Honkai: Star Rail 4.3 Special Program confirmed for May 22

HoYoverse has confirmed the Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.3 Special Program for May 22, with the broadcast set to air at 19:30 UTC+8 / 3:30 am PT / 6:30 am ET. The stream will officially introduce new 5-star character Mortenax Blade and distribute three redemption codes worth 300 Stellar Jade in total, each expiring within 24 hours of going live.

What to expect from the broadcast

Version 4.3 carries the title "The Lethe Below the Living" and closes out the Planarcadia story arc. The Special Program will walk through upcoming events, rewards, and a full character overview for Mortenax Blade before the version goes live. HoYoverse has confirmed the stream will air on the game's official YouTube and Twitch channels.

The 4.3 release date has not been officially confirmed but is expected to fall on May 31 for North America and June 1 for Europe and Asia, following the standard two-week gap from the Special Program. Pre-loading will be available through the HoYoPlay launcher ahead of launch.

Mortenax Blade and what comes next

Mortenax Blade is a 5-star Fire Nihility character and an alternate form of the original Blade, who has been one of the game's most played units since his 2022 debut. Where the original is built around absorbing damage and converting it into AOE attacks, Mortenax Blade pivots to a Zone-based playstyle, deploying field buffs, DEF shred debuffs, and an Infinite Fury ultimate that scales off Max HP. He is the only new character confirmed for 4.3.

The broader pull calculus heading into 4.3 tilts toward saving. Version 4.4 is confirmed to bring the Fate/Stay Night crossover, with Gilgamesh confirmed as a free character and Rin Tohsaka among the expected additions. Players deciding whether to spend Stellar Jade on Mortenax Blade now or hold for the collab will likely get clarity from the May 22 broadcast.

The arrival of Mortenax Blade lands in a week where AI's role in gaming is generating its own headlines. A fan-made AI video imagining a modern Final Fantasy VI remake went viral after series creator Hironobu Sakaguchi praised it on X, while other developers pushed back... a split reaction that reflects how unresolved the industry's relationship with generative AI remains.