Honkai: Nexus Anima has officially opened pre-registration for its first closed beta test, which includes a gameplay trailer and a dedicated website. Developed by HoYoverse, the creators behind Genshin Impact, it’s a new creature collection autochess gacha game set in the Honkai: Star Rail universe. This game focuses on creatures called Anima and has sparked much discussion and curiosity within the gaming community.

In April, HoYoverse filed a trademark for the title “Honkai: Nexus Anima” in both South Korea and China, which led to the emergence of several Twitter accounts about the game across multiple languages. A teaser featuring characters Kiana and Blade from Honkai: Star Rail engaging in a Pokémon-style battle was showcased shortly after, confirming the game’s development. Now, more information about the upcoming title is available.

Closed Beta Test Details

The closed beta test, officially titled the “Nexus Bond Test,” will commence recruitment on August 29. Applications will be accepted on the game’s website from August 29 at 12:00 PM (UTC+8) until September 12 at 11:59 PM (UTC+8). Players interested in participating must create a HoYoverse account and fill out a questionnaire. Although the start date for the CBT has yet to be announced, HoYoverse mentioned that further details will be provided later. Participants will have the freedom to share gameplay footage from the Nexus Bond Test without restrictions.

This beta test will only be available for PC and iOS users. The recommended PC specifications include an 11th Generation Intel i5 processor, an RTX 2060 GPU, and 16 GB of RAM. The iOS version requires at least an iPhone 12 Pro for optimal performance. Additionally, Honkai: Nexus Anima will support cross-platform play, allowing players to access the same account across both platforms, although account sharing is not allowed. After the beta concludes, all saved data will be deleted.

The game will also release a four-minute gameplay trailer showcasing open-world exploration, character customization, various mini-games, and several of the Anima creatures featured in the game. A segment of the trailer appears to highlight combat mechanics similar to those found in auto-battler games like Teamfight Tactics. Interestingly, the beta application questionnaire includes a question about the highest rank achieved in Teamfight Tactics, suggesting that there may be certain similarities between the two types of games.

The Nexus Bond Test represents the inaugural CBT for Honkai: Nexus Anima, and HoYoverse has plans for additional opportunities to participate in future tests. It’s common for many gacha games to conduct two to three rounds of beta testing prior to their official launch to address any issues.