zzz Zenless Zone Zero Dev Talk: 2.0, Old Character Buffs, and More!

[Jaym0 77]

The latest developer talk from Zenless Zone Zero has revealed various details about version 2.0! From new characters and zones, to various gameplay adjustments and changes, 2.0 has a lot of surprises! Here is everything you need to know!

Zenless Zone Zero released a developer talk video this morning, where Game Designer Y is sharing various information about upcoming version 2.0 of the game. He also shared some of the projects they have for the future of Zenless Zone Zero.

What's the Plan for Season 2's Story?

Version 2.0, or what they call "Season 2" of the game, will of course launch with the next main story part. We will follow the Protagonist to a new area: The Waifei Peninsula.

Waifei Peninsula is a district of the Throne Quarter, near the Lemnian Hollow. The earlier settlers of this region were tasked with monitoring the highly volatile Lemnian Hollow. 

"Waifei" derives from the Cantonese characters for "Protect" and "Anomaly": Protection from the anomaly called Hollows.

Today, you can find an established outpost that became the city called Failume Heights.

This city was built at the top of a cliff, and overlooks the bay with beautiful scenery. This area is also rich in Porcelume, a precious material highly resistant to Ether Corruption. Mining and processing Porcelum became the core industry of Waifei Peninsula. However, behind this lies a tangled mess of Factions. The proxies' role will be to unravel the clues planted throughout the story so far.

Those clues include figuring out Sarah's true plans behind the Sacrifice and Bringer incidents, the conspiracy behind the mysterious Exaltists, and the truth behind the fall of the old capital. We will also finally uncover the secrets of the Phaethon siblings!

Proxies will embark on new adventures and encounter new factions and characters! This includes:

• More Obol Squad
• Idol Faction - Angels of Delusion
• The Wayseeker - Yixuan, the current leader of Yunkui Summit

Yixuan will be a key character during season 2, and we will gradually uncover her mysterious past and become a new disciple of Yunkui Summit. She will be our mentor, helping us explore the Hollows directly.

A Trailer for Season 2 will be released on April 13th, 2025, so keep your eyes open for that announcement!

What Else Will Change for Season 2?

Compared to a regular update, Season 2 of Zenless Zone Zero will launch with quite a few changes and additions! The developer team has taken feedback from Proxies very seriously and incorporated it into their design philosophy. They applied changes from the ground up:

• Map design: The entire map experience was revamped. Residential areas were integrated with combat zones at the system level, providing a more fluid and engaging gameplay. This means that residential areas will integrate many more exploration aspects! The following changes have been made to maps as well:
  • Failume Heights, for example will be much larger
  • Reduced loading times of scene transitions
  • Optimized pathways in Failum Heights
• New dailies system that will match the local culture and customs of the Waifei Peninsula, such as:
  • Howl's scratch cards will take on new forms that match the vibes of Suibian Temple
• As video-store owners, we will help Yunkui Summit manage various aspects of Suibian Temple:
  • Gameplay featuring management simulation elements
  • The goal will be to restore the Temple to its former glory
• New feature called Bangboo Dispatch
• Aerospace City - Ancient ruins located within the Lemnian Hollow - this is the area where we will start our exploration, and the design will be more refined than previous Hollows. This means larger explorable areas, more robust systems, and more streamlined guidance. This means, no longer returning to the video store to enter the HDD:
  • Accept mission
  • Explore/Fight
  • Complete Mission
• Travel system was redesigned as well: larger map format instead of the original sliding area. This means you will be able to select your destination more quickly:
  • Improved UI experience
  • Mini-map added to the interface, along with navigation features
  • Better understanding of New Eridu's geographical layout
• Regarding Plot structure: The current system between special episodes and Phaethon story resulted in weaker connections between plot points, and a disjointed viewing experience. For future versions, Special Episodes and Phaethon's Story will be merged together:
  • More focus on developing the connections between various Agents and the main story
  • Deepening the Proxies' involvement
  • Steadily update the main storyline with each version, but making sure to not compromise on its narrative quality
• Zenless Zone Zero is being prepared to launch on Xbox soon. More information on that will be shared during the Xbox Livestream.
• Optimized Events through various aspects:
  • Improved existing game modes: Grand Marcel Adventure, Bangboo vs Ethereal for example, to make them more fun for players
  • New gameplay such as: 
    • Casual Duels between Bangboo
    • Control a Giant Bangboo
    • More slow-paced and relaxing events, such as spending joyful moments with Agents at hotspot restaurants, movie theaters, and more.

Plans and Adjustments for the Combat System

Various changes are also planned for the combat system. The way it is currently designed significantly diminishes the presence of characters other than the main DPS. You feel more like a solo operation rather than a three-person tactical squad. The functionality and performance of non-DPS characters will be enhanced:

• Even when switched out, characters will still remain on-field and contribute to combat. This is already implemented a bit with the new Aftershock DMG system. This allows you to see their combat performance, without affecting the on-field Agent you control.
• New attack and defense mechanics will be added to enemies:
  • Specific moves, may require specific counter-strategies
  • Counter strategies may require specific teamwork from different characters in your squad
  • In certain specific combat areas, enemies may gain advantages through specific conditions
• Version 2.0 Special Program will reveal more about the combat changes. The goal with those changes is to enhance the overall synergy between characters.

Plans for Characters Released Earlier in the Game

The team's goal is to make sure that characters are relatively future-proof and have long-term value. They do not want to just mindlessly beef up their stats, but rather also maintain each character's unique traits. They will strategically enhance those unique traits, instead of just boosting their damage output. This means:

• Completely reworking certain skills and their effects, tailoring them to each character's experience
• More consideration for each character's role
• They will take into consideration their compatibility with other future characters as well

With the character revamp, they really want to make sure that older characters keep their charms, and you do not feel like they are outdated, whether it is through their combat abilities or unique stories. Each character will also be better developed emotionally, making sure they have a goal that belongs solely to them. The goal is to create more meaningful relationships between characters and players, and take those bonds to the next level!

The team will continue to take Proxies' feedback very seriously, and will implement the needed changes to make sure everyone has a smooth and fun experience playing the game! 

If you did not see it, and want more details on what is to come, you can take a look at the official video: