Talk with Designers: A Sneak Peek at the Crossover Event and Upcoming Modes

Hello everyone! We’re about halfway through the Chains of Eternity season, and it’s time to talk about what’s next. Today, I’ll walk you through our upcoming plans, including a first look at new content, key changes, and what to expect in the next season.

Today, we’re focusing on two major themes: tackling the long off-season and introducing more fun gameplay.

I. Crossover Event

I’m excited to announce that in the upcoming Version 1.3.4, AFK Journey will host its first-ever crossover event, introducing two crossover heroes to Esperia! While we’re keeping their names under wraps for now, we can share that you’ll be able to obtain them in the same way as our current Rate Up heroes. To show our appreciation for your support, we’ll provide the resources needed throughout the event to help you ascend one of these heroes to Mythic+ just by participating. Stay tuned for more details as the event approaches!

AFK Arena had a lot of collabs already, and here’s a list of them (maybe AFK Journey will repeat one):

• Samurai Shodown
• Assassin’s Creed
• Overlord (Kagune Maruyama)
• Persona
• The Witcher
• Re:Zero
• That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

II. Improved Season Experience & Reward Adjustment

To address player feedback about the “long off-season,” we’ve decided to restructure our 4-month season into 3 distinct phases to improve flow and pacing.

1. The first 2 phases will last 5 weeks each, with the 3rd phase filling out the remainder of the season. During each phase, both AFK Stage progression and Season Resonance Level have specific caps. Once you hit the AFK Stage cap, you’ll be able to join a phase-specific endless stages event where the first players to clear an event stage earn bonus rewards for everyone on the server.
2. At the start of phase 2 or 3, the previous phase’s endless stage event will automatically end. Players who reached the AFK Stage and Season Level caps in the previous phase will have their progress—Resonance Level, Equipment, Magic Charms, Artifacts, and Season Talents—carried over to the new phase. Each phase will require unique resources and materials, ensuring that all players who reached the previous phase’s caps start on equal footing.
3. To complement the new 3-phase structure, we’re adding more content and adjusting the current game modes. For example, we’ll increase the number of Primal Lords to 3 and make Titan Reaver a regular part of the season’s gameplay. We’ll also introduce more events and modes, which we’ll discuss in the following segments.
4. In future seasons, each phase will include extra milestone rewards, in addition to the usual season rewards. The best part is that you can earn these rewards simply by playing as you normally do.
5. Finally, near the end of the 3rd phase, we’ll launch the end-of-season event, Ravaged Realm, before kicking off the next season.

III. Honored One

In version 1.3.3, we’re launching our first-ever popularity contest, the Honored One! This event will unfold in two phases, giving players worldwide the chance to earn votes for free by completing event quests and casting them for the heroes they want to support. Here’s how it works:

1. Preliminary Phase: 27 heroes whose Headwear isn’t currently available in-game will enter the contest. Based on their final rankings, these heroes’ Headwear will be rolled out gradually in future updates.
2. Final Phase: At the end of this phase, the top 3 heroes will earn exclusive titles, and the #1 hero will receive a unique frame. All players who cast at least one vote during the event will receive these rewards for free in future updates.

This is our first voting event of its kind, with one more Headwear voting event planned. Once all heroes without their themed Headwear have been voted on, we’ll launch new voting events featuring other heroes. Stay tuned!

IV. Sunlit Showdown

Next season, we’ll be introducing a new tournament event: Sunlit Showdown. In this 1v1 knockout competition, you’ll lead your heroes from the Round of 64 to the finals to claim the championship.

Here’s what to expect:

1. To ensure fairness, your seasonal progress won’t carry over to this event. However, you can only use heroes that you’ve already recruited.
2. The tournament will feature 3 difficulty levels, with higher difficulties pitting you against tougher NPC enemies.
3. Each playthrough consists of up to 6 rounds of battles (Round of 64 → Round of 32 → Round of 16 → Quarterfinals → Semifinals → Finals).
4. In each battle, both sides choose 3 heroes and set their deployment order. These heroes then face off in a series of 1-on-1 duels—the winner stays, and the loser is eliminated—until all 3 heroes on one side are defeated.
5. You can equip your heroes with up to 3 items per battle to aid them in combat.
6. Defeating an enemy hero lets you loot their dropped items.

We plan to launch Sunlit Showdown as a limited-time event in Version 1.4.1. We’re committed to ensuring everyone gets a fair shot at the rewards. For those who crave a challenge, higher-difficulty bonus objectives and leaderboards will let you showcase your skills.

If the event is well-received, we may make it permanent and integrate it with Lucky Flip, allowing you to play at your own pace. We’re also exploring new game modes, such as real-time PvP and PvP challenge modes.

V. Management Simulation Mode

Finally, here’s a sneak peek at our highly anticipated land-building mode! We’re still working on it, and it’s expected to launch in late June or early July.

In this new mode, you’ll find yourself in a mysterious territory shrouded in dark mist and overrun by Hypogeans. It’s up to you to drive out the Hypogeans, dispel the darkness, and restore the land to its former glory.

With strategic planning and careful management, you’ll bring prosperity back to the territory. As you explore Esperia, conduct research, and encounter special events and stories, you’ll also unlock a variety of decorative items and structures to make the land truly your own.

Your heroes will also play a key role in rebuilding. Each hero has unique strengths and preferences, and it’s up to you to assign them wisely to different tasks, balancing their work and daily life within your territory. It’s a challenge that rewards both strategy and creativity.

The land-building mode will allow players to visit each other’s territories without server restrictions (except between the Chinese and global servers). This opens up opportunities for collaboration and teamwork as you develop your land alongside others.

But this mode is more than just a new game mode—it’s the foundation for future updates that will bring even more engaging and innovative gameplay. Our goal is to continue delivering enjoyable, meaningful content that keeps players excited.

Artwork shown is conceptual and subject to change before release.

We’ve been carefully listening to your feedback and suggestions, and we deeply appreciate your continued love and support for the game. There’s a lot more in development that we can’t share just yet, so stay tuned for future updates!

Most of the features mentioned here will roll out in upcoming versions and seasons. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us refine, improve, and expand the game. Thank you for being part of AFK Journey.

We hope you’ll continue this adventure with us as the game evolves!

AFK Journey Team