Zenless Zone Zero is HoYoverse’s newest video game title but Honkai Star Rail players might notice one tiny overlap: there’s a faction called Belobog Heavy Industries.
Before we get into the meat of it, you should first know some context. ZZZ is an action combat game set in a post-apocalyptic world where strange phenomena known as Hollows appear out of nowhere. Inside these realms, monsters called “Ethereal” wander around.
The surviving city, New Eridu, has thrived by developing technology to extract valuable resources from these Hollows.
As New Eridu becomes a miraculous haven, drawing in more residents, it utilizes extensive exploration of the Hollows for expansion.
The Hollows transform into an industrialized and monetized zone under the city’s control, sparking tensions among monopolies, gangs, conspirators, and fanatics.
One of the factions in the game is called Belobog Heavy Industries, an industrial group in the city.
Fans of Honkai Star Rail, another HoYoverse game, may be familiar with this name since it shares the name of an important place in version 1.0 — Belobog, a city located in Jarilo-VI.
Are these two connected in any way? Curious, we spoke to HoYoverse video game producer Zhenyu Li (李振宇) about this apparent naming coincidence and what it means for ZZZ.
Is Zenless Zone Zero related to Honkai Star Rail? HoYoverse producer sheds light on Belobog Heavy Industries’ name
Zhenyu has clarified with ONE Esports that Zenless Zone Zero’s universe is not, in any way, related to Honkai.
“After the release of the second beta test trailer, many players noticed that a core faction in the game is named Belobog Heavy Industries, which overlaps with the name of an important element in another game,” the video game producer told ONE Esports. “However, this is merely a coincidence, and there is no direct connection between the two.”
In ZZZ, Belobog Heavy Industries is a newly emerging industrial group whose main business covers infrastructure and construction machinery.
Led by the ambitious Koleda, the President of Belobog Heavy Industries, this faction is no stranger to the Hollows. They have a patent for “specialized heavy machinery for work within Hollows” and have a group of employees who are certified Hollow Investigators.
“I don’t want to give away too much, but I hope that players can learn more about the story of Belobog Heavy Industries in the second beta test,” Zhenyu said.
While ZZZ and HSR have no direct ties when it comes to their respective lores, Zhenyu isn’t closing their doors on a future collaboration.
“The world of ZZZ stands apart from other games, offering a unique and independent experience,” Zhenyu said. “The current version does not feature any crossover content with other games. However, I see this as an open possibility in the future.”
Zenless Zone Zero launches globally on July 4, 2024 on iOS, Android, PC, and PlayStation 5.
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