HoYoverse returns to G-STAR 2026 with two new games, Petit Planet on Dec 4

Company executives joined the briefing to introduce the line-up and explain why Korea is central to their plans. Sam, HoYoverse’s global PR lead, thanked Korean players directly, saying Korea “has always been an important pillar” of HoYoverse’s global community and that player interest and feedback have been a major support. HoYoverse Korea head Hwang Ran said the G-STAR appearance is less about booth numbers and more about hearing “live” impressions from attendees — what’s working, what needs work, and which parts spark questions or ideas.

The briefing laid out HoYoverse’s recent performance and installed context for the new releases. Genshin Impact, released in September 2020, was presented as an open-world RPG with more than 40 million global users and six years of content updates; the team noted that seven nations in the Teyvat continent are already revealed. Honkai: Star Rail, launched in April 2023, hit over 10 million pre-registrations and has passed 150 million cumulative downloads, with each major social channel holding over one million followers. Zenless Zone Zero, released in July 2024 across PC, console and mobile, has exceeded 100 million cumulative downloads, amassed more than 19 million global followers on social channels, added Steam in 2026, and picked up nominations and wins at events including the PlayStation Partner Awards and Gamescom.

HoYoverse framed its G-STAR presence under the slogan “More World, More Story, More to Discover,” and then took the stage for full breakdowns of the two new games. Honkai: Nexus Anima is presented as a collection-and-raising adventure strategy title set in the Honkai universe, introducing a new lifeform type called anima. The world concept opens on the keyword “bond”: after the Honkai event disrupted previous connections, stranded bonds reformed as living anima that co-exist with people. Players take the role of dimensional travelers who meet, befriend and battle with anima while exploring hidden truths across different factions.

Nexus Anima’s creative details are specific. The game offers a branching narrative with multiple endings driven by player choices; faction relationships with groups such as the True Nexus Group and the Nexus Association will reshape story routes and conclusions. The primary hub, Iyama Village, is rendered as a living space with neighborhoods, commercial zones and landmarks; players can send anima to run shops, ride anima as mounts to traverse the town, solve environmental puzzles and manage small businesses. Combat uses an auto-battler structure that stacks up to three characters per battle while leveraging a system of elemental “principles” whose synergies unlock stronger effects. Players can pair characters with companion anima to boost those anima’s strength, and some anima evolve through challenge completions. HoYoverse showcased a handful of anima examples by name — Tsumei (born from a plum branch), Umbrella (a capricious cat-shaped anima that turns into an umbrella with weather), and Shadow (a nocturnal anima that roams the dark) — to underline the variety of creature personalities and uses.

On scheduling and access, HoYoverse confirmed a final beta test for Nexus Anima on November 25, with a full release targeted for spring next year. The team said they will gather feedback from that beta and from the G-STAR demos to refine mechanics, character designs and branching scenarios. Hwang Ran emphasized that many development details remain in progress and that the company plans to use player reactions at the tests and at G-STAR to guide the next iterations.

Petit Planet was introduced as HoYoverse’s first planet-life simulation: a cozy life game set in the “star sea,” where each player manages their own planet as a “star keeper.” The title’s core theme is connection — players build their planets without a fixed playstyle, grow a tree from a Luca Seed to expand terrain, and cultivate fields, mountains and seas that unlock daily activities. Petit Planet will launch globally on December 4 for PC, iOS and Android, and the company described the experience as richer than a static showcase: players actively tend, decorate and live on their planets.

Gameplay and social systems for Petit Planet are extensive. Building and decoration use a blueprint-style “design” system that lets users craft furniture and layouts, save those designs, and share them with other players so users without creating skills can apply someone else’s plan. The in-game shop Rumi Home Shopping sells rare outfits and furniture, while “idea cards” provide alternate means to obtain crafting resources and designs. Players meet neighbors such as Winky, Isaki and Saphir, raise intimacy through conversations and gifts, and unlock companion help and hidden stories as relationships grow. Exploration is supported via the Star Sea Travel system to visit new regions, collect materials and meet characters; life activities include farming, insect collecting, fishing and tidal flat harvesting. Collected fauna can be displayed in a Museum of All Things or used as cooking ingredients. Social hubs include the Galaxy Market, where star keepers gather to chat, sit around campfires, or play dance games on a stage. HoYoverse also said additional neighbor characters will be added post-launch.

Petit Planet’s safety and accessibility measures were detailed by Murphy, the game’s design lead. As an all-ages title, the team implemented three social protection systems: Galaxy Market chat requires players to be seated at a table before they can talk in that space; the friends system separates unknown users from friends to prevent unsolicited connections; and a parental control-style minor protection switch restricts social features when activated. Murphy added that base gameplay content and neighbor interactions are free to access without purchases, and that the team intends the game’s core loop to be playable without paid items. On the AI front, art lead Inri Hwang explained that certain NPCs use AI systems — for example, a “stove shopkeeper” — and that AI data collection will be limited to legally required levels per local regulations. Players will have options to turn AI features on or off, and rights to request correction, modification or deletion of personal data. HoYoverse said more AI-enabled NPCs like Amira Rabbit are planned, and the company will keep iterating those systems from player feedback.

Both games will be playable at the G-STAR booth and HoYoverse said it plans on-site events for visitors. The team acknowledged the difference in player profiles: Petit Planet targets a broader, more casual audience that enjoys life-sim and social play, while Nexus Anima will sit within the Honkai franchise lineage and aims to expand the series’ gameplay palette. When asked about monetization for Petit Planet, Murphy reiterated the protective controls and that fundamental content and neighborhood interactions remain accessible without payment, with parental switches available to restrict social and monetization options on minor accounts. On collaborations, HoYoverse said development focus is on polish and no IP tie-ins are scheduled at present; any future collabs will be announced separately.