Honkai: Star Rail 4.4 Preview - Himeko Nova, Free Gilgamesh in Fate Collab, Livestream Codes

Version 4.4 "In Ravages Does the Whistle Sound" - the summary

The Version 4.4 special program, titled "In Ravages Does the Whistle Sound," aired 2026-07-03 at 19:30 UTC+8, which is 18:30 Vietnam time. The update itself launches 2026-07-14 on North American servers (UTC-5), while Asia and Europe servers — where most Vietnamese players are — launch 2026-07-15. Those two dates are not a contradiction, just the same maintenance window landing on different calendar days because of the time zone gap.

Broadly, this version bundles four things: new character Himeko • Nova, the second Fate Collaboration wave with Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh, a batch of events plus a login ticket giveaway, and a handful of system tweaks like Relic recommendations and story skip/summary improvements. This roundup only keeps the numbers multiple sources agree on — nothing here is a guess.

4.4 livestream codes - already expired, don't bother retyping them

WAK84U29VLYPPart of the 300 Stellar Jade total across 3 livestream codes - EXPIRED 2026-07-04 23:59 UTC+8

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HT3QMCJ9U4JBPart of the 300 Stellar Jade total across 3 livestream codes - EXPIRED 2026-07-04 23:59 UTC+8

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XTJ9MV38DL3XPart of the 300 Stellar Jade total across 3 livestream codes - EXPIRED 2026-07-04 23:59 UTC+8

Those three codes together used to pay out 300 Stellar Jade, 50,000 Credits, and a few upgrade materials, but they expired at 23:59 UTC+8 on 2026-07-04 — retyping them now only returns an invalid-code message. Livestream codes always run short, usually less than 24 hours after they are announced, so redeem them the same day next time.

Whatever is still active right now lives on GameVika's HSR codes page — it auto-refreshes and drops expired codes on its own, so there is no guesswork about which code still works.

New character: Himeko • Nova

Himeko • Nova is a 5-star Fire Erudition character who fights alongside a combat mech named Starblazer that she pilots directly. Per official-source descriptions, her kit revolves around claiming Territory and then granting an Assist Skill to allies — an active buff role rather than a straight damage dealer.

Himeko • Nova runs on Phase 1 of the version banner, alongside a rerun of some previously limited characters. Detailed skill numbers are not yet cross-verified across enough sources, so this article does not list specifics — check the character page once the numbers are locked in.

Fate Collaboration Part 2: Rin Tohsaka and a free Gilgamesh

Rin Tohsaka - on the banner5-star Quantum, Erudition - pulled like any other limited character

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Gilgamesh - free5-star Lightning, Destruction - no pulling needed, see conditions below

Fate Collaboration Part 2 opens 2026-07-24, bringing two characters: Rin Tohsaka, a 5-star Quantum Erudition unit who appears on a limited banner like any other featured character; and Gilgamesh, a 5-star Lightning Destruction unit handed out for free instead of through the gacha.

Free Gilgamesh conditions - do not confuse this with Part 1

This is the part most likely to cause confusion, so here it is in plain terms. Anyone who already claimed the Archer character during Fate Collaboration Part 1 will AUTOMATICALLY receive Gilgamesh this time, no extra choice needed. New players, or anyone who never claimed Archer in Part 1, get to pick ONE of the two (Gilgamesh or Archer) once Part 2's event goes live.

The claim window runs from 2026-07-24 through the end of Version 4.6 — miss that window and the free character is gone for good, with no way to reclaim it. If your account falls into the pick-one group, think it through before confirming, since that choice is final.

Collab Light Cone - spend 200 Special Pass to pick one

Beyond characters, Version 4.4 also has a collab Light Cone exchange: spend a total of 200 Star Rail Special Pass across any Warps during 4.4 (you don't need to actually pull the character) and you get to pick one 5-star collab Light Cone for free. This is a spending-based selector, entirely separate from whether you actually pull the featured character.

Events, login rewards, and new story content

The main story arc for 4.4 closes out the Planarcadia arc with the Asat Pramad segment, opening a new zone. Alongside it there is a login event handing out a 10-pull Warp ticket, plus a couple of double-reward events — this part currently only has one Japanese-language source confirming it, so treat it as preliminary until it is cross-verified across languages once the update actually launches.

On the systems side, this version also brings a few quality-of-life tweaks: Relic equip recommendations and improvements to story skip/summary for content you have already read. These apply as soon as the update lands, no unlock condition needed.

Quick FAQ and where to go next

Are the 4.4 livestream codes still usable? No, all three expired 2026-07-04 and only have reference value now. Who gets Gilgamesh automatically? Only players who already claimed Archer in Fate Collaboration Part 1; everyone else picks one of the two when the event opens 2026-07-24. Which date applies to Vietnam? Asia servers launch 2026-07-15, not 2026-07-14 (that date is for North American servers).

For whichever codes are actually active right now, skip the old blog posts and go straight to GameVika's HSR codes page, which refreshes in real time. Stock up on Stellar Jade before the Himeko Nova or Rin Tohsaka banners open using the Jade planner, or check the full schedule on the HSR banners page before deciding who to pull for.

Understand the mechanics behind this

HSR Gacha System Explained: Pity, Soft Pity & the 50/50 Rule→ HSR Warp Banner Types: Character vs Light Cone, Standard & Beginner — Which to Pull and What Celestial Invitation Is→ All Free Stellar Jade Sources for F2P: Achievements, Warp Trotters, Permanent Modes, Events→

Keep reading

Can budget 4-star teams actually clear endgame? The zero-spend cores that never go out of style→ What's Worth Buying in HSR: Monthly Pass, Nameless Honor, or Jade Packs — and Which BP Light Cone to Pick→ HSR for Genshin Players: What Changes, What to Keep, What to Drop→