Honkai Star Rail 4.6 Preview: Expected Characters, Banners, and Features

Honkai: Star Rail is a space fantasy RPG that follows the Astral Express across a galaxy shaped by the Stellaron mystery.

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Honkai Star Rail version 4.5 is winding down, and the next major update is right around the corner. Version 4.6 is expected to arrive in late September or early October 2026, bringing a fresh 5-star character, new banners, and the continuation of one of the game's biggest crossovers. If you're saving Stellar Jades or just want to know what's next for the Astral Express crew, here's everything we can piece together from current banner schedules, official announcements, and community tracking sites.

Version 4.6 Preview & Maintenance Schedule

HoYoverse hasn't posted the official 4.6 maintenance announcement yet. Based on the 4.5 schedule and the typical six-week version cycle:

Special program livestream: 18 September 2026 (Expected!)
Maintenance: 27 September 2026 (Expected!)

The exact date will be confirmed in the official pre-installation notice, which usually arrives 48 hours before maintenance begins. Keep an eye on HoYoLAB and the official Honkai Star Rail social channels for the announcement.

Version 4.6 Launch Schedule

The biggest confirmed detail for version 4.6 is the debut of Pearl, a new 5-star character whose banner is slated for Phase 1. According to banner tracking sites like Beebom and HoYoLAB community schedules, Pearl's banner is expected to run from roughly October 6 through October 27, 2026.

Beyond Pearl, HoYoverse has kept specifics about 4.6 close to the chest. That's typical for the studio. They usually reveal the full patch contents during a special program livestream roughly 10 days before the update goes live. Based on the current 4.5 schedule, that livestream should drop sometime in mid-to-late September.

Here's an expected schedule for the upcoming 4.6 update:

Version 4.6 launch: Late September or early October 2026 (4.5 is a shortened five-week patch ending around September 27)
Phase 1 banner: Pearl (new 5-star)
Phase 2 banner: To be announced during the livestream
Fate x HSR collab: The open-ended Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works] crossover banners featuring Saber, Archer, Gilgamesh, and Rin Tohsaka are confirmed to remain available through the end of 4.6

The Pearl Banner

Pearl is the headline character for version 4.6 Phase 1. While HoYoverse hasn't published her full kit details at the time of this writing, her banner placement confirms she's a new 5-star addition to the roster.

If you're deciding whether to pull for Pearl, the smart move is to wait for the livestream. That's when HoYoverse reveals a character's Path, element, playstyle, and signature Light Cone. Once we know her Path and element, we can assess how she fits into the current meta, which has been dominated by Elation characters since version 4.2.

What we do know: the Fate collab banners have been running since July 2025 and remain available through 4.6's end. If you're torn between pulling for Pearl and grabbing a Fate character, you don't have to choose immediately. The Fate banners aren't going anywhere for a while.

Ongoing Fate X HSR Collab

The Fate/stay night collaboration is one of the longest-running crossover events in Honkai Star Rail history. Saber, Archer, Gilgamesh, and Rin Tohsaka all have open-ended banners that persist across versions.

The key detail for 4.6: the Fate Contract: Renewal event, which lets every account claim either Gilgamesh or Archer for free, remains available until version 4.6 ends. If you haven't claimed your free 5-star yet, 4.6 is your final window. Once the version concludes, the free giveaway disappears.

If you're a newer player or skipped the Fate banners, this is worth planning around. Gilgamesh sits at S+ on most community tier lists, and Archer is a solid pick too. Free 5-stars don't come around often in HSR.

What to Expect From Version 4.6 Beyond Banners

HoYoverse patches typically follow a reliable content structure. Based on patterns from 4.5 and earlier versions, here's what 4.6 will likely include:

New Story Content: Each major version advances the main story or a side storyline. Version 4.5's Astropolis event introduced summer-themed content with Robin and Aventurine's new forms. Version 4.6 should continue the narrative thread. The specific direction depends on where the Amphoreus storyline stands after 4.5.

Endgame Mode Refreshes: Version 4.5 broke the usual pattern by being a shortened five-week patch where Memory of Chaos did not refresh. For 4.6, we can expect the usual six-week cycle with MoC, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow resets. Starward Mode, introduced in 4.3 as an optional harder three-team layer, should also get a new cycle.

Quality-of-Life Updates: HoYoverse ships system improvements with nearly every patch. Recent versions have added new relic and ornament sets, character enhancement programs (Novaflare), and UI tweaks. 4.6 will likely continue this trend.

New Relic Sets: Versions 4.3 and 4.4 introduced relic and ornament sets purpose-built for specific characters. If Pearl brings a new playstyle, expect matching relics to farm.

How to Prepare for Version 4.6

Honkai: Star Rail

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Honkai: Star Rail is a space fantasy RPG that follows the Astral Express across a galaxy shaped by the Stellaron mystery.

Adventure

Download (484.0 MB)

If you want to hit the ground running when 4.6 launches, here are practical steps:

Save Stellar Jades: Pearl is a new 5-star, which means you need up to 180 pulls (or 144 if you lose the 50/50 and win the next guaranteed) to guarantee her. That's roughly 28,800 to 23,400 Stellar Jades.
Claim Your Free Fate Character: If you haven't used the Fate Contract: Renewal yet, do it before 4.6 ends. Pick Gilgamesh if you need a strong DPS, or Archer if your roster needs a versatile unit.
Farm Materials in Advance: Once Pearl's element and Path are revealed in the livestream, you can start pre-farming ascension and trace materials. Sites like the Honkai Star Rail wiki and community trackers publish material lists within hours of the livestream.
Clear Current Endgame: Since 4.5 was a shortened patch, use the gap between versions to clear any remaining Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, or Apocalyptic Shadow cycles you haven't tackled yet.
Check for Redeem Codes: HoYoverse drops limited-time redeem codes during every special program livestream. These codes expire within 24 to 48 hours, so watch the stream live or check community sites for codes right after.

Should You Pull for Pearl or Save

This is the question every Trailblazer asks before a new version. The honest answer: it depends on your roster and your Stellar Jade reserves.

If you've been playing since the Elation meta took over in 4.2, you might already have strong DPS options like Evanescia or Silver Wolf LV.999. In that case, Pearl needs to offer something your team lacks to be worth pulling.

If you're a newer player or missed the Elation wave, Pearl could be a strong addition to round out your roster. Wait for the livestream to see her full kit, then decide.

The one piece of advice that applies regardless: don't skip the Fate collab characters if you don't have them yet. Open-ended banners aren't permanent, and the free Gilgamesh/Archer giveaway ends when 4.6 does.

Honkai Star Rail 4.6 is shaping up to be a transition patch with one confirmed new character (Pearl), the ongoing Fate collab entering its final stretch, and the usual slate of endgame refreshes and quality-of-life updates. The shortened 4.5 cycle means 4.6 arrives sooner than a standard patch, so start planning your pulls and resource farming now.