Honkai Impact devs bid farewell to community with latest behind-the-scenes documentary

Honkai Impact 3rd holds a special place in everyone's hearts due to the wide variety of emotions it has put the community through for over six years. While the HoYoverse title is a gacha game at its core with a niche fanbase, almost everyone in the industry has come to appreciate the impressive storytelling and cinematic cutscenes.

However, since all good things must come to an end at some point, now is the time for the first chapter of Honkai Impact 3rd and Kiana to bid farewell. HoYoverse released a special 45-minute long video, where several developers talked about their journey since the alpha phase, the game's first-ever launch, and the satisfaction they have in their jobs.

Although Honkai Impact 3rd is done with its first saga, HoYoverse will continue to update the game every month. Version 6.4 is just around the corner, with Susannah making her debut as a playable character.

---

HoYoverse developers share emotional messages with the end of Honkai Impact's first chapter

Honkai Impact 3rd's first saga ended with Chapter 35, which is free for all players. As mentioned earlier, the end of this chapter concludes the story of Kiana Kaslana, or K423, who has been the main protagonist of the story for the past six years. While it is uncertain which direction HoYoverse will take in the future, the journey that has shaped one of the gacha industry's powerhouses is something to cherish.

The video starts with Honkai's developers talking about their time during miHoYo's recruitment, alongside the launch of the title way back on October 1, 2016, on iOS. Several positive reviews came pouring in as the title was launched on all platforms, motivating everyone to work on future updates for years to come.

Footages from HoYoverse's office (Image via HoYoverse)

The story of Honkai Impact starts with an animated cinematic, where Kiana jumps while wearing a white battlesuit. Little did everyone know that the carefree protagonist would wander off on a journey of suffering, guilt, companionship, betrayal, loss, and so much more.

One comment referred to a connection between writers and artists regarding a character's creation, claiming that the relationship feels like paternal love. Their statement included the following:

"I must say something from the bottom of my heart. Artists are like the mother, and writers are the father. You know, parental love towards the kid...it's beyond words."

The video ends with another emotional statement from the developers, saying how the story has impacted thousands and millions in one way or the other.

"I'm here in front of the camera, telling the story. It's just an ordinary story, nothing special at all. But ultimately, everyone would say goodbye to the story and take their own path to set sail for the future. Whatever happens, no fear, no regrets. 'Fight for all that is beautiful in the world.' We came to world crying, but we walk to the future smiling."

Honkai Impact's current timeline is tied directly to the APHO quests, featuring characters such as Raiden Mei and Bronya Zaychik, eight years after the main story's end. Multiple lore entries and cutscenes confirm Kiana's presence on the Moon even today, with the chances of her coming back to the story being quite high.