Pokemon goes gacha in Genshin Impact devs' new adventure strategy game Honkai: Nexus Anima, with pudding-themed puppies and bunnies peddling "tainted donuts"

MiHoYo, the mastermind company behind gacha gems like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, is back in the limelight with a brand-new game: a Pokemon-style creature collector.

Honkai: Nexus Anima is the name the developers have given to their new "creature-collector adventure strategy game," as it's described online. Although its reveal feels like it popped up out of the blue with a video post showcasing in-game footage, it's admittedly adorable – a cute entry in the ever-popular genre housing icons like Nintendo's beloved Pokemon series and, more recently, Pocketpair's own survival mashup Palworld.

In-game footage from Honkai: Nexus Anima*The game is under development, and subject to change.*This Nexus Bond Test is available in 5 languages: Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean. Support for more languages will be added in the future.… pic.twitter.com/gayxpcVOYVAugust 29, 2025

The devs behind Honkai: Nexus Anima clarify that it's " under development, and subject to change," following up on their clip of in-game footage with a teaser trailer showing some of its creatures off. The visuals are vibrant and colorful, reminiscent of MiHoYo's past gacha titles and more modern Pokemon entries, with various little collectable beasties on display. From feline critters to purple jelly-esque beings, it seems there'll be plenty to catch.

Some of my personal favorites so far include a pudding-like puppy that reminds me of legend Pompompurin – a reference the Sanrio girlies will get – and a sweet bunny with sprinkles on top… who apparently totes around "tainted donuts." Tainted with what, I'm not sure, but that's part of the appeal, I suppose. While I personally can't wait to find out for myself and play the new creature collector, there's sadly no release date or window just yet.

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Nexus Bond Teaser: Side by Side | Honkai: Nexus AnimaFollow the instructions to win access to the first closed beta test, a $100 USD gift card, and game merch!I long to meet you, in a charming little town.━・━・━・━・━・━✧ To enter for a chance to be part of the… pic.twitter.com/86CsPZb2DvAugust 29, 2025

There are, however, play tests underway – and fellow interested fans can now register their interest in participating via the official Honkai: Nexus Anima website. It ultimately comes down to luck, as is the case with all things gacha, with developers' early player selections rolling out when recruitment wraps up on September 12. That doesn't leave much time to sign up and give it a try – please note that only PC and mobile users will be considered for now.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and register my interest stat so that all my boxing egg and cow-themed milk cartoon catching dreams might come true.

While you're here, have a browse through some of the other most exciting new games coming this year and beyond to keep an eye on.

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After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.