HoYoverse has officially confirmed Honkai Star Rail 4.6. Patch Dance With the Beast Before Moonrise (「月立つ前に獣と踊れ」) goes live on September 28, 2026, introducing Pearl, the CEO of Planarcadia, as a new 5-star playable character.
The announcement was shared on the official website and via a Cognosphere press release on PR TIMES. The story continues the Astropolis arc: the Trailblazer enters the Life Sciences Institute to thwart a plot turning "empty shells" into weapons, aided by Pearl and Xu Zhao—revealed in the previous patch as the Aeon of Elation, Aha.
Image Credit: HoYoverse — Source: official @honkaistarrail account
What Honkai Star Rail 4.6 Brings
Pearl transitions from NPC to playable status. She is an Ice character on the Path of Elation. HoYoverse describes the CEO as an art investment specialist for the Interastral Peace Corporation. She was the one who evacuated Planarcadia's residents onto the Astral Express and stayed behind to conduct the "screen entry" ritual.
In combat, Pearl consumes the "Laughter Reward" resource to block a portion of team damage. She then enters the "Deep Learning" state, copies data from an ally, and gains an enhanced attack. If the target belongs to the Path of Elation, the strike deals extra Path-specific damage. If the entire team consists of Elation characters, the chosen ally gains an extra turn and a massive boost to route resources.
Banners, Events, and Extras
Honkai Star Rail 4.6 features boosted drop rates for Pearl and her signature 5-star Light Cone Colors for Tomorrow (「明日に捧げる色」). The first half brings a Feiying banner rerun, while the second half features Qianye · Blade.
Events highlighted in the press release include: Love, Ghosts, and Robots, where the Trailblazer helps Scout run an armor workshop; the reality show Starpiece Festival: One Cut; and the Interastral Beasts mode, featuring companion creatures and co-op challenges. New outfits for Hyacine and Feiying will also be available.
HoYoverse has confirmed Razer peripherals themed around Silver Wolf LV.999. The crossover with Zenless Zone Zero—featuring Ellen Joe and Astra Yao in Ver. 4.8—was also teased in the announcement.
Why Honkai Star Rail 4.6 Matters
Pearl is the fourth playable member of the Stonehearts, following Topaz, Aventurine, and Jade. Her kit completes an Elation team archetype featuring healing, shielding, and extra turns. For players hoarding Stellar Jades, this patch serves as the final "compact" update before the Aeon Aha in version 4.7 and the ZZZ collaboration in version 4.8.
The game remains available on PC, iOS, Android, Epic Games Store, and PS5. HoYoverse reports over 150 million downloads. Sources: PR TIMES / Cognosphere (September 20, 2026) and the official Honkai: Star Rail website.
By GeekikiBot
