HoYoverse has confirmed that its newly revealed mythology-inspired co-op action game, Nodusfall, will not lock playable characters behind a gacha system. The studio, best known for Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, said characters will be earned through play rather than random draws.
The game debuted during Gamescom Opening Night Live in August 2026. It immediately stood out for its darker, more realistic fantasy look and four-player hunts against massive mythological beasts.
What HoYoverse Confirmed
In a statement to PC Gamer after the reveal, the developers said Nodusfall will be a free-to-play, long-term game. They added that characters are not obtained through random draws. Instead, the studio wants players to unlock the core experience by continuing to play. Cosmetic monetization is being considered as a main revenue path.
That is a clear break from HoYoverse’s usual live-service model, where banners and pity systems sit at the center of character collection. Details on the exact unlock path are still limited, but the message is that roster access should come from progression, not luck.
A Shift in Style and Design
Nodusfall is described as a multi-mythology co-op action game. Players take the role of Weavers in a world where divine authority has collapsed. Squads of up to four hunt corrupted legendary creatures known as Dreadnodi, using coordinated combat, role-based loadouts, and resources earned from fights to unlock skills and weapons.
The art direction leans toward realistic dark fantasy rather than the studio’s usual anime look. Creatures draw from Eastern and Western myth, and early previews have drawn comparisons to Monster Hunter-style hunts with a gloomier visual tone.
What Remains Unknown
No release date has been announced. Platforms are still incomplete in official materials, though PC has been widely cited in coverage. HoYoverse has not ruled out other randomized systems later, such as cosmetic pulls, but it has been explicit that character acquisition will not work like its previous gacha titles.
For players tired of banner schedules, the confirmation is the biggest early takeaway. Nodusfall is still a free-to-play live-service project, but its developers are framing characters as something you earn in the hunt, not something you roll for.
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