Arknights: Endfield Homecoming Update Has More Changes and Additions Than Some Games Have Features

The Arknights universe is no small one, with multiple entries in the franchise over the years, but arguably its latest addition is its biggest and best, and it’s no surprise, as Arknights: Endfield is the first to make the leap beyond mobile, onto consoles and PC. With its latest update, Homecoming, Arknights: Endfield looks to push the envelope even more, with new regions, operators, early unlocks and more. Full details below.

Per GRYPHLINE:

Global publisher GRYPHLINE Today announced that ‘Homecoming,’ the next major update for Arknights: Endfield, will launch on July 16, 2026. Arriving as the game’s half-year celebration update, ‘Homecoming’ centers on the next chapter of the Wuling storyline and the largest map expansion since launch. The update also adds two playable characters, a major AIC system expansion, permanent and limited-time activities, quality-of-life improvements and special celebration rewards.

“Homecoming brings the Wuling arc to its decisive conclusion and stands as a major milestone on our journey,” said RUA, Co-Founder & Level Designer. “Wuling’s story, which players have been part of since launch, is about to enter its darkest and most thrilling chapter as Endministrators once again stand with Arcane and the people of Wuling on a quest to reclaim their homeland.”

New Region & Story Content

In ‘Homecoming,’ the world of Arknights: Endfield expands further with two additional maps that bring the Wuling storyline to a decisive milestone while exploring themes of returning home and confronting the sacrifices left behind. Ten years after the Very Large Rift destroyed the Wuling Science Station and forced countless residents from their homes, improvements to Xiranite Nexus have finally created an opportunity to contain the disaster. Players reunite with Arcane and join the people of Wuling on a campaign to reclaim their lost homeland.

‘Homecoming’ introduces two new main-story maps:

• Yinglung Pass: The gateway to the sealed territory, where players meet Si, a mysterious Feranmut Proxy who guides them through the final enhancement of Xiranite Nexus.
• North Wuling Exclusion Zone: A ruined homeland consumed by Blight Miasma. Players must suppress its sources and open a safe route for the returning people of Wuling.
• ‘Homecoming’ also introduces a personal device equipment category, giving players access to exploration tools with practical effects. New enemies include Blightshade – remnants of people and emotions preserved by Æther – while the boss Alleikhreos, Chiliarch, requires players to use special battlefield mechanics to interrupt certain attacks.

New Playable Operators

Arcane and Liino debut as playable Operators in ‘Homecoming.’ Arcane serves as the flagship operator of the update, combining direct narrative relevance with a highly adaptable combat design. Liino is a rising idol whose support kit strengthens and sustains the squad across a variety of team compositions.

Arcane:

• The captain of Yinglung Special Task Force, Arcane, has spent years fighting to reclaim the North Wuling Exclusion Zone. She takes a central role in both the story and the new playable roster.
• Arcane is the first caster whose combat form changes based on the balance between her Intellect and Will attributes. Array Arcana: INT focuses on frequent skill use, area damage and Corrosion, while Array Arcana: WILL focuses on enemy grouping, stronger debuffs and spreading Arts Infliction. This allows players to build her as either a damage dealer or a flexible elemental-team support.

Liino:

• Known as Morning Star of La Fantoma, Liino is a rising idol who mysteriously disappears shortly before a concert in Valley VI.
• Liino is an Electric supporter who uses Vocalist Stance and Cosmovoice Stance to provide sustained increases in attack and healing. Her low-cost battle skill and broadly triggered combo skill allow her to support multiple elemental compositions and improve team survivability without disrupting skill rotations.

AIC Expansion

Beyond the new story and Operators, the AIC system also receives a major expansion, adding new production possibilities while simplifying existing factory workflows.

• Gas is a new industrial material state alongside solids and liquids, adding new resources, machinery, recipes, technologies and production lines.
• Players can collect Inergen and Xiragen and convert materials between gaseous, liquid and solid states. These processes can bypass existing production stages, reduce the number of required machines and support denser factory layouts.
• For example, players can produce Xiranite directly from Carbon and Clean Water in an Inergen environment, thereby eliminating three intermediate processes. The system also introduces Pyrrolite Component, more precise logistics controls and the new industrial outpost Xiranflow Cloudseeder Station.

Audio & Worldbuilding

Sound plays an important role in how Arknights: Endfield brings Talos-II to life, from cinematic music and multilingual voice performances to spatial audio, dynamic mixing and detailed Foley work across exploration and combat. In this update, the team continues to build on that foundation with the new Homecoming album, contributions from international composers and thousands of newly recorded source samples that help shape the game’s industrial sci-fi atmosphere.

New Activities & Player-experience Improvements

Arknights: Endfield also brings the game’s broadest range of gameplay activities to date, led by Echoes of War, a permanent seasonal combat mode featuring rotating stages, three difficulty levels, ratings and displayable seasonal titles. All Oroberyl rewards are available through the normal difficulty, while higher difficulties offer additional challenges and prestige.

Other activities include:

• HEAT RAGE! MEGA ARENA! – a two-operator combat activity built around unusual character pairings.
• The Rooted Realm – a timed exploration and collection activity with hidden routes and special combat rooms.
• Additional challenges for Umbral Monument and six puzzle maps for Delver of the Cryptic.

Early Unlock:

• An early-unlock feature will allow newer players to access Wuling after completing an early main-story requirement, without interrupting their existing Chapter One progress. Operator trials will award fully refined Arsenal Defense Crate, while more flexible equipment-manufacturing processes will reduce the time and resources required to prepare characters.

Quality-of-life Improvements:

• Quality-of-life improvements include expanded photo mode, remote retrieval of outdoor equipment, preserved conduit connections in blueprints, more customizable combat visuals and targeting options, and expanded graphics support including DLSS 4.5, PSSR2 and FSR 3.

Half-year Celebration Rewards

To thank players for their support during the game’s first six months, GRYPHLINE will offer a range of login, mail and event rewards, including:

• A three-day Tribute of Companionship login campaign offering 3,000x Oroberyls, 5x Basic HH Permits and the free six-star weapon Farsight.
• An in-game mail package containing 2,000x Oroberyls and development materials.
• 14x Fortune Connect-and-Win attempts, guaranteeing at least 5,000 Oroberyls plus additional materials.
• Two 7-day login campaigns providing 5x limited HH Permits each.

With over 100 million downloads to date, there’s a lot of responsibility and pressure with each update. This is also no small update either, with the size and magnitude of it putting some other games to shame.

What do you make of the Homecoming update? Will you be jumping back into Arknights: Homecoming when it launches? Let us know in the comments!

For your next read, check out the big update in MOUSE: P.I. For hire that gives us a much-requested feature, or Hillthorn, the upcoming mystery game from Raw Fury.

Luke Addison

Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!