Honkai: Nexus Anima Final Closed Beta Starts November 25

The Honkai: Nexus Anima Final Closed Beta begins on November 25, 2026 (UTC+8) on PC, iOS and Android, and recruitment closes on November 22 at 09:59 (UTC+8). HoYoverse announced it on November 5 alongside a Spring 2027 launch window.

The headline changes are generous ones for a test. Every Eidos now arrives with its Anima Companion, the 5-star Eidos Blade is free at Player Level 40, and your first 5-star from an Event Bond is guaranteed to be the featured one. HoYoverse also lists more Chromatic Anima, an RV you can rest in, and the Nexus Arena for ranked matches.

Closed beta caveat. This is a test build. HoYoverse says the content “does not represent the final product”, and everything below comes from the official announcement, its infographics and the Final Closed Beta Gameplay Showcase. We have not played this build. Facts checked 2026-11-06.

Key takeaways

• Test starts: November 25, 2026 (UTC+8). No start time or end date yet.
• Recruitment closes: November 22, 2026 at 09:59 (UTC+8), which is 01:59 UTC, 02:59 CET and November 21 at 20:59 US Eastern.
• Platforms: PC, iOS and Android. The recommended specs are lower than the Evolution Test’s.
• Free Anima Companion: the first time you obtain an Eidos, you can also claim the Anima that fights beside them.
• Free 5-star Blade: reach Player Level 40 to claim Blade, plus his companion Bladehound.
• No lost first 50/50: the first 5-star from Eidos Event Bonds and Anima Event Bonds is guaranteed to be the featured unit.
• New systems: an RV home, buildable Habitats, more Chromatic Anima, more juvenile Anima that evolve, and the all-new Nexus Arena.
• Wiped at the end: no payments, and all account data is deleted when the test closes.

Final Closed Beta dates, platforms and deadline

HoYoverse published the Final Closed Beta schedule in UTC+8, as it does for every test. Here it is converted. November falls in winter time, so Central Europe is on CET (UTC+1), not summer CEST.

The test runs on PC, iOS and Android, the same three platforms as the Evolution Test. HoYoverse’s test guidelines describe it as “a limited, free beta test with no monetization”, and state that account data will be wiped.

Selected testers hear back through two channels: email and the Check Test Access button on the official site. HoYoverse has not said when notifications go out. The questionnaire cannot be edited once submitted, and access belongs to the person selected only, so it cannot be passed to a friend.

The official Final Closed Beta poster. It sums up the test in three promises: a free Anima Companion, a guaranteed first 50/50, and more updates.

Get an Eidos and their Anima comes free

This is the change that touches every player. The first time you obtain an Eidos, you can also claim their Anima Companion. HoYoverse’s footnote lists where Eidos come from: Eidos Event Bonds, the Eidos Standard Bond, event rewards, quest rewards “and more”.

Every Eidos in the game is paired with an Anima. On our Eidos database, Blade pairs with Bladehound, Juelle with Dragamour and Gloria with Jerboranj, for example. Under the old setup those pairs were separate things to collect. Now pulling or earning the Eidos gets you both halves of the pair.

The official infographic shows a row of companion cards, several of them 5-star. That matters for team building, because an Eidos and their companion are usually designed to work together. The formation guide and the team builder are the places to plan around those pairs.

Why the companion change matters for the gacha

It effectively doubles what one Eidos pull is worth. A 5-star Eidos from an Event Bond also brings a featured Anima you would otherwise have chased on a separate banner. HoYoverse has not said whether the companion Anima arrives at the same rarity, level or Evolution stage as one pulled from an Anima Bond. We would not assume they are identical until testers can check.

Reach Player Level 40 to claim Blade

Reaching Player Level 40 in the Final Closed Beta gets you the 5-star Eidos Blade, and because of the companion rule, his Anima Companion Bladehound comes with him.

Blade is a 5-star Strength Eidos and a finisher. His Splintered Sword hits one enemy for Physical damage plus True damage once the target is below 50% Health. His full kit is on the Blade page. Bladehound has its own case: our reroll guide ranks it as the safest 5-star pick, because Strength is the only Aspect whose synergy switches on with a single unit.

Blade is not new to the game’s marketing. HoYoverse’s Evolution Test preview cast Blade and Bladehound as opponents, praising their “flawless teamwork”. The Final Closed Beta is the first time HoYoverse has promised him to every tester as a progression reward. HoYoverse has not said how long Level 40 takes in this build.

The three gacha and progression changes HoYoverse leads with: the companion claim, Blade at Level 40, and the protected first 50/50.

First 50/50: the featured Eidos is guaranteed

The third headline change is about the limited banners. In Eidos Event Bonds and Anima Event Bonds, the first 5-star Eidos or Anima you obtain is guaranteed to be the featured one. If that first 5-star is a featured Eidos, you can claim their Anima Companion as well.

In practice, the first time you hit a 5-star on a limited banner, you cannot lose the 50/50 to a standard unit. HoYoverse’s wording covers the “first” 5-star only. It does not say whether later 5-stars run on a normal 50/50 with a guarantee after a loss. Our gacha guide covers the rules confirmed from the Evolution Test build, including the guaranteed 5-star Eidos within your first 50 Bonds and a 4-star every 10.

The showcase video flashes a “First 50/50: Featured Eidos guaranteed” banner over a Bond animation, then reveals a 5-star Anima card named Seroplumanth. That is the only on-screen pull in the video, so do not read it as a rate.

Unconfirmed until testers report back. Pity counts, soft pity and whether the guarantee carries between Eidos and Anima banners are not in the announcement. We will update the gacha guide once the build is in players’ hands.

New faces: Blade, Gloria and Juelle

The “A Brand-New Adventure with New Faces to Meet” panel names three Eidos: Blade, Gloria and Juelle. All three are already on our Eidos database from earlier builds, so “new” here means new to the public test experience, not new to the roster.

• Juelle is a 5-star Love Eidos and Chair of the Committee for a Joyful Iia. Her companion is Dragamour, the Anima that rescues you on your first night.
• Gloria is an Insatiability Eidos claimed by clearing Ancient Riddles: Floor 2, and her companion is Jerboranj.
• Blade is the Level 40 reward covered above.

The same infographic leads with “As an Animaster, ‘You’ Take the Field”. It shows the two player characters, one blond in a white jacket and one blonde in a cropped white top, each beside the grey unicorn foal Anima. Our Animaster guide covers the protagonist and the Eidos cast. The characters guide lists everyone confirmed so far.

Blade, Gloria and Juelle are the three Eidos HoYoverse spotlights for this test.

Anima interactions, Chromatic Anima and evolution

Three changes are about the creatures themselves, and they read as quality-of-life work on the side of the game the Evolution Test was built around.

More ways to interact. “Hold hands, share a hug, and lift them high!” The infographic shows a player holding an Anima’s hand, hugging a large cat-like Anima and sitting with Bladehound in a city street. The bond guide covers how bonding worked before.

More Chromatic Anima. HoYoverse says you “may encounter more Chromatic Anima to Bond”, and that during in-game events certain Anima will appear more often in specific areas. That raises your odds of finding a Chromatic one. No rate is given. Our Chromatic Anima guide explains how the Chroma slot works.

More juvenile Anima. “More juvenile Anima are joining the adventure.” The infographic pairs each young form with its evolved one, including a red and white lion cub and a pink sea serpent. The evolution guide covers how evolution worked in the Evolution Test.

Interactions, event-boosted Chromatic spawns and more juvenile Anima are the creature-side changes.

An RV home, Habitats and the Nexus Arena

The last infographic covers where you live and where you fight.

A place for you and your Anima to call home

“During this test, you can return to your RV to rest at any time, or build Habitats for your Anima as you explore. You may even receive some unexpected visitors.” The RV is a cosy camper interior, and the showcase video opens on it. Habitats existed in the Evolution Test through the Where Anima Dwell event, which our exploration guide documents. The new part is building them yourself as you explore, and HoYoverse has not detailed how that works.

Match up with opponents and battle it out

“In the all-new Nexus Arena, build your team, match up against opponents, and battle your way to higher ranks!” The showcase shows a matchmaking timer in a marble hall, then a full auto-battle board against another player. Our PvP or PvE guide covers what the game text already says about the Nexus Arena: seasons, Rank Points, and seven ranks from Retainer to King. This test is the first time HoYoverse has put ranked matchmaking front and centre. The Grand Championship guide covers the story tournament, which is a separate thing.

The RV, player-built Habitats and the Nexus Arena are the systems HoYoverse calls out as new for this test.

The official recruitment post

HoYoverse posted the recruitment call on X on November 5, 2026.

Recruitment for the Final Closed Beta Now Open!

A Chance Meeting, A Road Home. Weave the Nexus and Anchor Possibilities.

The #HNAFinalBeta launches November 25!

Pre-register for #HonkaiNexusAnima >>> https://hoyo.link/411Icw7Mb

Follow us for the latest updates and announcements >>> https://hoyo.link/Ieimh9xRf

Nexus threads have bound us together. Honkai: Nexus Anima is scheduled to launch in Spring 2027. Pre-registration is now available on the App Store!

— Honkai: Nexus Anima (@HonkaiNA)

November 5, 2026

The Final Closed Beta Gameplay Showcase on the official YouTube channel runs just under three minutes. It covers the RV, a beach Habitat, the open world, the 50/50 banner and the Nexus Arena. It ends on a card reading “Coming Spring 2027” and “Now Available for Pre-order on the App Store”. Our Get Nexergized teaser post covers the companion teaser and the X giveaway.

How to apply, and whether your device can run it

You apply through the recruitment questionnaire on the official site, hna.hoyoverse.com, with a HoYoverse account, before November 22 at 09:59 (UTC+8). Answer it accurately. HoYoverse says testers whose details do not match their real circumstances cannot take part, and that a submitted questionnaire cannot be changed.

There are also giveaway routes in: a prize event on the official site with 240 test access slots, an X giveaway, and the Creator Recruitment Program. Our Final Closed Beta sign-up guide walks through each one step by step, so we will not repeat it here.

Check your hardware before you apply. The Final Closed Beta device recommendations are lower than the Evolution Test’s. On PC the card asks for a GTX 1050 class GPU and 8 GB of RAM. Android support starts at a Snapdragon 845, and iPhone support starts at the iPhone XS. The system requirements guide has the full card and a comparison with the last test.

What “Final” means for the launch date

HoYoverse’s own wording is the clearest signal yet. The same posts that opened recruitment say Honkai: Nexus Anima “is scheduled to launch in Spring 2027”, and pre-registration is now live on the App Store. There is still no exact launch date. Our Spring 2027 launch post covers what the App Store listing does and does not tell you.

HoYoverse’s last three games each launched a few weeks after a test it called final, and that history is laid out on our release date tracker. If you were waiting for a sign that launch is close, this is it. Just do not plan around a specific day until HoYoverse names one.

Bottom line

If you want to play before launch, submit the questionnaire before November 22 at 09:59 (UTC+8) and check your device against the lower spec card first. Then follow the sign-up guide to enter the giveaways as well, since each one is a separate draw.

If you are not selected, the changes still tell you a lot about launch. Free companions, a protected first 50/50 and a free 5-star Blade all point to a friendlier early game than the Evolution Test had. We will cover the build in the Eidos database, the Anima dex and the tier list as testers report in.