Honkai: Star Rail Interview with Mr. Chengnan An – ‘We Wanted to Create Something More Than an Action Game’

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In an unexpected turn of events, I was privileged to encounter Chengnan An, the lead developer of Honkai: Star Rail, at the Game Developer Conference. I was invited to a private meeting in the Board Room of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, where I had the pleasure of meeting some members of the miHoYo team and the esteemed Mr. An himself. Though I’m not an avid player within Hoyoverse, Mr. An graciously addressed all my queries about the franchise, which I had researched, as well as the latest 3.0 Update for Honkai: Star Rail. Let’s dive in!

Honkai: Star Rail Interview

At the outset of our conversation prior to the interview, we delved into several subjects. Among these were our respective educational histories, past conferences, and an unexpected topic – susceptibility to car sickness. We also exchanged thoughts on how our childhood fascination with gaming influenced our professional journeys, leading Mr. An to miHoYo in 2016. This transition provided him with the chance to serve as a Lead Combat Designer on Honkai Impact 3rd, thereby contributing significantly to the creation of Honkai: Star Rail.

I was curious to know, what’s your experience with GDC this year? In case you’ve attended it before.

This year marked my debut at GDC, and for Honkai: Star Rail, we’ve amassed a wealth of content to showcase. Attending this event presents an exceptional chance for us to delve deeper into the industry and gain valuable insights. We’ve also had the pleasure of meeting emerging talents within the gaming sphere, including players who truly connect with our game. I find this experience incredibly exhilarating.

Nat Collazo: I can barely comprehend it now, but it’s grown so immense that I wouldn’t dare label it a simple enterprise. Instead, it’s a significant player in the gaming community – both Honkai: Star Rail and Genshin Impact fall under its umbrella.

I was wondering if Honkai: Star Rail has been a concept that’s been brewing in your mind for quite some time, given that the franchise is over a decade old. Since I don’t get to play it frequently, I was curious if this particular universe and its evolution is something you’ve always thought about or planned for.

Chengnan An: I’m curious. How much do you know about Honkai games? Like Honkai: Impact 3rd?

As an avid fan, I must admit that my engagement with the game hasn’t been as frequent as I’d prefer due to my tendency to get lost in blue links. However, my passion for the game led me to uncover a wealth of information from its official website and other authorized sources. The exciting new features introduced in the latest update have truly rekindled my interest and inspired me to dive back into this captivating world!

As a passionate gamer, I found myself immersed in the evolving universe of Honkai, a game that just kept getting better with each passing day during its development. Eventually, we embarked on the journey of creating Honkai Impact 3rd, asking ourselves, “Can we craft something beyond a combat game? Can we infuse it with more gameplay elements and captivating narratives for players to explore?” Our goal was to design an experience that transcended the boundaries of an action game.

Nat Collazo: Building on your earlier question, my research found the sci-fi element intriguing. Yet, what caught my attention was the choice of medical terminology, particularly using “cancer” to represent the main antagonists. I’m wondering if there’s any special significance behind this connection for you or your team?

As an Enthusiast: I liken the destructive potential of the Stellaron to a malignant cancer in the cosmos. It spreads and grows, damaging more and more of the universe as it goes, much like a cancer that infects the body. This is the basis for our analogy.

Nat Collazo: Let’s dive into the 3.0 Update! For newcomers like myself, it feels like discovering the game anew, while long-time players have been eagerly anticipating this since the start. I’m sure many are excited to continue building on their existing progress.

Each year, we introduce a significant update by releasing a fresh world for our players to explore. Consequently, if players wish to complete all their prior adventures before diving into the new world, it could become a growing challenge. To address this, in our 3.0 Update, we’re trying out a novel feature!

To facilitate a seamless entry for fresh players, we’re enabling them to start directly from the 3.00 version. In essence, this simplifies game accessibility for newcomers. Moreover, we’ve conceived an enticing theme for our latest adventure titled “Flame Chase Journey”. We believe this captivating saga, featuring a myriad of heroes and compelling stories, will prove irresistible to novice players.

Great! It’s just as I suspected, which is a relief since there’s a lot to cover. I’m glad it’s now easier to understand and explore the topics.

I’m just curious about this, but let me ask anyway: What makes the Trailblazer stand out among other games, such as Destiny? Why was that specific name chosen? Instead of giving each player character a unique name based on their actions within the game world, they chose to call it Trailblazer.

Chengnan An: What made us opt for Trailblazer? Well, imagine our vision as boundless as the universe, ever-growing. If our characters are merely transient visitors, their impact seems somewhat confined. We aspired to instill in players the sensation of being a trailblazer in this world, venturing into uncharted territories. We aim for them to be perpetual explorers of the unknown. This is the guiding principle that we hold dear, both for us and our team.

Honkai: Star Rail is available to play on PC, mobile devices, and PlayStation.

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2025-04-01 18:05