HoYoverse has announced that the next major content update for their urban fantasy action RPG, Zenless Zone Zero, is scheduled for release on 30 December. Titled Version 2.5 ‘To Be Fuel for the Night’, this update serves as the concluding chapter for the game’s second season and introduces changes to gameplay systems, new characters, and a range of commemorative rewards for the new year.
The narrative focus of Version 2.5 centres on the crisis at Waifei Peninsula. The storyline involves the Qingming Sword resonating with a primordial power, creating a potential backlash for the new character, Ye Shunguang. Simultaneously, the environment of Failume Heights is changing with the appearance of white flowers previously restricted to Hollows, indicating an expansion of the Lemnian Hollow. Players will need to utilise a new Perception Technique within the Lumite Mine ruins to investigate these events.
Two major characters headline this update. Ye Shunguang is introduced as the first dual-form Void Hunter. She utilises an attribute called Honed Edge and can enter an ‘Enlightened Mind’ state to trigger her Ether Veil, dealing damage and applying vulnerability effects to targets. She is accompanied by a sidekick named Bangboo Sprout.
The second character, Zhao, is an S-Rank Ice Defense Agent. Her combat style involves high mobility and the use of a massive weapon to suppress opponents. Her kit includes a mechanic called Frostbite, which can trigger ‘Ether Veil: Wellspring’ to provide buffs to the player’s squad.
To celebrate the update and the new year, the developer confirmed that all Proxies will be granted a free S-Rank Agent, Zhao, along with 1,000 Polychromes and a new outfit for the character Jane.
In terms of gameplay modes, Version 2.5 adds ‘Joint Investigation: The Divine Maze’. This is a limited-time multiplayer event where three-player squads engage in cooperative combat challenges. A new epilogue chapter, ‘Sword Seeker Chronicles’, will also be available, rewarding players with a new W-Engine upon completion. Social features are being expanded with the ‘Proxy Outpost’, a system allowing players to create guilds, discuss strategies, and post commissions.
Quality of Life improvements are being implemented with this patch. A new ‘sweep’ function for Combat Simulation stages will allow players to use Ether Batteries to instantly obtain promotion materials and Drive Discs. Additionally, combat mechanics and performance for existing agents—specifically Soldier 11, Grace, Soldier 0 – Anby, Ellen, and Burnice – have been updated.
For character acquisition, the limited-time channels for both Ye Shunguang and Zhao will be active for the duration of Version 2.5. The second half of the update will feature a special rerun channel, which guarantees that the first S-Rank signal received will be a selected character from a pool including Alice, Soldier 0 – Anby, or Astra. An ‘Advance Screening’ feature will also be available, allowing players to access the new story content immediately regardless of their previous progress.
