The Short Answer
Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.4 launches July 14, 2026 (NA server), bringing the reworked Himeko Nova as the headline Phase 1 banner. Phase 2 opens July 24 with the game's Fate/stay night crossover: Gilgamesh, a 5-star Lightning Destruction unit, is handed to every player for free, while Rin Tohsaka arrives as a premium 5-star pull on the Quantum Erudition path. If you only save for one thing this patch, save for the collab phase. Gilgamesh is free regardless of what you pull, and Rin Tohsaka is the unit that turns him into one of the best AoE cores in the game.
Version 4.4 Banner Order
| Phase | Dates | Characters |
| Phase 1 | July 14 to July 23 | Himeko Nova (5-star, Fire, Erudition) |
| Phase 2 | July 24 onward | Gilgamesh (5-star, Lightning, Destruction, free) and Rin Tohsaka (5-star, Quantum, Erudition) |
Both phases include the usual reruns and Stellar Jade drops from the version's story and event content, plus livestream redeem codes that HoYoverse distributes ahead of each patch. Check the HSR codes page closer to launch for the active list.
Himeko Nova: A Reimagined Support DPS
Himeko Nova is a new take on the original Astral Express navigator, built as a Fire Erudition unit that leans into team synergy rather than pure single-target damage. Her kit connects teammate actions, follow-up hits, and Ultimate timing through a mechanic that tracks the whole team's turns rather than just her own, so she scales best in comps that take a lot of quick actions. She fits alongside the existing Himeko as a completely separate unit, not an upgrade to her, so both can theoretically sit in your roster at once.
Gilgamesh: Free for Everyone, No Exceptions
Gilgamesh is the biggest headline of the patch because of how he is distributed. Every player who logs in between July 24, 2026 and the end of Version 4.6 can claim him for free, no pulling required. Part 1 collab players who already claimed Archer from the earlier Fate crossover get Gilgamesh automatically; newer accounts get to choose between Gilgamesh or Archer.
His kit revolves around building Interest from ally actions and his own Ultimate, then spending it on extra turns and a scaling Skill. His Ultimate, Enuma Elish, is a 10-hit random bounce AoE that grows stronger the more Interest your team has generated before it fires. Practically, that means he wants a team that takes fast, frequent actions rather than one that turtles on a single hard-hitting Ultimate.
Because he costs nothing, Gilgamesh is worth building for every account regardless of whether you pull Rin Tohsaka. See our Gilgamesh build guide for his best relics, light cones, and team cores.
Rin Tohsaka: The Premium Half of the Collab
Rin Tohsaka is the pull-for unit of Phase 2. She walks the Erudition path with the Quantum element, and her kit revolves around accumulating Gem Energy by spending and recovering Skill Points, which enhances her Skill into a much harder bounce attack. She is not required to make Gilgamesh function, but she meaningfully raises his ceiling in a shared team, similar to how Saber amplifies him through a Joint Follow-Up Attack mechanic.
What to Do Before July 14
- Stock Stellar Jade now. Clear your dailies, Simulated Universe weekly rewards, and any outstanding event currency before the version resets.
- Finish your Memory of Chaos and Apocalyptic Shadow clears under the current patch's buffs, since the rotation typically shifts with a new version.
- Claim any active 4.3 codes before they expire at the version changeover.
- Decide your pull priority. If you already have Saber from the earlier Fate banner, Gilgamesh plus Saber is one of the strongest free-to-cheap AoE cores currently available, which makes Rin Tohsaka more of a luxury pull than a requirement.
For the current standings on where all three land, check the HSR tier list, and browse the full roster on the HSR wiki hub.
