Six months after launch, Arknights: Endfield is about to receive its biggest update yet. Version 1.4, titled Homecoming, goes live on July 16, 2026, and the name fits. This is the update that closes the Wuling arc, introduces two new 6-star Operators, overhauls the AIC factory with gas production, and hands out a generous stack of anniversary rewards. If you have been waiting for a reason to log back in, this is it.
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When Homecoming actually goes live in your region
Hypergryph has not published a precise maintenance start time, but standard server maintenance for Arknights: Endfield runs roughly six hours. The update goes live immediately after maintenance ends on July 16. Based on that window, here is when you can expect to play in your time zone:
The key here is to check the in-game maintenance notice, which will display the exact start time adjusted to your local clock. That is the most reliable source for pinning down the hour.
What is waiting when the servers come back up
Homecoming is not a routine content patch. Two new 6-star Operators headline the update: Arcane (Li Zhiyan), a Nature Caster whose form shifts based on her Intellect and Will stat allocation, and Liino, an Electric Supporter built around buffs, healing, and Arts reaction combos. Arcane arrives in the first banner phase, Liino in the second.
The story side opens two new main-story maps, Yinglung Pass and the North Wuling Exclusion Zone, capping off a storyline that has been building since launch. The exclusion zone introduces Blightshades, enemies that are essentially frozen data echoes of fallen Yinglung Task Force members, which is as grim as it sounds. The chapter boss, Alleikhreos, Chiliarch, requires players to reach imbalance nodes and use spawned weapons to break his charged attacks rather than just tanking through them.
For base builders, the AIC factory expansion adds gas as a full production category. Two new resources, Inergen and Xiragen, feed into simplified production chains. Phase transmutation lets materials shift between gas, fluid, and solid states, cutting multi-step loops significantly. Trade Voucher costs for assembly also drop by 99 percent, which should end the frustration of running dry mid-batch.
Free rewards and the anniversary code
The six-month celebration comes with real pull currency. Here is the breakdown of what Hypergryph is giving away:
- Redemption code ENDFIELDRENEW: Safety Helmet sticker and 71,600 T-Creds
- In-game mail: 2,000 Oroberyls, 12,000 T-Creds, plus progression materials
- Tribute of Companionship (3-day login): 3,000 Oroberyls, 5 Basic HH Permits, and the free 6-star sword Farsight
- Fortune Connect-and-Win: 14 scratch attempts guaranteeing at least 5,000 Oroberyls
- Two 7-day login campaigns: 5 limited HH Permits each
That adds up to over 10,000 Oroberyls minimum across events, plus a free 6-star weapon on day three of login. The code can only be redeemed in-game, and rewards expire from the mailbox after 30 days.
For players who want a head start on spending those Oroberyls wisely, the Arknights: Endfield all active codes guide keeps the full list current, and the Arknights: Endfield strategy guides collection covers everything from factory optimization to operator builds.
New content beyond the main story
Three new modes launch alongside the story content. Echoes of War is a permanent seasonal combat mode with Normal, Hard, and Brutal difficulties. All Oroberyl rewards sit at Normal, so free-to-play players are not locked out of pull currency by difficulty walls. HEAT RAGE! MEGA ARENA! caps squads at two Operators and applies duo-specific buffs, making it a genuinely different challenge. The Rooted Realm is a limited exploration event in the update's second half, built around collecting Aurylen fragments across timed rooms.
Quality-of-life changes are also substantial. Shared ziplines now auto-maintain, underground pipe connection range extends to 300 meters, and skill visual effects can be dimmed for cleaner combat reads. PC players get DLSS 4.5 support, PS5 Pro gets enhanced PSSR, and FSR 3 adds frame generation on Radeon hardware.
For anyone who missed the full breakdown of what Hypergryph has built over the first six months, the in-depth Arknights: Endfield review covers the game's systems in detail. Homecoming addresses several rough edges that were flagged at launch, particularly around factory complexity and new-player onboarding. The Early Access: Wuling feature now lets newcomers jump straight to the new content without completing Valley 4 first, which removes one of the bigger barriers to entry.
Servers come back July 16. Have the code ready.
