Honkai: Star Rail Reveals New Endgame Mode Anomaly Arbitration

Honkai: Star Rail just announced Anomaly Arbitration, a new permanent high-difficulty mode hitting in Version 3.6, likely around late September 2025. It’ll reset regularly and features three trial challenges where you’ll need three separate teams with no character overlaps, followed by a final stage where you can pick any team to tackle tough enemies. To unlock it, you must clear Stage 12 of Memory of Chaos, Stage 4 of Pure Fiction, and Difficulty 4 of Apocalyptic Shadow with full stars. Rewards include leveling items, avatar frames, outfits, and likely Stellar Jades. More details are coming, and Version 3.6 will also bring team-composition guides and an event preview tab.

This mode might be a nightmare for f2p players

This new mode feels a lot like Genshin Impact’s Spiral Abyss—another HoYoverse game with a tough, reset-based endgame that favors players with stacked rosters. Anomaly Arbitration’s demand for three unique teams and clearing the hardest stages of existing modes leans hard into pay-to-win territory.

Free-to-play or low-spending players might find it brutal, as building multiple strong teams without dropping cash on new characters or gear is a grind. The steep entry requirements and resource demands could lock out casual players, making this mode seem tailored for whales who pour serious money into maxing out their characters.