Published: August 15, 2026 
HoYoverse just made one of its biggest announcements yet. During the Honkai Star Rail Version 4.5 Special Broadcast on August 14th, the studio confirmed that an HSR x ZZZ collab is officially happening. So many players have been hoping for this for a long time. Here's everything we know so far about the crossover.
When Does the HSR x ZZZ Collab Release?
HoYoverse has confirmed a Winter 2026 release window, but hasn't given us an exact date yet. Based on Honkai Star Rail's update schedule, most players expect the collab to land around December 2026, likely during Version 4.8 or Version 5.0.
| Time Zone | Expected Window |
|---|---|
| Pacific (PT) | December 2026 (TBA) |
| Eastern (ET) | December 2026 (TBA) |
| Central Europe (CET) | December 2026 (TBA) |
| India (IST) | December 2026 (TBA) |
| Japan (JST) | December 2026 (TBA) |
| Australia (AEST) | December 2026 (TBA) |
We'll update this table with exact dates once HoYoverse makes them official.
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What's Included in HSR x ZZZ Collab?
Unlike the previous Honkai Impact 3rd x HSR collab, where only HI3 received content, this crossover goes both ways. Zenless Zone Zero will get Honkai Star Rail content, and Honkai Star Rail will get ZZZ content. That means players of either game have a reason to care, which is a smart move from HoYoverse.
Leaked Crossover Characters
No characters have been officially confirmed yet, but leaks from Galaxy Leaks suggest the following lineup:
| Character | Home Game | Crossing Over To |
|---|---|---|
| Robin | Honkai: Star Rail | Zenless Zone Zero |
| Astra Yao | Zenless Zone Zero | Honkai: Star Rail |
| Ellen Joe | Zenless Zone Zero | Honkai: Star Rail |
Robin and Astra Yao are both beloved characters in their respective worlds, so seeing them show up in each other's universe will feel awesome. Ellen joining alongside Astra Yao is a bit unexpected, but she's one of ZZZ's most popular characters, too, so it tracks from a business perspective.
Pom-Pom Was the First Hint
Before the official announcement, players spotted Pom-Pom, who is the Astral Express conductor from HSR, popping up inside Zenless Zone Zero on live servers. At the time, it looked like a fun Easter egg. Now we know it was HoYoverse planting the seeds for this collab all along.
If you play both games, now's the time to start saving. Stock up your Stellar Jades in HSR and your Polychromes in ZZZ. If these leaked characters end up on limited banners, you'll want a healthy amount of materials ready.
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If this HSR x ZZZ collab does well, we could see even more crossovers between HoYoverse titles down the line, maybe even Genshin Impact getting in on the action again.
We'll keep this article updated as HoYoverse reveals more details. For now, Winter 2026 can't come soon enough!
FAQs
The collab is confirmed for Winter 2026, with most expectations pointing to a December release, though no exact date has been announced yet.
Leaks suggest Robin will head to ZZZ, while Astra Yao and Ellen Joe will become playable in Honkai Star Rail, though none of this is officially confirmed.
It's a two-way crossover. Both Honkai Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero will receive characters and content from each other.
