HoYoverse's “Starry Sky Valley” Game Rumors Explained

HoYoverse has notched several hits under its belt with Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Railand now Zenless Zone Zero. But reports have suggested that another part, Starry sky valleyis on its way. Starry sky valley also seems to differ from HoYoverse's roster thus far genre-wise, making it an interesting addition to the brand.

Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Railand Zenless Zone Zero have all skyrocketed in popularity since their respective launches. All of these games from Chinese developer HoYoverse, formerly known as miHoYo, fall somewhat under the action-adventure RPG genre. However, information about Starry sky valley suggesting that it will not follow in the footsteps of its predecessors and instead switch genres entirely.

How Starry Sky Valley was revealed

Starry sky valleys title was only leaked after the phrase was trademarked by HoYoverse with the Chinese government. It should be noted that this name may change when the game is officially announced by HoYoverse as Starry sky valley is a rough and literal translation of the Chinese brand. The leak and translation came from noted HoYoverse leaker @hxgdiluc on X (formerly known as Twitter). The X user also posted screenshots of a Bilibili account, a popular Chinese streaming platform, registered with Starry sky valley.

HoYoverse has yet to officially announce the game or comment on any leaks related to the alleged title. Rumors of one Animal Crossing the HoYoverse competitor has been on a rampage since a series of leaks back in 2023. It seems that Starry sky valley is this alleged simulation game that adds another cozy game to the genre.

Considering the increased popularity of cozy games and the mass revenue HoYoverse receives from its other titles, creating a simulation game seems like a smart move for the Chinese developer. Starry sky valley leakers may not benefit from the buzz they generate for HoYoverse, as the company is known to take legal action against leakers. Still, these rumors have created intense excitement among the HoYoverse fanbase that the developer can lean into.

New development in Starry Sky Valley

A select few HoYoverse fans have received mysterious emails from the studio inviting them to a confidential playtest for an unknown game. Reports list the playtest as taking place the weekend of November 16th and 17th on location in Los Angeles, California. No information about the game's content is mentioned in the email, which means the playtest could be for a new HoYoverse title or an existing one. Regardless, the content of the game seems pretty juicy as players will be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement if they participate. They also receive an Amazon gift card as compensation.

With rumors of Starry sky valley circulating for over a year, it seems reasonable that HoYoverse would try to release the game as soon as possible. At the very least, testing for the game seems like a move that would quench the leaker thirst of the Hoyoverse fanbase.

Images from Starry Sky Valley have been leaked before

Leaked footage from the game has shown avatars in HoYoverse's classic chibi art style playing through an open field to chop down trees. These choppy animations and leaked images of the game's crafting interface are incredibly derivative Animal Crossing: New Horizonsfurther evidence that the HoYoverse may be trying to compete with the long-running Nintendo franchise.

But unlike Nintendo's property, Starry sky valleys images appear to have a moving camera. This is a mechanic that Animal Crossing haven't, with cameras that are always fixed. Perhaps Starry sky valley will focus on improving established parts of Animal Crossing as part of the game's raffle.

Ultimately, this upcoming playtest will either confirm or deny Starry sky valleys leaks. HoYoverse fans will have to wait until the playtest begins on November 16th for new leaked information about the developer's next title.