Honkai: Star Rail, released in 2023, was an immediate hit for publisher Hoyoverse, reaching $20 million downloads in just a few days, drawing hundreds of millions of dollars in the aftermath. Globally, many people who rode the Astral Express made us enjoy Genshin Impact after enjoying another Hoyoversepublished game. However, Honkai’s origins and the roots of its global success come back much further.
The Honkai series has actually existed since 2011, when Mihoyo’s small team released Flyme2 themoon on iOS. The studio then exploded with team members, including Notoriety and Honkai: Star Rail lead game designer Chengnan An. I joined the Honkai team of Honkai Impact 3rd. Having worked with the company for multiple generations and ten years of development of Hongkai games, there is much to share the philosophy of the series and why it abolished the way it was done with the 2023 Star Rail release, as it remains relatively unknown in the West. We spoke in the wake of the Game Developer Conference (GDC) 2025 and gained a perspective on where Hong Kai is all about, Hong Kai: Star Rail and Astral Express heads for the next few years.
Passthecontroller: Could you tell us a little about your role in the origins of Honkai? When did you work on Honkai and join the team? Also, how did you see how Honkai has evolved as a series since joining? What is the difference between early Honkai (such as Flyme 2 themoon) and Honkai Now (Star Rail)?
Chen Nan an: I first joined Honkai Impact’s third team as the lead combat designer, focusing on improving the game’s action mechanics. It was an exciting time – we were constantly pushing the boundaries of how fast-paced action games can feel. It was incredibly rewarding to see players enjoying the battles we designed, and it still shapes what we think about the design of the game.
Around 2019, I moved to a more strategic role as the lead game designer for Honkai: Star Rail. At the time, we began to think. Can you explore new gameplay directions based on existing expertise? Many of us on the team, including myself, are huge fans of turn-based games, and by then had a lot of experience designing action gameplay. It led to an interesting challenge. Can you combine your knowledge/experience from the action game with the depth and strategy of turn-based combat to create something fresh?
That’s what happens to Honkai: Star Rail. It was a natural evolution not only for the series, but for us as developers. Corehonkai DNA – powerful storytelling, deep character interactions, fascinating combat – remains the same.
Hongkai: Tell us about the original concept and creation of Star Rail. What made the team create the third Hongkai game? Have you got lessons or clues from Genshin Impact or other Hoyo games?
an: Honkai: You can only speak on behalf of the Star Rail team. In Hoyoverse, each title is generally developed by an individual team. But of course, I have accumulated valuable experience through previous title development, including technical pipelines, project development, content output, localization, and more.
Plus, I would like to explain in detail why Honkai: Star Rail is a space fantasy. This is the first attempt by Hoyoverse to explore the science fiction concept of “interstellar journeys” that offers players epic adventures as they cross the galaxy, explore many unique planets, and resolve conflicts with unique companion support. In addition to science fiction concepts, it incorporates fantasy and mythical elements (Eon) and (Stellaron) to create a broad and deadly story.
What is the biggest change in the original concept of Honkai Star Rail and its final version? Are there any features or ideas that you wished to be able to use, which remained on the floor of your room?
an: The combat system evolved a lot during development. There were many mechanisms that were experimented, refined or completely discarded before landing on the final version. One example – what we talked about at GDC – is the evolution of “relaxation QTE.”
Initially, there was the idea that by defeating the enemy’s weakness, players could manually select actions, such as attack, healing, or support moves. On paper, that makes sense, but in reality, the flow of combat has actually slowed down.
So we refined it. Instead of requiring manual input every time, we introduced automatic triggers. This led to what we now call a “follow-up attack.” This is a skill that you activate under a variety of conditions. For example, Hertha will automatically attack when an enemy’s HP falls below 50%, rather than waiting for a break in weakness.
Better yet, follow-up can be chained together. Imagine this: Hertha attacks, drops enemy HP by less than half, causing her to follow up. It breaks another weakness and activates follow-up of teammate Himeko. That way, one click sets up a powerful sequence.
This shift made combat more dynamic, intuitive and rewarding, allowing for deeper strategies while still keeping the combat attractive. And it’s just one of many ways that a system can change over time.
Honkai: Star Rail is the third Hongkai game, but it exploded internationally in ways that others didn’t. Why do you think so? Honkai: What’s special about Star Rail?
an: Honestly, seeing how much love the game received was rewarding and a bit unexpected. We have tried to create something that can easily get in while providing depth, but it’s amazing to see both veteran fans and newcomers welcome it. The space fantasy setting combined with turn-based combat provides a fresh experience, but remains true to what makes the series enjoyable.
It can be special about how players connect with the characters and story. We have worked so hard to balance humor, emotion and adventure, but it’s humble to see it all come together. Of course, high production values, multi-platform support, passionate teams have all played a role, but at the end of the day it’s the player feedback that really gives it the meaning.
Do you plan/write a story? How do you deal with the challenges that arise from telling a good story while you are constantly in need to expand your world and characters?
AN: A well-structured pipeline is in place for both story and gameplay development to provide a better experience for players. We plan our story at least a year ago, thinking ahead of the new planet and the stories we want to tell. Honkai: Star Rail has been a passion project for the past five years. This is an ambitious effort driven by the goal of redefine RPGs for a larger audience. Now we dive deep into the amphoas. This is a world where we have paid a lot of attention. From versions 3.0 to 3.7, this will be a story arc that spans eight versions. We hope you enjoy this Chase journey of Flame as players unfold.
Beyond Trailblaze Mission (The Main Story), our adventure missions act more than just a side story. They provide a different lens for each world, its people, and their experiences. For example, Amphoreus was once a city-state collection, but as the Kuroshio Current invaded, these cultures were forced to merge in Okhema, the last shelter. Where can I go through the adventure mission? We explore not only the history of Amphoas, but also the hope, loss and resilience of its people. The story deepens the building of the world and, more importantly, gives players an emotional connection to the characters and civilizations they encounter.
How sustainable is it to continue building such a huge world, a story, and so many characters? Are you worried that the game will ultimately be bothersome or inaccessible to new people?
AN: It usually takes more than a year to develop new worlds, such as Penacony and Water Angle, along with so many characters in that world.
The core concept speech at GDC 2025 highlights three design principles in Honkai: Star Rail, two of which are simple and extensible. On the one hand, it emphasizes simplicity. For example, in Battle Mechanics, turn-based gameplay allows players to spend time making decisions. We streamlined the selection of skills available to players, but also have the option to enable automatic combat. This feature ensures players are not overwhelmed when starting the game or adapting to new battle strategies.
Meanwhile, as the title of the live service, it will continue to expand Honkai: Star Rail Universe through regular updates. This approach allows you to introduce new content that includes new worlds (as mentioned above), characters, and gameplay elements. However, expanding content does not mean that you are aiming to become Honkai. We continue to be committed to the principle of simplicity. Various mechanisms have been implemented for simplification. For example, leveling up characters is more accessible through the guide system, and is now stragihtword. It also offers faster access to new content. With version 3.0, players can head directly to Amphoreus and experience the latest Trailblaze missions.
Honkai: Have you seen Switch 2 on Star Rail at all? How about Xbox?
AN: We are always aiming to attract more players to space fantasy RPGs. As such, the title has been available on both PCs and mobile devices from the first day of its official release. Version 1.4 also added support for PS5. Additionally, as a title for our live service, we are committed to providing players with continuous opportunities over time. Stay tuned to the official website for the latest updates.
Do you think there is a growing trend in games developed by China on the international stage? Is it affecting the way you approach game development?
an: This was the first time I’ve been to GDC and I was excited to see developers from around the world connecting, sharing insights and working together to strengthen the gaming industry. During that time I had the opportunity to meet fans who are extremely passionate about our title. This was a real honor.
During the preparation of the GDC 2025 core concept, we spent important time carefully reviewing previous development logs and player feedback. It was an enlightening experience that not only reminded me of the old days spent on this space fantasy, but also highlighted the importance of continuing listening to players. Ultimately, live service titles aren’t just about providing content through updates. It also comes with a long-term commitment to improving and meeting player expectations.
Honkai: How long do you maintain Star Rail? Will you finally make the fourth Hongkai game? What will this franchise look like in 10 years?
AN: HONKAI: Star Rail presents a very vast and complex galaxy to explore. To be honest, fully realising that possibility is a long-term effort that is well beyond just a few years.
Are you not asking you to ask me?
AN: Why not ask how you feel about the title like you do now?
We are on the brink of celebrating the second anniversary of Honkai: Star Rail, in addition to the upcoming release of version 3.2. The game officially launched on April 26, 2023, but its development actually began in 2019. From a certain perspective of the development team members, me, this means that I have been passionately invested in this space fantasy RPG for over five years.
We also want to emphasize that we have always been listening and communicating with our players. There are many exciting developments in the work, including new content and gameplay optimizations. Several of these previews were shared in the 3.2 special program on March 28th, with development and tweaking of future versions steadily progressing. Looking forward to more updates and thank you for your continued support!
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter at Passthecontroller. You can find her posts at Bluesky @Duckvalentine.bsky.social. Do you have any tips for the story? Send to [email protected].
