Ever since Zenless Zone Zero TV mode was released into the hands of players, it has been the cause of plenty of headaches for Hoyoverse. Intended as a way to showcase your Proxy navigating the Hollows in-game, the constant barrage of CRT screens also provides players with new story beats to uncover too. Now, Hoyoverse plans to replace it completely – at least in the main story.
Addressing TV mode directly in a brand-new developer diary, Hoyoverse expresses that the decision to abandon TV mode is ultimately down to improving Zenless Zone Zero’s storytelling. “To be honest, we all think the TV mode had many issues at release […] it just didn’t give players something that would satisfy everyone,” the developer explains. Following months of data collection, and even calling players to get their thoughts on the free mobile game, Hoyoverse clarifies in the Version 1.2 update that “the ‘TV mode’ will be replaced with story stages as the major means of experience.”
The gacha game developer has already begun making moves to get this in motion, with the previous 1.1 update removing TV mode from certain parts of the game’s narrative, making missions completely playable with just your trusty Zenless Zone Zero characters. This means you’ll get to enjoy the game’s oh-so-sweet combat without any interruptions.
In our own glowing Zenless Zone Zero review, the combat was an element that especially shined. For some players, though, it isn’t necessarily a good thing to shy away from TV mode.
Fans of the game are already making their concerns heard, with YouTube user ‘danha3017’ rising up in the comments, as they say “I’m sad it’s almost entirely going away. It had so much potential for interesting puzzles and ways to represent the story that just needed improvements, not removals. It was a cool bit of immersion to see things as a Proxy would.”
Others like ‘road_to_dawn’ believe TV mode switches up Zenless Zone Zero’s gameplay loop, offering a change of pace away from combat: “It adds to the atmosphere and the feeling of exploration, and the creativity possible in it is boundless.” However, Hoyoverse has made it clear that TV mode is predominantly a thing of the past, and it isn’t likely to retrofit it for another purpose in the future.
You can get all the latest information on the forthcoming 1.2 Zenless Zone Zero update in the meantime, as well as checking out our Zenless Zone Zero banners, Zenless Zone Zero codes, and Zenless Zone Zero tier list guides.