HoYoverse’s stylish action RPG Zenless Zone Zero made two significant moves with Version 2.8: it introduced a new team-building mechanic designed to reshape Anomaly compositions, and it marked HoYoverse’s long-awaited arrival on Steam. Version 2.8 launched on May 6, 2026, while the Steam edition followed on June 16, giving PC players another official way to access New Eridu.
The Steam release is notable because HoYoverse’s PC games have traditionally been distributed through their own launcher and the Epic Games Store. Bringing Zenless Zone Zero to Valve’s platform makes the game easier to discover, particularly for players who prefer keeping their libraries, updates, and controller settings in one place. Existing players still need a HoYoverse Account, but Steam supports account linking rather than forcing users to start over.
Version 2.8 puts Anomaly teams in the spotlight
Known as New Eridan Sunset, Version 2.8 serves as the closing chapter of Season 2. The story sends Ramiel into the crosshairs of several factions in the Outer Ring, with Proxies, Cissia, and the update’s two new Agents investigating Ramiel’s latest identity.
The bigger long-term impact, however, comes from the addition of Wind-based enemies and the new Vortex interaction. When an opponent is afflicted with the Wind Attribute Anomaly, applying another Anomaly type triggers Vortex instead of Disorder. The effect deals area-of-effect Anomaly damage matching the corresponding element.
That change could make Anomaly teams considerably more flexible. Disorder has traditionally encouraged players to carefully rotate different elements to exploit status effects, while Vortex appears to reward teams that can maintain pressure after Wind has been applied. It does not replace the existing approach so much as create another reason to experiment with rotations, support choices, and elemental coverage.
For newer players, the system should make the roster feel less rigid. For veteran players, its value will depend on damage scaling and enemy design, but the principle is promising: rather than simply adding another powerful damage dealer, HoYoverse is giving team composition another layer to solve.
Promeia and Starlight – Billy bring very different roles
Promeia arrives as an S-Rank Ice Anomaly Agent and the executioner of Krampus. Her kit revolves around consuming Trial by Cold to trigger Abloom, which she creates by converting Corrosive Chill. Her EX Special Attack also allows her to enter Bound Absolution, a state that automatically Perfect Dodges attacks aimed at her.
Her team utility is especially important. When paired with another Anomaly or Support Agent, Promeia can increase the squad’s Abloom damage, making her a natural fit for the kind of status-focused compositions that Version 2.8 is encouraging. The combination of defensive automation and offensive team support should also make her appealing to players who want a safer way to build around Anomaly effects.
Starlight – Billy takes the opposite approach. This S-Rank Physical Rupture Agent is an upgraded version of Billy Kid, arriving on a combat motorcycle and leaning into explosive Physical damage. His damage is tied to his health, with higher HP improving the amount of Sheer damage he deals.
Every Physical attack in his kit deals Sheer damage, and Billy can restore his own health through his abilities. That gives him a more durable, bruiser-like identity than the average burst attacker. Players who enjoy managing risk and maintaining a character at high health may find him particularly interesting, while his self-sustain could make him easier to use in longer encounters.
The update’s rerun banners feature Lucia in the first half, followed by Orphie & Magus in the second. As always, that creates a familiar dilemma for free-to-play and low-spending players: invest in the new mechanics, save for a returning favorite, or hold resources for Season 3.
Bootopia adds a lighter break from the main campaign
Version 2.8 also introduces Marcel Bootopia, a Bangboo resort island that has been shut down after a Hollow outbreak. Players take control of Eous while rescuing Bangboos, exploring the island, and searching for treasure.
The event rewards Booltergeist and its Bangboo core. This A-Rank Bangboo floats around the battlefield and fires lasers, with additional damage bonuses when specific teammates are present. It is the kind of reward that should appeal to collectors while also giving players another combat companion to consider when building specialized squads.
The Ultimate Verdict Trial offers another route to earn Polychrome, including activities that let players fight alongside Promeia. Meanwhile, fans of Zenless Zone Zero’s fashion-focused presentation can pick up Hoshimi Miyabi’s “Dignified Blossom” outfit from the in-game store.
Steam broadens the game’s audience, but the same caveats remain
Moving to Steam is a sensible expansion for a game that already has a strong PC identity. Zenless Zone Zero combines fast character switching, flashy combat, urban exploration, and a highly stylized presentation that has helped it stand apart from HoYoverse’s larger open-world projects. The Steam version also makes the game more visible to hardware enthusiasts and PC players who may have ignored a separate launcher.
Critical opinion on the game has remained divided. Some reviewers praised its animation, soundtrack, colorful world, and responsive combat, while others argued that its battles become repetitive and that progression is too closely tied to live-service routines and gacha monetization. PC Gamer’s review was notably skeptical, awarding the game 55 and criticizing the gap between its polished presentation and its repetitive structure. Other reviews were more positive about the combat and setting but still highlighted the grind and layered currency systems as potential drawbacks.
Version 2.8 does not erase those concerns, but it does show HoYoverse attempting to keep the combat system moving forward. Vortex gives team builders a new interaction to study, Promeia and Starlight – Billy offer sharply contrasting playstyles, and the surrounding events provide reasons to return beyond the main story.
For existing players, the update is a substantial final chapter for Season 2. For newcomers discovering the game through Steam, it offers a more mature version of Zenless Zone Zero than the one that launched in 2024—provided they are comfortable with the daily structure, character acquisition model, and ongoing resource grind that continue to define HoYoverse’s action RPG.
Sources
vg247.com
zenless.hoyoverse.com
store.steampowered.com
pcgamer.com
pcgamesn.com
