices Ororon, writes: "Negativity CANNOT fight negativity. Be gracious, kind and respectful even when you disagree. It’s ok to disagree, and probably encouraged by some. But putting someone down is never going to make someone think more positively." Paul Castro Jr. voice of Freminet, also posted: "When in doubt -- treat others how you want to be treated."

I'll broadly say—dogpiles aren't helpful, and I'm not assuming Takanashi is a moustache-twirling villain counting his fat stacks of dollar bills. However, any working voice actor is going to be aware that taking a role someone lost because they were striking in solidarity won't be received well. Besides, the concept of strikebreaking isn't even remotely a new one. Takanashi likely understood there would be pushback involved from his peers. Whether he's the first of such grim replacements, it remains to be seen.

If there's one thing that can be relied upon in our increasingly confusing digital age, it's the jiggly opiate of the masses that games like Zenless Zone Zero provide. Gachas ostensibly make their money peddling cute anime girls (and boys, to be fair) to the average consumer. This isn't an assertion I'm making so much as it is a basic statement of fact. There's real, 4D-chess level market research that goes into this sort of thing.

And with… aesthetic appeal comes the technology required to back it up. miHoYo is perhaps, statistically-speaking, the best at this—given it's released three games along this line, carving itself out a comfortable little empire, it knows a thing or two about jiggle physics. So much, in fact, that it's made a move I can only describe as 'something you do when you've gone mad with power'.

They added jiggle physics to cat’s balls 🌚 from r/ZZZ_Official

As noticed by users on the ZZZ subreddit (thanks, Eurogamer), cats—who are rendered in Zenless Zone Zero with little sphincters and a coinpurse, for some reason—now have jiggle physics on their testes. Which is a sentence I resent having to write as part of my professional career.

If you're wondering why? Well, doing some googling that's sure to result in some very awkward conversations with our IT department, it does seem like cat sacks are indeed a running joke in Japan. miHoYo's a Chinese developer, sure, but ZZZ plays with a lot of anime tropes. I won't presume to know for certain, having just found out about this phenomenon, but I'd imagine the bit is at least tangentially related to Tanuki, racoon-like Yokai with… erm, endowed nuts that are meant to bring good luck.

I have to wonder which developer was saddled with this responsibility—at what point did some poor animator at miHoYo come into work one day, open whatever platform they use to assign tasks, and see 'make the cat's nuts jiggle' as part of their duties. I wonder, in the same way I'm wondering how I got here writing this article, if they pondered the life choices they made that led them up to that point.

Clearly the madcap jiggle physics scientists at the studio have been given too much power, but who could possibly stop them? I certainly won't try, lest I be turned into a wobbly mass of shockingly-well rendered flesh. Besides, if Baldur's Gate 3 can do it, ZZZ can have a little ball physics. As a treat.

The Genshin Impact 5.5 codes are here. Yet another version has passed, and that means a new livestream detailing all the quests, events, and most importantly characters, set to arrive in the latest update. That's not all—as usual, miHoYo will drop three codes during the stream that provide materials, currency, and Primogems that you can use to wish for any new or returning characters.

Judging by the usual drip marketing, we can expect five-star electro character Varesa, and four-star character Iansen—also electro. Then for reruns, we've apparently got Xilonen and Xianyun, so on the whole the roster will be fairly dominated by Natlan this time around. I'll add the codes to the list below as they drop during the stream, but since livestream codes usually expire within a couple of days, you'll want to grab them sooner rather than later.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• GI55Teteocan - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• GoGoVaresa0326 - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• CoachIansan0326 - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

You can redeem your Genshin codes via two separate methods, though to do either you'll need to reach Adventure Rank 10 by playing a bit of the game first. When you've reached that level, you can either redeem codes through the game:

• Launch Genshin Impact
• Open the in-game menu
• Click on Settings and then choose Account
• Select Redeem Now and enter a code into the box
• Grab your rewards from the in-game mailbox

Or you redeem codes via the official website:

• Navigate to the Genshin Impact redemption site
• Enter your details and select the region with your character
• Input a code into the box and click redeem
• Collect your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The Honkai: Star Rail 3.1 livestream codes have arrived. These Stellar Jade bonuses are a great little way to supplement your hoard of currency for pulling new characters in the upcoming update. For those that are new here, every six weeks miHoYo puts on a livestream for each of its games, showing off what new content, characters, and events are on the way.

As a way to get more people to watch, there are three codes that appear during the stream that you can redeem for Stellar Jade. This time it looks like the new faces will be quantum harmony character, Tribbie, and imaginary destruction character, Mydei. It also looks like we're getting reruns for Luocha and Topaz, so there are a whole lot of potential characters you can grab.

As usual I'll include the codes below as they go live during the stream and further down the page you'll find details about how to redeem them if you haven't done so before. You'll want to claim these fairly fast since livestream codes usually expire within a day or so.

Honkai: Star Rail codes—All current livestream Stellar Jade

• 7A324EYX6SHT - 100 Stellar Jade and 50,000 credits
• 4A2KLEHFPBGF - 100 Stellar Jade and five Traveler's Guide
• DB22LWYXPSY3 - 100 Stellar Jade and four Refined Aether

How to redeem Honkai: Star Rail codes

Before you can redeem your codes you'll first have to unlock the mailbox by finishing the "A Moment of Peace" Trailblaze mission. Once that's done, you'll have two options. Either you can do it through the game:

• Launch the game
• Enter the phone menu
• Click the three dots next to your avatar portrait
• Select the redemption code option
• Input a code and choose redeem
• Claim your rewards from your mailbox

Or you can do it online:

• Open the Honkai: Star Rail redemption site
• Enter your details and select your server
• Put a code into the box
• Grab your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The Genshin Impact 5.4 codes are just another way you can add a few extra Primogems to your stash in advance of the game's next update. For those who've played the game a while, you know the drill, but for anyone new to the RPG, let me explain. Every six weeks miHoYo hosts a livestream for each of its games, showing off what's arriving in the next update, including characters, quests, and events.

As a little incentive for people to watch, it gives out three codes you can redeem for some extra Primogems to use on pulling for the new characters. Version 5.4 is adding the anemo five-star and wonderfully named Yumemizuki Mizuki, while it looks like we'll also see reruns for Wriothesley, Furina, and Sigewinne, if predictions are anything to go by.

I'll add each code to the list below as it goes live during the stream, and further down the page I'll explain your methods for redeeming it in case you're new to all this, or just want a quick link to the code redemption site. These livestream codes usually expire within a day or two, so make sure to redeem them as soon as possible if you want the currency.

Genshin Impact 5.4 livestream codes

• GISpecialProgram54 - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• Mizuki0212Mizuki - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• AisaBathhouse - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes

There are two different ways to redeem your Genshin livestream codes, but either way you'll need to reach Adventure Rank 10—don't worry if you've just started, it doesn't take long. Once that's done, your first method for redemption is through the game itself:

• Start up Genshin Impact
• Navigate to the menu
• Select Settings and then click on Account
• Choose Redeem Now and then enter a code into the box
• Collect your reward from the in-game mailbox

The second method is using the official code website:

• Open the Genshin Impact redemption site
• Login and select the region with your character
• Type or paste a code into the box and redeem
• Grab your reward from the in-game mailbox

The Zenless Zone Zero 1.5 code has arrived. Usually, miHoYo offers three codes as part of its update livestreams, but for some reason ZZZ just gets one big code, which saves a little hassle. For those who don't know, miHoYo puts on a livestream for each of its games every six weeks, showing off what's to come in the next version in terms of new characters, events, and quests. As a little incentive, it also provides a livestream code you can redeem.

In terms of new agents, it looks like we've got Astra Yao—an S-rank ether support—first off, and then Evelyn Chevalier in the second phase; also S-rank, but a fire attack agent instead. There are also apparently reruns for Ellen and Zhu Yuan, with the latter being perfect if you want an attack agent to combo with Astra Yao in an ether squad.

As usual, I'll enter the code below as it appears during the program. Since livestream codes usually expire within a day you'll want to redeem this as soon as you can.

Zenless Zone Zero codes: All current livestream Polychrome

• ASTRANOMICAL - 300 Polychrome, 30,000 Dennies, two Senior Investigator Logs, and three W-Engine Energy Modules (Expires January 11)

How to redeem ZZZ codes

You have two different options for redeeming Zenless Zone Zero codes, but first you'll need to earn Inter-Knot rank five and finish the first part of the Business x Strangeness x Justness prologue.

When that's all done, you can either redeem them via the game:

• Open Zenless Zone Zero
• Enter the in-game main menu
• Select the More option
• Click the Redemption Code option
• Type a code into the box and click redeem
• Grab your reward from the mailbox

Your second choice is through the official website:

• Open the ZZZ code redemption site
• Enter your account details for the game
• Choose your region
• Enter a code into the box and click redeem
• Collect your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The Genshin Impact 5.3 livestream codes are now available. These Primogem bonuses are a regular incentive that miHoYo uses to get people to watch each upcoming version's livestream preview. In the stream, it shows off new events, quests, and most importantly, characters that are dropping in the next Genshin update.

By redeeming these codes, you can get a little bumper of Primogems to add to your hoard, ripe to use pulling for the new characters when they drop. This time around we've got cryo character Citlali, anemo character Lan Yan, and the Pyro archon herself, Mavuika, to look forward to. We're also apparently getting reruns for Clorinde and Arlecchino.

As usual, I'll drop the livestream codes in here as they appear during the program. Since livestream codes generally expire within a day, you'll have to be relatively quick if you want to claim them. Otherwise, enjoy your Primogems and may you successfully complete your archon collection while Mavuika's available.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• UAMPGJASECZH - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• LT5NH2TTXUHM - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• 4SLPH3BSFVH9 - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes 

There are two ways to redeem your Genshin codes, but first you'll have to reach Adventure Rank 10. When you get there, you can claim your codes through the game if you do the following:

• Launch Genshin Impact
• Open the menu
• Click Settings and then Account
• Select the Redeem Now option and input a code into the box
• Grab your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The second method is via the official code redemption website:

• Navigate to the Genshin Impact redemption site
• Input your login details and pick your region
• Enter a code into the box and choose redeem
• Collect your rewards from the in-game mailbox

I'm really not sure where to begin with this one, so I'm just going to lay it out and then try to explain later: A recent update to Zenless Zone Zero made it impossible to get a good look at character's asses, and the blowback was so fierce developer MiHoYo reverted the change less than a day later.

The whole thing began with the release of patch 1.4, which included among its many updates this fairly innocuous sounding change: "Adjusts the Agents' display for certain angles: When viewed from specific angles, the Agent will appear faded."

What that worked out to in practice, as noted by The Gamer, is a butt filter: When players try to zoom in for a good, up-close look at their avatar's caboose, the character in question disappears. This might seem extremely inconsequential to you (it certainly does to me) but a good chunk of the Zenless Zone Zero community felt very differently:

The situation wasn't any calmer on the Zenless Zone Zero subreddit. "Why is hoyo trying to stop me from seeing lycaon and lighter's dump trucks. like this gotta be some kinda crime," one redditor asked. "It feels very scummy to draw in a shit ton of players with some of the most sexualized characters ever with massive assets, then to conform to whatever order they knew they were gonna have to do only now that the most hyped up character for the game is finally out," another wrote. "What is the point of all that glorious walking jiggle if u cant even look at it," a third wanted to know, and hey, ridiculous this may be but that's a fair question.

Some pointed the finger at the government of China, which they speculate mandated the apparent censorship for reasons unknown. "It is quite unfortunate that they put so much dev effort into making good jiggles but CCP cucked them," yet another redditor contributed, which isn't the most incisive bit of analysis I've ever read, but is pretty funny.

But less than 24 hours after the update went live and the Zenless community lost its mind, MiHoYo walked it back. In a message posted on X, the studio said it was "closely monitoring feedback and suggestions from Proxies, striving to provide everyone with the best possible gaming experience," and has thus "promptly addressed and fixed several issues that appeared after the update as soon as we received feedback." The hotfix addresses a half-dozen issues, including one "where the fading effect of the 'Agent appears faded when viewed from specific angles' adjustment did not display correctly under certain circumstances."

It's not clear what actually happened here—the patch notes imply the fadeout was the result of a bug, not intentional "censorship"—but players on X quickly confirmed that butts have been unobfuscated: The cake is once again plainly visible, and there was much rejoicing.

As for me, I have no idea what the moral of the story is here, so I've reached out to MiHoYo to see what they have to say about it. I'll update if they actually respond.

The Zenless Zone Zero 1.4 code is here. I have no idea why, but for some reason miHoYo only gives away one code for ZZZ, but still provides three livestream codes for all its other games. Very strange, but at least the one code contains as much Polychrome as three combined would, so actually it saves you time I guess?

For those who are new to this, miHoYo puts on a livestream once every six weeks to show off what's coming in each new update for its games, whether events, missions, or characters. As a little bonus tidbit to incentivise viewing, it also provides a code to redeem for some free currency you can use for pulling agents.

In terms of new characters, this time around it looks like we have Harumasa and the long-awaited Miyabi, who both fill out the Section 6 faction alongside Soukaku and Yanagi. As usual, I'll drop the code in this guide as it goes live during the stream, but make sure you redeem it, since livestream codes usually expire within a day.

Zenless Zone Zero codes: All current livestream Polychrome

• VOIDHUNTER - 300 Polychrome, 30,000 Dennies, two Senior Investigator Logs, and three W-Engine Energy Modules (valid until December 7th)

How to redeem ZZZ codes

There are two ways to redeem ZZZ livestream codes, but whichever you choose, you'll first have to reach Inter-Knot rank five and complete the first part of the Business x Strangeness x Justness prologue.

Once that's done, you can either redeem codes through the game:

• Launch Zenless Zone Zero
• Open the in-game main menu
• Click the More option
• Click the Redemption Code option
• Enter a code in the box and choose redeem
• Claim your chrome from the mailbox

The second method is via the official website:

• Navigate to the ZZZ code redemption site
• Input your account details you use for the game
• Pick your region
• Enter a code into the box and redeem
• Grab your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The Honkai: Star Rail 2.7 livestream codes have arrived, giving you a little extra Stellar Jade you can use to grab new or old characters in the upcoming version. If you're new to the game, as with its other titles, miHoYo holds a livestream for Honkai: Star Rail every six weeks, showing off what to expect in the new version in terms of characters, events, and quests.

In the 2.7 update, leaks indicate that we can expect five-star harmony character, Sunday—who you'll no doubt remember from the Penacony trailblaze quest—as well as Fugue, a five-star nihility character. We've also apparently got Jing Yuan and Firefly to look forward to in terms of reruns.

As always I'll add the codes lower down as they go live during the stream. Make sure to redeem them as soon as possible if you do want them, though, since these livestream codes usually expire within a day. 

Honkai: Star Rail codes—All current livestream Stellar Jade

• UAJJDY9E8JJT - 100 Stellar Jade and 50,000 credits
• MTJ2CG9XRK2F - 100 Stellar Jade and five Traveler's Guide
• DSJKDYQF82J3 - 100 Stellar Jade and four Refined Aether

How to redeem Honkai: Star Rail codes

There are a couple of ways you can redeem codes in Honkai: Star Rail, but the first step is to unlock the mailbox by finishing the "A Moment of Peace" Trailblaze mission so you can claim them. Once done, you can either redeem them in-game:

• Start the game
• Open the phone menu
• Select the three dots next to your avatar portrait
• Click the redemption code option
• Enter your code and choose redeem
• Grab your rewards from your mailbox

You can also do it online if you prefer:

• Navigate to the Honkai: Star Rail redemption site
• Input your details and choose your server
• Enter a code into the box
• Claim your rewards from the mailbox in-game

The Genshin Impact 5.2 livestream codes are here. For those who are new to the game—or haven't tuned into a miHoYo stream before—the developer hosts a special program every six weeks, detailing what's coming in the next update in terms of characters, events, quests, and optimisations. As an added incentive to watch, they also include three codes you can redeem for Primogems.

They're pretty useful when it comes to supplementing your currency hoard with a little bit extra for pulling any new character you want. This time around we've got Anemo five-star Chasca—who also has a very fancy hat, might I add—and four-star Electro character, Ororon. According to the usual leaks and murmurings, we may get reruns for Venti, Klee, and Albedo, while other sources speculate it'll be Zhongli and Neuvillette. 

There's no way to know for sure until the stream itself. As always, I'll include each code as it drops during the special program, meaning you won't have to tune in to get the rewards and can simply grab them here. Make sure to redeem them sharpish, though, since these livestream codes generally expire within a day.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• 6ALMWAVKLK35 - 100 Primogems and 10 Mystic Enhancement Ore
• 7TLMXSD243JR - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• JS45ETDJLKMD - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes 

You have two options in terms of claiming your Genshin codes, but either way, you'll need to reach Adventure Rank 10 first. Once you've hit that, you can redeem them through the game via the following method:

• Start Genshin Impact
• Open the menu
• Select Settings then Account
• Choose the Redeem Now option and enter a code into the box
• Collect the rewards from the in-game mailbox

The second way is through the official code redemption website:

• Navigate to the Genshin Impact redemption site
• Enter your login details and choose your region
• Paste or type a code into the box and click redeem
• Claim your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The Genshin Impact 5.1 livestream codes are ready to collect. For those who haven't been playing Genshin all that long, or started in Natlan with the latest update. miHoYo puts on a livestream every six weeks detailing what's set to arrive in the upcoming version. As a little bonus for those who tune in, you can also claim three livestream codes that give you some Primogems you can use to pull characters.

For the latest Natlan update, it looks like the new character is set to be Xilonen, a geo five-star, and then according to leaks, there should be reruns for Chiori, Nahida, and Hu Tao. As always, I'll add the codes below as they drop during the stream plus some info at the bottom of the page about redemption methods. Since livestream codes generally expire within a day, you should grab them if you want them.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• XSME6NV4GX2Z - 100 Primogems and ten Mystic Enhancement Ore
• KALF66CLGXKM - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• PT5WP6D5GXJ9 - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes 

There are two methods to redeem your Genshin Impact codes, but first you'll need to reach Adventure Rank 10. Once there, you can either claim them through the game:

• Launch Genshin Impact
• Enter the menu
• Click Settings then Account
• Chose the Redeem Now option and put a code in the box
• Grab your rewards from the in-game mailbox

Or by using the official site:

• Head to the Genshin Impact redemption site
• Input your login and choose your region
• Type or paste a code into the box and click redeem
• Claim your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The Zenless Zone Zero 1.2 livestream codes are here, or to be more accurate, it's usually one single super code with these special programs. For some reason, miHoYo gives out three codes for all of its other games, but just one chunky one for ZZZ—who can say why? Either way, redeeming this code will get you some Polychrome you can use to try for the new characters in its upcoming version 1.2.

This time around we've got two members of the currently under-represented Sons of Calydon biker faction, Caesar and Burnice, though we'll get full details on their kit and abilities in the stream itself. As usual I'll add the code to this article during the stream, plus there's some info lower down about how to redeem it if you haven't before. Remember, this code will expire within a day or so, so claim it now if you do want it. 

Zenless Zone Zero codes: All current livestream Polychrome

• TOURDEINFERNO - 300 Polychrome, 30,000 Dennies, two Senior Investigator Logs, and three W-Engine Energy Modules

How to redeem ZZZ codes

You have two choices for redeeming ZZZ livestream codes, but first you'll have to reach Inter-Knot rank five and finish the first section of the Business x Strangeness x Justness prologue quest. 

The first method is through the game itself:

• Open Zenless Zone Zero
• Enter the in-game main menu
• Select the More option
• Click the Redemption Code option
• Put a code in the box and click redeem
• Grab your items from the mailbox

The other way is through the official site:

• Go to the ZZZ code redemption site
• Enter the account details you use for the game
• Select your region
• Enter a code into the box and redeem
• Collect the rewards from your in-game mailbox

The Honkai: Star Rail 2.5 livestream codes are here, dropping alongside the regular special program that previews everything set to arrive in the upcoming version. For those who are new to the game, miHoYo broadcasts a stream in advance of each regular update, showcasing the new characters, events, and narrative quests set to arrive. And, as a little incentive to tune in, they also drop three codes during the stream.

The new characters this time around look to be Feixiao, Lingsha, and Moze. The first is a wind hunt five-star, the second is fire abundance five-star, and the third is a lightning hunt four-star. We'll also likely get some reruns for recent Penacony characters. 

As always, I'll include each code below as it drops during the livestream as well as how to redeem them lower down the page. Since these codes usually expire within a day, make sure to grab them if you want them.

Honkai: Star Rail codes—All current livestream Stellar Jade

• DB3FKWZ4NUG7 - 100 Stellar Jade and 50,000 credits
• NB2W2XZ46VJT - 100 Stellar Jade, five Traveler's Guide
• 2BKWKEHL6DJX - 100 Stellar Jade, four Refined Aether

How to redeem Honkai: Star Rail codes

There are two ways to redeem codes in Honkai: Star Rail, but you'll first have to unlock the mailbox by completing the "A Moment of Peace" Trailblaze mission. Once that's done, here's how to do it in-game:

• Open the game
• Enter the phone menu
• Click the three dots next to your character portrait
• Choose the redemption code option
• Type or paste in your code and click redeem
• Claim your rewards from your mailbox

And how to do it online:

• Head to the Honkai: Star Rail redemption site
• Enter your details and select your server
• Type or paste a code into the box
• Get your rewards from the mailbox in-game

The best Mualani build in Genshin Impact can help you turn this surfing Natlander into a pure powerhouse of shark bites and chilled, but incredibly damaging, attacks. As the first Natlan five-star character we’re getting, she’s going to have to do well to stand out against the powerhouses of Fontaine, but she just might manage it. 

Mualani is at her best when riding on her Sharky Surfboard and moving through enemies before biting them for big damage. She’s not about hitting often, she’s about hitting hard. If that sounds like fun to you, then let’s get stuck into the Mualani build guide. 

The best Mualani build

Mualani’s main playstyle is based around using her elemental skill to hop on her shark-like surfboard, and then her normal attacks to bite her opponents and deal hydro damage to them. She’s not an especially fast character when it comes to the speed of her attacks, which means she can be very strong when utilising the Vape reaction. 

You can also boost her damage by hitting enemies while on her surfboard, which you need to do three times to max the boost. Her elemental burst is an AoE attack that deals a big chunk of damage in a single hit, but her skill is where most of her power comes from. 

• Weapon: Surf’s Up or Sacrificial Jade

Mualani is going to want to use her signature five-star weapon, which is Surf’s Up. Surf’s Up gives her some extra crit damage, boosts her HP, and also grants an increase to normal attack damage after using her elemental skill. These are, unsurprisingly, all good things for Mualani, as the weapon is literally made for her. 

In terms of four-star options, your best bet is the Sacrificial Jade. This is a battle pass weapon that boosts crit rate, which can allow you to go over 100% crit rate—more on that below, but it mostly gives a boost to both HP and elemental mastery when off-field for more than five seconds, and lasts for ten seconds. 

• Artifacts: Obsidian Codex (four-pieces equipped)

Mualani is a Natlan character, and at least the first three of them are all about the Nightsoul mechanic, which means you’ll want the Obsidian Codex artifact set for her. That’s because this grants a damage boost when in the Nightsoul’s Blessing state, and also grants a huge crit rate boost of 40% when consuming one point of Nightsoul. 

As Mualani is a damage-dealing HP-scaler, you’re going to want a lot of HP on her and as much crit rate and crit damage as you can get. However, it’s worth noting that not only does Mualani get bonus crit rate as she levels up, but this artifact set also grants her crit rate, which means you’re highly likely to only want crit damage stats on her artifacts. Here's what I recommend for her artifact primary stats:

Mualani abilities and constellations

Now then, let’s look at Mualani’s abilities and constellations in detail, with thanks to Honey Impact for the information. 

Mualani ascension materials

If you want to get Mualani to her max level, then you’re going to need a lot of materials. What materials? Well, here you go: 

• Varunada Lazurite (one Sliver, six Gemstones, nine Fragments, nine Chunks)
• 18 Sentry’s Wooden Whistle
• 30 Warrior’s Metal Whistle
• 36 Saurian-Crowned Warrior’s Golden Whistle
• 46 Mark of the Binding Blessing
• 168 Sprayfeather Gill
• 420,000 Mora

You can get Varunada Lazurite pieces by beating up any hydro boss, with some good options being the Hydro Hypostasis, Hydro Tulpa, and Oceanid. For the Whistles, you need to make sure to take out a new enemy called Sauroform Tribal Warriors in Natlan. For Mark of the Binding Blessing, you’ll need to tackle the new Goldflame Qucusaur Tyrant boss. Lastly, the Sprayfeather Gill items can be found in the world in Toyac Springs and near the People of the Springs. 

The best Kachina build in Genshin Impact will make sure you can bring out the spin-to-win power of Kachina and her Beyblade. She’s got the potential to be an impressive free character, and also one that’ll help you ease into the new Natlan mechanics. 

Kachina looks to be a good sub-DPS, and a character we’ll all be getting a copy of for free when she launches alongside the first part of the 5.0 patch. Because we’re all getting her, and geo is woefully low on characters, I figured I’d help you build her right so you’re not disappointed. 

The best Kachina build

Kachina is an off-field DPS character who can do a solid job of supporting her team using Crystallize, which should mean she can fit into teams alongside a powerful character like Navia. Her kit is mostly focused on using her skill and burst to deal damage to enemies. She can also ride on her Turbo Twirly to get around faster.

She’s a solid option for AoE attacks in general, and scales with defense, too, meaning she could work well alongside Gorou and Itto. Basically, she’s the most exciting geo four-star character we’ve seen in a long-time, though that isn’t hard given that she’s also the only geo four-star character we’ve seen since early 2022. 

• Weapon: Footprint of the Rainbow or Favonius Lance

The new Footprint of the Rainbow polearm, which is a Natlan craftable weapon, should be pretty good for Kachina. Not only does it have defense as a substat, which she primarily scales with, but it further boosts her defense whenever she uses her elemental skill. Definitely a very good shout for her. 

However, you can also just give her the Favonius Lance and call it a day. This weapon gives her energy regen, and will help her generate energy particles when she crits. It’s one of the best weapons in the game and is used by a lot of characters, so you’ll also likely have one levelled up and ready to go. 

• Artifacts: Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City (four-pieces equipped)

Kachina’s best artifact set should be the new Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City. This is a 5.0 set that grants the character additional energy when they trigger a Nightsoul Burst. Along with that, it also boosts the elemental damage bonus of nearby teammates as well, and allows them to trigger this effect off-field. This really ties into her being a sub-DPS and support character. 

Kachina’s damage scales off of her defense, outside of her normal attacks anyway, which you won't be wanting to use as much. Because of that, you’re going to want as much defense as you can manage, as well as some energy recharge for her ultimate, as it can deal also decent damage, especially at C6. Then you’ll want crit stats as is the norm.  Below is what I recommend for primary stat boosts on your artifacts:

Kachina abilities and constellations

Let’s take a look at Kachina’s abilities. We want to say a big thank you to Honey Hunter here, because they’re here for all of us. 

Kachina Ascension Materials

To level up Kachina to the maximum level, you’ll need all of the items listed below. This list doesn’t take into account EXP books, so just hoard a bunch. 

• Prithiva Topaz (one Sliver, six Gemstones, nine Fragments, nine Chunks)
• 18 Sentry's Wooden Whistle
• 30 Warrior's Metal Whistle
• 36 Saurian-Crowned Warrior's Golden Whistle
• 46 Overripe Flamegranate
• 168 Quenepa Berry
• 420,000 Mora

You can get Prithiva Topaz pieces by beating up any geo boss, with the three simplest options being the Geo Hypostasis, Golden Wolflord, and Experimental Field Generator. For the Whistles, you’ll need to farm a new enemy called Sauroform Tribal Warriors in Natlan. Likewise, the Overripe Flamengranate can be earned by defeating the Gluttonous Yumkasaur Mountain King, but at least you can get three each time with the new world level. 

Finally, the Quenepa Berries can also be found in Natlan on Coatepec Mountain, and below the Scions of the Canopy. 

The Genshin Impact 5.0 livestream codes have arrived, and with them the new jungle and volcano-filled region of Natlan. This is the fourth major region to be added to the game after Inazuma, Sumeru, and Fontaine, and as with any big map expansion there'll be new quests and puzzles, plus enemies to fight and characters to meet. 

If you want to pull those new characters, however, you're going to need Primogems, and the new livestream codes can give you a little help there. Since they were teased on the official social media, we know that the new characters coming in 5.0 are Mualani, Kinich, and Kachina–Hydro, Dendro, and Geo users respectively. 

Each livestream miHoYo drops three codes that you can redeem for Primogems as an incentive to watch. They usually expire within a day, so you've got to be fairly quick if you want to claim them. Here I'll list each code as it goes live during the stream, plus explain how you can redeem them at the bottom of the page.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• 2SMTYV59TLFD - 100 Primogems and ten Mystic Enhancement Ore
• 7SMTGV59BLXH - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• 8T4TGDLRA5E5 - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes 

You'll need to reach Adventure Rank 10 first to redeem all kinds of codes, but once you do there are two separate methods for claiming the livestream ones. You can redeem codes through the game itself:

• Start Genshin Impact
• Open the menu
• Choose Settings and then Account
• Select Redeem Now and enter a code into the box
• Claim your rewards from the in-game mailbox

Or through the official code site:

• Navigate to the Genshin Impact redemption site
• Enter your login details and pick your region
• Type or paste a code into the box and select redeem
• Grab your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The best Qingyi build in Zenless Zone Zero is all about buffing the cyborg cop's impact so she can stun enemies more easily and gain attack through her additional ability. Qingyi may seem like a complicated character, but as with any other stun agent, her role is actually quite simple; smack around enemies until they stop moving so your primary DPS can go to town.

As an electric stunner–who slots perfectly into an ether team with Zhu Yuan and Nicole–Qingyi is a replacement for Anby in many ways, but with the stun damage multiplier that she applies to enemies with her enhanced basic attack, she could also be used in place of Lycaon in a team with Soukaku and Ellen, for example. 

I'll explain her best setup in terms of W-Engines and Drive Discs and run through her important stats, plus lower down I'll briefly list what you need to level her up.

ZZZ best Qingyi build

Qingyi is an electric stun character who has a basic attack that lets her hit enemies continuously with electric damage. As she does, she builds the Flash Connect resource in the top left. When she hits 75, she's able to use her enhanced basic attack, Enchanted Moonlit Blossoms, which applies a stun damage multiplier to enemies via her core passive. Qingyi's EX special attack also deals a big chunk of damage and daze. So, in building her, you'll mainly be looking to buff her impact for those all-important stuns.

• W-Engine: Ice-Jade Teapot or Steam Oven

Qingyi's best W-Engine is her S-tier signature Ice-Jade Teapot. This grants a stack of Tea-riffic every time you hit an enemy with a basic attack, providing 0.7 increased impact for eight seconds, stacking up to 30 times. If you have 15 stacks or above and gain another stack, the damage of all squad members is buffed by 20% for 10 seconds. Since Qingyi can continuously hit enemies with the third hit of her basic combo, this is very good for quickly building stacks to buff her impact and stun enemies.

For another S-tier option, you could use Lycaon's The Restrained if you already have it, which stacks a 6% damage and daze increase for basic attacks whenever an attack hits an enemy. If you don't have either, then I recommend Steam Oven, which increases impact by 2% for every ten energy accumulated, stacking up to eight times, with the bonus remaining for a further eight seconds after you consume energy—great if you want to use Qingyi's powerful EX special attack lots. 

Lastly, if you have none of the others, you could consider using Anby's Demara Battery Mark II for its 15% electric damage bonus and energy regen from dodge counters or assist attacks. 

• Drive Discs: Shockstar Disco (four pieces equipped) Swing Jazz (two pieces equipped)

The best Drive Discs for Qingyi are pretty standard for a stun character; four pieces of Shockstar Disco buff her impact and help her apply more daze to enemies for frequent stuns, while two-pieces of Swing Jazz boost energy regen so she can use her skill more. You could swap Swing Jazz in favour of Woodpecker Electro if you want to build her towards crits, but since her main focus is stunning as opposed to primary DPS, you may benefit from using her skill more instead.

In terms of base stats on the Drive Discs, I recommend:

• Drive Disc 4: Anomaly proficiency or crit rate
• Drive Disc 5: Electric damage or energy regen
• Drive Disc 6: Impact

The fourth Drive Disc doesn't have any primary stats that are especially vital for Qingyi, so you could go either crit rate–if you've got a reasonable amount of crit damage/crit care through other sources–or anomaly proficiency, to increase the damage she deals when she applies shock with all her electric damage. In the fifth slot, I recommend either electric damage bonus or energy regen if you're using a W-Engine like Steam Oven which relies on that stat. 

Lastly, impact is very important for stun characters, but especially vital for Qingyi since her additional ability buffs her attack by six for each point of impact she has over 120.

For substats, impact is key for the reason mentioned above. The maximum attack bonus is 600, meaning you don't want her impact to be over 220, since there will be no additional benefit. Energy regen is also important so you can use her EX special attack lots, and then crit rate and crit damage if you can build it to a reasonable level, or anomaly proficiency if you'd prefer to enhance any shock she deals. 

ZZZ Qingyi promotion materials

Here's what you'll need to get Qingyi levelled in Zenless Zone Zero:

• Stun Certification Seals (Basic, Advanced, and Ruler)
• Investigator Logs

You can get Stun Certification Seals through the Combat Simulation activity. Pick Agent Promotion and then Stun Drill for Qingyi. Investigator Logs also come from the same place, you just need to choose Basic Material and then Investigation Specialization instead. 

It's worth noting that, similar to previous miHoYo games, you'll need to raise your Inter-Knot reputation in order to gain access to higher character levels. Once you progress far enough, you'll also be able to change what enemies you fight in Combat Simulation to create a custom reward set that'll get you exactly what you need.

The Zenless Zone Zero 1.1 livestream codes are here, dropping alongside the new version special program showing us what to expect in the first big update to miHoYo's latest action gacha. In case you're unfamiliar—or new to miHoYo games—each new version gets a livestream to show off what's coming in terms of new characters and events, but it also includes limited-time codes you can redeem for Polychrome as an incentive to watch.

This version it looks like the new characters are Qingyi, Jane Doe, and Seth Lowell. You'll most likely have met Qingyi already in the chapter three storyline, where she's introduced as a member of New Eridu Public Security and Zhu Yuan's partner. Seth Lowell also comes from the same faction, but besides that not much is known about him and Jane Doe.

As per usual, I'll add the codes below as they go live during the stream plus provide details on how to redeem lower down the page. Since livestream codes usually expire within a day or so, make sure to grab these while you can if you want the stuff.

Zenless Zone Zero codes: All current livestream Polychrome

• UNDERCOVERRNB - 300 Polychrome, 30,000 Dennies, two Senior Investigator Logs, and three W-Engine Energy Modules

How to redeem ZZZ codes

There are two different ways to redeem your ZZZ livestream codes, but for either you'll need to reach Inter-Knot rank five and complete the first section of Business x Strangeness x Justness, the prologue tutorial quest. 

Once you've done both you can redeem codes in-game:

• Launch Zenless Zone Zero
• Open the main menu in-game
• Choose the More option
• Click on Redemption Code
• Enter a code into the box and press redeem
• Collect your rewards from the mailbox

Or through the official code redemption website:

• Navigate to the ZZZ code redemption site
• Log into the account you use for the game
• Select your server region
• Copy a code into the box and redeem
• Grab the rewards from your mailbox in-game

Winning the Skott debate in Honkai: Star Rail is a key step in the new version 2.4 questline. Out of the blue, you'll be invited back to the Xianzhou Luofu for the Luminary Wardance festival, and upon arriving you'll find the ship bustling with visitors, including our very own IPC employee, Skott.

You might remember this troublesome trade representative from the Aurum Alley restoration event, which culminated in you having to debate against the annoying official. Well, while helping Yanqing carry out his official duties, you'll once again come face-to-face with Skott and have to show off your debating skills to get him to quit causing trouble over some mysterious cargo he's trying to bring into the city.  

Here's what you need to choose in order to win the debate and continue the new version questline.

Honkai Star Rail Skott debate answers

There are four rounds to this debate in which you can choose from a selection of four dialogue options. The minigame operates on a point-based system, where you can gain or lose points depending on the answers you choose.

That said, if you're here you presumably want a quick solve-all so you can continue the quest. Choose the following dialogue options below in order and you'll be able to kick Skott's ass no problem:

1. Use Yanqing's identity to intimidate him.

2. Pay you compensation? You wish!

3. It's time to escalate the issue!

4. The Xianzhou people are just following their own rules.

After this the newly appointed Cauldron Master of the Alchemy Commission, Lingsha—presumably a future banner character—will show up, and put the final nail in Skott's coffin. This allows you to continue with the quest and investigate the strange happenings at the Luminary Wardance festival and how the recent visitors to the city are connected.

The best Zhu Yuan build in Zenless Zone Zero is all about buffing the cop's crits and ether damage so she can blow away enemies with her Enhanced Shotshells. This New Eridu Public Security officer has a special transforming gun that can load powerful rounds called Enhanced Shotshells via her EX special attack, chain attack, ultimate, and by hitting enemies with her regular combo.

Once she's got some shotshells loaded, you can hold down the attack input and Zhu Yuan will start blasting them into enemies for big damage. It's a simple playstyle and quite easy to buff, so here I'll run through my recommended Zhu Yuan build as well as what you'll need to level her.

ZZZ best Zhu Yuan build

Zhu Yuan is an ether attack character with a playstyle centred around accumulating Enhanced Shotshells and then firing them into enemies in her Suppressive Mode for big damage. Zhu Yuan has two attack modes called Assault and Suppressive. The first is her regular attack combo of martial arts and gun-fu, but if you hold attack instead, she enters Suppressive Mode and fires off any Enhanced Shotshells banked.

You can gain these Enhanced Shotshells by using her EX special attack, ultimate, chain attack, and on the 4th or 5th strike of her Assault Mode basic attack. So, a good Zhu Yuan build buffs her crits and ether damage to maximise the power of those shotshells.

• W-Engine: Riot Suppressor Mark VI or Street Superstar

The best W-Engine for Zhu Yuan is the S-tier Riot Suppressor Mark VI which launches alongside her. This buffs crit damage by 15% and grants her eight charge stacks when she launches an EX special attack. Each time she damages an enemy with a basic attack, one charge is consumed, and her damage is buffed by 35%. As you'd imagine, this synergises perfectly with the Enhanced Shotshells that Zhu Yuan fires in her Suppressive Mode, buffing their already hefty damage.

If you already have the S-tier engine, The Brimstone, which adds an eight times stackable attack bonus, this could also work for her. In terms of A-tier W-Engines, there aren't all that many that fit her super well, but either Street Superstar or Starlight Engine should provide value. The first stacks three charges as your squad members perform chain attacks, converting each stack into a 15% ult damage buff, while the latter increases attack by 12% for 12 seconds when you use a dodge counter or a quick assist.

• Drive Discs: Chaotic Metal (four-pieces equipped) Woodpecker Electro (two-pieces equipped)

If you're using Zhu Yuan on a team with Nicole—which you 100% should be—I'd recommend four-pieces of Chaotic Metal. Two-pieces buffs ether damage by 10%, while four-pieces increases crit damage by 20% as well as the amount of damage dealt by the Corruption anomaly—perfect for an ether focused squad. For your remaining two-pieces, I'd whack on two Woodpecker Electro for the crit rate boost. While Zhu Yuan can get a 30% crit rate buff through her additional ability, a little extra will help her crit consistently.

In terms of base stats on the Drive Discs, I recommend:

• Drive Disc 4: Crit damage or crit rate
• Drive Disc 5: Ether damage bonus
• Drive Disc 6: Energy regen

Crit damage/crit rate and ether damage bonus are no-brainers since Zhu Yuan is an ether-based attack character. I also like energy regen on the sixth piece, since her ability to generate Enhanced Shotshells—which her damage relies on—is partly tied to her EX special attack, which creates three whenever you use it. You could take something like Anomaly Mastery instead, but it seems pointless if you're running her with Nicole.

For substats, you'll want crit damage, crit rate, attack, and some penetration if you can fit it, since this will let Zhu Yuan partly ignore a chunk of enemy defense and increases the power of any Enhanced Shotshell crits she manages to land. 

ZZZ Zhu Yuan promotion materials

Here's what you'll need to level up Zhu Yuan in Zenless Zone Zero:

• Offense Certification Seals (Basic, Advanced, and Ruler)
• Investigator Logs

You can get Offense Certification Seals through the Combat Simulation activity that unlocks via the main story. Select Agent Promotion and then Attack Drill in Zhu Yuan's case. Investigator Logs also come from the same place, you just need to choose Basic Material and then Investigation Specialization instead. 

It's worth noting that, similar to previous miHoYo games, you'll need to raise your Inter-Knot reputation in order to gain access to higher character levels. Once you progress far enough, you'll also be able to change what enemies you fight in Combat Simulation to create a custom reward set that'll get you exactly what you need.

Zenless Zone Zero adopts a zesty Hi-Fi Rush/Jet Set Radio Future style of neon-accented sci-fi urbanism. This is a place where skateboards are a decorative item, born-to-become-merch bunny-robot mascots wander the streets, and lots of dialogue is delivered via DM. It's all a stylishly meaningless pushback on glossy businesses with political power: The graffiti is superficially artistic but has nothing to say, and the gigantic tech company sets up shop and then gives out neat trinkets. Corporate military-like officers might be quite nice and helpful, actually.

Zenless Zone Zero is a reskinned revenue stream designed to target a similar-but-different audience to MiHoYo's other unstoppable gacha-style games Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail. It's been created to capture a gap in the market. 

I'm not surprised. Gacha games like this are by design wallet-opening merch machines in disguise. The aim is to get me coming back every day to do a few things that make me feel good enough to consider using the shop, and to like the characters enough to be interested in any TV shows, albums, and action figures that might show up along the way. But because this will be for many of us our second or third experience of this too-familiar hamster wheel of #content from the same company, it rings hollow. Zenless Zone Zero is raw marketing in game form, everything designed around trends, targets, and demographics. 

Every character worth talking to runs or frequents a trendy shop, and they're all too cool to conform to the whims of this vague shiny dystopia's towering megacorps trying to grind ordinary people down. The playable cast cover a wide range of appealing (and tropey) personality types and visual preferences, from cold and calculating to loud, impeccably polite to shy. You like shark girls? There's a shark girl. Prefer broad-shouldered furries? Then enjoy the overall-wearing bear-man. Need a younger guy with model-perfect abs? Don't we all.

It's all bright and colourful and very carefully designed to not look like it's trying to do anything other than be a fun new game. The bear is sweet as heck, the Deadpool-like Billy can't go five seconds without quipping, and all of the cool ladies with swords are exactly as cool as ladies with swords should be. Even my own in-game cypher (male or female) is an interesting person to spend time with, their personality fleshed out enough to allow for some light-hearted teasing of their family and friends, without ever feeling like they're out of my control.

And I did have fun for the first few hours. It's hard not to when a game's trying this hard to charm—even though ZZZ spent a lot of it constantly jangling its keys at me and trying to insist another new slight remix of "hitting things" or "talking to people" was a completely new way to play.

There's an endless parade of missions to tackle, usually beginning with some abstracted, almost roguelike, exploration. These segments represent the surrounding "dungeon" area as a lively maze of CRT TV screens where dangerous monsters may give turn-by-turn chase across a grid of monitors, switches need weighing down with heavy boxes pushed in from elsewhere, and mid-mission twists can drastically change the routes available to me. At one point I even had to play a bit of bootleg Bomberman. I always felt like these sections tried their best, and although I was never excited by them, I did want to see what inventive new take on this minimalist sort of gaming they'd come up with next.

This is in sharp contrast with the active combat that often followed. For a few bouts it did a good job of making my chosen team's swinging and shooting within a string of small, flat arenas look exciting and kinetic. I dodged lasers, and whenever I hit something numbers popped out, just like a modern action RPG demands. Every major blow and final victory triggered vivid fighting game style fullscreen effects and dramatic camera angles, as if I was participating in an intense battle.

But it soon became clear that there was no rhythm or timing to it, and before long I got tired of the sound of my own mindless mouse clicking. No matter who I was playing as or what I was up against, fights always ended up playing out the same way. An endless routine of left clicking as rote combos went through the motions, with a quick prod of the switch, assist, or skill buttons whenever I was told to. Fighting something the size of a house shouldn't feel boring, but it did here—another task ticked off a neverending list of virtual chores.

I wouldn't have minded so much if this work hadn't kept dragging me away from the things I actually wanted to do for another round of filler. The mandatory side story I had to play through was effectively little more than advertising another way to spend time on ZZZ's treadmill, neither going anywhere nor directly relevant to the scenario I was actually trying very hard to get back to. Just as the next plot twist came into view I'd abruptly be told no, I must be this level to continue, with no choice but to grind it out or keep logging in long enough for my daily bonuses to add up. Inescapable tutorial were still popping up days after I'd started teaching me how to make a fresh batch of numbers go higher than before.

These "helpful" explanations usually accompanied another new category in the cash shop expertly calibrated to lightly confuse with its mix of multiple imaginary currencies, other imaginary currencies that must be bought with real-world currencies, and plain old straight-from-my-bank-account purchases too.

Of course I don't have to buy anything. I could play the game free, forever. But there's no doubt everything would be much easier, and I'd have a better chance of getting that character I'd seen advertised, if I made a few purchases. Just one. Or perhaps two. The cheaper bundle pack, maybe? How about the £4.99 monthly subscription instead? Or why not unlock the full benefits of the season pass for a currently discounted £19.99 (a £9.99 tier is also available) and get more ability-enhancing materials that way?

Sorry, or? ZZZ means and. 

More than anything, it makes me sad. The more I play it, the more obvious it is that not only is this not a good action RPG, but it also has no real interest in being one either. What ZZZ actually wants is to be my new forever game, the only thing I think of when I find the time to do some dailies. It will encourage me to have just one more go, to come back for just one more day, all so it can extract as much money out of me as possible and then smile politely as it asks for more. 

It may be free to play, but I can't afford to let ZZZ have its own way.

Genshin Impact's upcoming 5.0 update will introduce Natlan, a new region, in August later this year. But after dropping a surprise teaser out of nowhere, a few of the game's voice actors have come out against a new character that shares the name of an African deity, saying the design is disrespectful. 

Valeria Rodríguez, the voice actor for Sucrose in Genshin Impact, made a lengthy post on X addressing the issue. "If you're going to use real-world deities, RESPECT them," Rodríguez says. "If you're basing off of real cultures RESPECT THAT. I'm fine with things being inspired by various cultures—that's awesome. Representation is dope. But bare minimum, do some research & show some cultural appreciation." 

Rodríguez points out that one of the new characters is named after Ọlọrun, the supreme deity of the Yoruba people of West Africa, but clearly doesn't look the part. Other voice actors and players agree that the character doesn't in any way represent or celebrate the deity he is based on, with some labeling the Genshin character as "pale Sasuke". 

"If a game draws so heavily from real-world cultures and bases a character on the supreme deity of Yoruba religion, and that character ends up looking like pale Sasuke Batman, people are absolutely within their rights to demand better representation," Khoi Dao, Genshin's Albedo voice actor tweeted. "Especially when said game has a clearly stated commitment to a global audience." 

In 2022, miHoYo, the creators of Genshin Impact, announced that it would be rebranding itself to HoYoVerse amid restructuring to make room for the "metaverse" and a shift to accommodating a more global audience. 

However, some players are unsure how well this pledge of being a "forward-thinking" global brand has gone, as even some of the game's oldest fans have been repeatedly asking for more representation. "If even your base audience, the Chinese fans, are asking for better representation/or characters with different shades of melanin, who are you making these characters for?" Zeno Robinson, voice actor for Sethos in Genshin, says.

This isn't the first time that players have spoken out against the lack of representation in Genshin. Phrases like 'Boycott Genshin Impact' regularly grace X's trending screen. One of the said instances happened back in 2021 when a clip emerged of developers using Indigenous Americans as inspiration for an enemy class that was labeled unintelligent and uncultured.

There's still time before the new region releases, and many are hoping that some changes will be enacted before August. "I really hope that a video game company listens to its fanbase when valid criticism is made multiple years in a row about the execution of its research and inclusion of elements/aspects of other cultures," Anne Yatco, the voice of Raiden Shogun, says.

Even if you're pretty miserly on gacha games' entire shtick—god knows I am—you can't deny that MiHoYo hasn't missed yet.

Kicking down the door to a market (and then proceeding to corner it) back in 2020 with a little game called Genshin Impact, you might've heard of it, MiHoYo proceeded to make a turn-based RPG with the same legendary polish via Honkai Star Rail.

It's still early days, but it looks like action-RPG Zenless Zone Zero, a game released barely over a year since Honkai's debut, is poised to be a hat trick. According to the game's official Twitter account, Zenless Zone Zero has already raked in over 50 million downloads worldwide:

"Since its release, Zenless Zone Zero has reached 50 million downloads globally. A city that once only existed in the hopes and dreams of the dev team has never been as buzzing with life as it is now. Your patience and support have made New Eridu what it is today."

The number of people who liked it enough to spend money is a different matter, but you can't deny that the interest is certainly there—50 million is the equivalent of three Norways, five and a half Londons, or 1.3 Californias.

To put it in perspective, World of Warcraft had a peak of around 12 million subscribers with Wrath of the Lich King. The kind of Steam concurrents we celebrate—Helldivers 2 with 300,000 players for example—barely come close to even scraping that number. Fortnite hit around 6 million concurrents last year.

Now, granted, downloads are different from concurrent players. It's very likely that the vast majority of ZZZ-ers will futz around for a bit, parry some bad guys, and then never touch the thing again.

It'll be even more interesting, perhaps, to see if MiHoYo will struggle to spread out its finite audience over three whole titles—especially considering the nature of Gacha games, which reward money and time invested over anything else. Plenty of people might absolutely adore ZZZ, but they're likely also Genshin Impact players, and, well, they're already playing Genshin Impact.

Granted, World of Warcraft's actually seen some success by diluting the waters with things like Season of Discovery, Classic, and WoW Remix all running at the same time—providing lots of different ways for players to engage with the game. Likewise, MiHoYo might not actually give a damn if some players peel off Genshin and Honkai, so long as the money's going towards the collective.

Worrying implications about gacha monopolies notwithstanding, I'm yet to give it a spin myself and our review is still in-progress. However, Honkai Star Rail stan and fellow PC Gamer writer Mollie Taylor played a preview build earlier this month and, despite not being "one for parry combat at all" found plenty to like in its action-game stylings, even if the lack of exploration gave her pause for concern.

The Genshin Impact 4.8 livestream codes are here, giving you a little bump of Primogems to add to your hoard for wishing on new characters and reruns. For those that are new to Genshin, every six weeks miHoYo puts on a livestream detailing the characters and events that are set to arrive in the new version. As an added incentive to watch, there are three codes you can pick up during the stream.

For this version, it looks like there's only one new character in the form of Dendro-user, Emilie, but there should also be reruns for Navia, Nilou, and Yelan, so plenty to try your luck with. As always, I'll add each livestream code as it drops during the special program, plus details about redeeming them lower down. It's worth noting that these codes usually expire within a day, so claim them quickly if you're interested.

Genshin Impact codes: All current livestream Primogems

• YS2WHUHFNQ5M - 100 Primogems and ten Mystic Enhancement Ore
• 5TJWHDHX7R59 - 100 Primogems and five Hero’s Wit
• PTKXYUGW7R6D - 100 Primogems and 50,000 Mora

How to redeem Genshin Impact codes 

Once you reach Adventure Rank 10 you can redeem your livestream codes via two separate methods. Your first option is through the game itself:

• Launch Genshin Impact
• Open up the menu
• Select Settings then Account
• Choose Redeem Now and copy a code into the box
• Grab your rewards from the in-game mailbox

The second method is through the official code site:

• Open the Genshin Impact redemption site
• Fill in your login details and select your region
• Copy a code into the box and choose redeem
• Collect your rewards from the in-game mailbox

Looking for some ZZZ tips to get going in miHoYo's latest game? Zenless Zone Zero has a lot in common with Honkai: Star Rail and even Genshin Impact before it, but in many ways it's far more focused. Fans of those previous titles will recognise a lot of the mechanics at play, but ZZZ is less of an open-world RPG. 

In fact, the only time you'll get to explore is when running around the city of New Eridu. There are no random enemy battles you can encounter, and the main time you'll see the characters you pull is when you're taking part in a commission—what ZZZ calls quests—or a Combat Simulation while farming for materials.

For some, it might feel like a downgrade, but for others who want a more laid-back experience that puts emphasis on sleek and stylish action combat, it'll feel pretty good. If you're thinking of checking it out, here are nine tips that'll help you understand its fundamentals and get going.

Turn on Challenge Mode difficulty

Zenless Zone Zero's main story feels pretty easy, even by gacha game standards. You'll breeze through most of it with a team of A-star characters provided you level a bit and equip relevant Drive Discs and W-Engines. Just to stop you getting bored at blending most enemies you come across, I recommend turning on Challenge Mode difficulty in the 'Other' section of the options menu. While it won't make things absurdly hard, it will buff enemies a little so combat is more fun and lasts for a teensy bit longer.

Grab a bite before heading into commissions

Just like in Monster Hunter, you can grab food before heading out on a commission that will provide benefits to your party for a fixed duration. Simply head to Waterfall Soup on Sixth Street and speak to General Chop to choose whichever buff bowl suits your team and the commission you're about to tackle.

Don't forget your daily coffee and scratchcard

Once you unlock Coff Cafe on Sixth Street, you can visit Tin Master to get a daily coffee that will boost your Battery Charge by 60. Your battery is like Resin in Genshin Impact or your Trailblaze Energy in Star Rail, i.e, it determines how much you can do in a single day, so 60 will give you a little bump to do a few extra Combat Simulations. Drinking coffee also provides a secondary benefit such as boosting material drops, which makes farming for characters quicker and easier.

Specialize in an attribute or faction

More so than Honkai: Star Rail or Genshin, ZZZ is a game where team composition is massively important. This is because each character has an additional ability that only unlocks when you bring another team member of the same faction or attribute, i.e, the damage element they deal. 

This incentivises you to either bring characters belonging to one of the game's specific factions—such as The Cunning Hares who you start with—or characters who use the same damage-type. Some damage types and factions are pretty underrepresented right now, such as ether, but they'll become easier to work with as the agent roster expands.

Manage the video store to get some money

Despite being proxy guides to the Hollows, Belle and her brother Wise also run a video rental store, and somehow make money doing it in the year of our lord 2024. I guess streaming services don't exist in New Eridu. You can run your store by speaking to the Bangboo at the counter, selecting a promoter, and then some films that fit the recommended genre tags at the top. It won't earn you many dennies at first, but as you resolve customer inquiries, find new videotapes, and meet promoters, you can level up the store to the point where it provides a tidy income.

Pick a Bangboo that fits

What exactly is a Bangboo? Within the context of the story, it's a little robot that Belle and Wise inhabit when they're guiding teams through the Hollows as their proxy. In practice, it's kind of like a support minion with a set of abilities. During combat, your Bangboo will attack enemies, but you can sometimes select them as part of a chain attack. This is why it's important to pick a Bangboo that compliments your team, even if only from a damage attribute perspective.

You won't unlock Bangboos properly until after you complete your first Hollow Zero, when you'll meet a quirky lumberjack-looking NPC who gives you access to the Remodeling Shop. Here you can level up your Bangboos and their skills. To acquire new Bangboos, you'll need to spend Boopons on their unique Signal Search banner, but these aren't a paid currency—you'll need to grab Boopons in-game via events and game modes.

Nicole and Corin are the best free characters—plus don't sleep on Ben

While you'll get Nicole no matter what, Corin is a pre-registration reward, so if you didn't pre-register you won't get her for free. The reason why Nicole is so strong is because she excels at weakening enemies, lowering their defense with her ether vortexes and enhanced bullets, while also applying the Corruption anomaly that lets squadmates deal extra damage. Her vortexes really group enemies together, too, making them easier to deal with.

Corin, on the other hand, is just a strong physical damage-dealer. Physical is a very good attribute in Zenless Zone Zero because it applies the Assault anomaly, dealing a huge chunk of damage when it procs. Since Corin has a circular saw that she can grind against enemies, she's pretty effective at continuously building the anomaly and hitting Assault for that big bump of damage. 

Another A-tier character you really shouldn't sleep on is Ben. This big bear is currently the only defense character in the game, able to create shields for himself and allies, and block counter with his skill—very powerful in a game with no healers. His attack also scales with his defense like another great miHoYo starter character I know (cough Noelle cough).

Bring teams that fit enemy weaknesses

It makes the most sense to specialize your teams towards a particular attribute, especially as a lot of the support characters provide benefits specific to those. Soukaku, for instance, buffs the ice damage of her entire squad with her additional ability, while Rina increases shock duration and partywide electric damage. Each enemy faction is also weak to a particular element, which is shown in the 'recommended attributes' when you select a commission. It won't matter as much early on, but you'll want to spec into this when you get to tougher endgame content.

Do Errands for Polychrome and Inter-Knot XP

Errands are the new term for your dailies, and these are even easier to complete than they were in Star Rail. Finish each of these tasks to build engagement and then collect the rewards. One new feature is the Weekly Custom Schedule; two weekly goals you can set yourself to earn some Inter-Knot XP and dennies. While you'll earn a lot of Polychrome early on, these dailies are still the best way to gradually build your Inter-Knot level and accumulate a hoard of Polychrome for pulling characters further down the line.

The best Nicole build in Zenless Zone Zero centres around using The Cunning Hares' leader to blast enemies with her ether vortexes, grouping them up so other characters can follow up and do some damage. This suitcase-slinging fighter is really good at debuffing enemies, reducing their defense when she hits them with a vortex or her enhanced bullets.

She's also one of only two ether characters in the game, capable of applying the powerful Corruption anomaly, which deals extra ether damage to afflicted enemies on subsequent hits. With her additional ability, Hare of Many Burrows, she also buffs the amount of ether damage squadmates deal to an enemy when she reduces its defense, which works very well alongside that Corruption effect.  

For my money, she's the best starter character in the game, and a capable support for whatever party you choose to try out. That said, here's the best ZZZ Nicole build plus how to get her levelling materials lower down.

ZZZ best Nicole build

Nicole is the best character you get for free in Zenless Zone Zero. Not only does she have an extremely fun playstyle—centered around grouping up enemies by blasting out ether vortexes—but she's very effective at weakening them and applying the Corruption anomaly so your attack character can deal extra damage.

After using a special or chain attack, Nicole reloads her suitcase, gaining eight enhanced bullets that appear in the top left of the screen like an arcade shooter. When she hits enemies with either these bullets or the field of her ether vortexes, they have their defense reduced for 3.5 seconds. 

So, the best build for Nicole focuses on energy regen so she can use her EX special attack lots, plus buffing how fast she can proc Corruption on enemies and how powerful its effect will be. 

• W-Engine: The Vault or Weeping Cradle

The best W-Engine for Nicole for my money is The Vault, an A-tier that's perfectly suited to her playstyle. It buffs energy regen and means that when she deals ether damage against enemies using an EX special attack, chain attack, or ultimate, all other squadmates gain 15% increased damage against said targets. The wearer's energy regen is also buffed even further when that happens.

Considering Nicole's ether vortexes suck in and group up enemies so other squadmates can punish them, this damage buff works perfectly. Since it's an A-tier instead of an S-tier, it'll also be easier to get and upgrade. There's only one S-tier W-Engine for support characters in the game at launch, Weeping Cradle, and while it offers a nice damage buff, its advanced stat boost is pen ratio, making it more suited to Rina than Nicole

If you don't have either then I'd consider using [Reverb] Mark II in the meantime, since it'll buff energy regen so Nicole can use her special attack more, as well as anomaly mastery for the team when the wearer uses a chain attack or EX special attack, which will buff how fast she can proc Corruption.

• Drive Discs: Chaotic Metal (four-pieces equipped), Swing Jazz (two-pieces equipped)

For Drive Discs, I recommend four-pieces of the ether-focused set, Chaotic Metal. Two will buff ether damage by 10% for all of Nicole's vortexes, while four will increase crit damage by 20% and buff the potency of squadmates triggering the Corruption anomaly's extra damage effect by 5.5%. This can stack six times. 

Since Corruption is caused by ether damage, this stacks perfectly alongside The Vault's increase to squadmate damage against targets who've been hit by Nicole's ether. For the remaining two-pieces, Swing Jazz is a good shout, as this buffs energy regen by 20%, letting Nicole use her special attack even more. 

You can get Chaotic Metal and Swing Jazz either through the Monster and Weirdo Cleanup activity, or at the Bardic Needle store on Sixth Street, when you unlock them both after the Belobog commission during the main story.

In terms of base stats on the Drive Discs, I recommend:

• Drive Disc 4: Anomaly proficiency
• Drive Disc 5: Ether damage bonus
• Drive Disc 6: Anomaly mastery or energy regen

Anomaly proficiency increases the Corruption bonus damage effect that enemies receive when afflicted by that state. The Ether damage bonus strengthens Nicole's AoE vortexes, while anomaly mastery speeds up how fast her ether damage procs the Corruption state. This is all great if you're using Nicole to blast off her vortexes and proc Corruption, before punishing the grouped-up enemies with your other characters.

For random stats, you should look for anomaly proficiency and energy regen, buffing the damage enemies receive when hit in the Corruption state and how often she can use her EX special attack. You could also build crit rate to take advantage of Chaotic Metal's four-piece crit damage buff, but I would say it's currently unclear whether anomalies can crit—elemental reactions in Genshin Impact can't for example.

Since Corruption's damage is triggered through subsequent attacks against afflicted enemies, it's likely that Nicole would have to attack those enemies for the Corruption effect to crit, and that kind of invalidates her playstyle of weakening/grouping up enemies, then switching to an attack character to take advantage.

ZZZ Nicole promotion materials

Here's what you'll need to level up Nicole in Zenless Zone Zero:

• Support Certification Seals (Basic, Advanced, and Ruler)
• Investigator Logs

You can get Support Certification Seals through the Combat Simulation activity that unlocks via the main story. You'll want to choose Agent Promotion and then Support Drill in Nicole's case. Investigator Logs also come from the same place, you just need to choose Basic Material and Investigation Specialization instead. 

Similar to previous miHoYo games, raising your Inter-Knot reputation will provide access to higher character levels. Once you progress far enough, you'll also be able to change what enemies you fight in Combat Simulation to get a custom set of material rewards.