While a specific date has yet to be confirmed, following their previous 2023 closed beta test for their upcoming game Zenless Zone Zero, HoYoverse has confirmed that a new round of closed beta testing is in the works, with registrations now open. Being dubbed the ‘Amplifying Test’, HoYoverse claim to be making significant changes to the combat and Hollow exploration systems, with goals of improving its flow and pacing. Furthermore, players can look forward to meeting a new character, becoming acquainted with a new faction, brand-new Bangboo mechanics and more.
The Amplifying Test will showcase a brand-new character, Zhu Yuan, and a new faction — New Eridu Public Security’s Criminal Investigation Special Response Team. The latest Bangboo models are also on their way to the battlefield with their newly developed combat technique — Bangboo chain attacks. In addition, the combat challenge known as Shiyu Defense, along with a series of combat missions, will be available for players through the upgraded Hollow Deep Dive System (HDD).
The upcoming closed beta test also aims to bring significant improvements to the backend and core functionality of the gameplay experience aside from new content. Players will be able to explore the Hollows in a more efficient manner using the TV Wall (a.k.a. the Hollow Board), which has been optimized to a considerable extent. Additionally, combat has received a redesign, with aims on being “more dynamic, maximizing excitement for both newcomers and hardcore players, especially in Rally Missions and Hollow Zero”. Furthermore, they have also incorporated more urban life events into New Eridu.
Off the back of the success the company has found with Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, Zenless Zone Zero is a new urban-fantasy IP for the company, taking players on a post-apocalyptic adventure where contemporary civilization has been destroyed by a supernatural disaster known as the Hollows. Amidst this overwhelming calamity, the city of New Eridu has risen against all odds and evolved into the last bastion of modern civilization. Players will take on the role of a Proxy and embark on a mission to defeat unknown enemies and unravel the mysteries behind New Eridu.
Zenless Zone Zero is an Urban Fantasy ARPG which is set to release on the PC, iOS, Android, and PlayStation 5 platforms sometime in 2024 – with the beta test only available for the former three platforms listed.
