With the Arknights: Endfield beta test looming on the horizon after a painful year of silence from Hypergryph, the team has released the fully translated interview with lead developers Light Zhong and Yifeng Huang, giving us an in-depth look at the upcoming sequel’s progress.
Information about Arknights: Endfield, the hotly-anticipated follow-up to Yostar’s mobile anime RPG, Arknights, has been extremely sparse since its initial announcement in March 2022, but this interview which originally appeared on Chinese gaming site GCORES has pulled back the curtain on the development process. Sure, we still don’t have an Arknights: Endfield release date, but the technical improvements in the new gameplay trailer alone suggest that we won’t have long to wait.
Arknights has a dedicated and passionate community, so taking the world in a new direction might be scary for some, but Yifeng Huang has faith that not all anime game fans are unwilling to try new things. He said, “There’s a growing perception that anime mobile game players are becoming less focused on gameplay. However, this is likely to be a result shaped by long-standing market trends and does not mean that players do not want or dislike something new.”
Endfield also introduces tower-defense mechanics in its combat that require you to manage your energy and resources effectively. GCORES’ contributor Wing asked if this might be too complex or overwhelming for the style of game, but Huang disagreed, saying “The key lies in proper execution,” referencing the success of other games like Minecraft and Factorio which both include industrial mods.
As a gacha game, a huge part of Arknights’ appeal is the character design, so Endfield’s switch from 2D to 3D graphics might seem daunting. But worry not, as Light Zhong said, “We worked really hard to retain the “Arknights essence” while keeping things feasible in 3D. Since players have shown immense appreciation for the Arknights art style, we’re committed to preserving its most beloved elements while extending the franchise’s visual cohesion.”
Finally, the two lead developers expressed their gratitude to the community, and the passion they have for Arknights: Endfield is obvious. They said, “We first aim to create something we truly love—then hope players will feel the same. We are eager to hear the feedback players will share during the upcoming beta test. Together, let’s witness the unfolding of a new chapter in the Arknights universe.”
When is the Arknights: Endfield beta test?
The Arknights: Endfield beta starts on January 16, 2025, on PC. You can sign up to take part on the official website to try it out for yourself.
That’s the lowdown ahead of the Arknights: Endfield beta test. If you’re looking to get into the story ahead of time, make sure you check out our Arknights tier list and Arknights codes for help in the original free mobile game.