New Eridu

Lore & Background

New Eridu exists in a world where a majority of the planet is enveloped by Hollows. Inside these zones, Ether distorts matter, turning sufficiently sentient life into twisted Ethereals if exposure lasts too long. Outside the Hollows, humanity harvests this same Ether as an energy source to sustain modern society. The city's aesthetic defies typical futuristic tropes; instead, it embraces a retro and analog style because advanced technology is susceptible to corruption from overexposure to Ether. Citizens operate flip phones reminiscent of 2000s and 2010s models, CRT television sets are common sights, and amusement arcades serve as primary entertainment venues. The video rental store Random Play rents VHS tapes to the populace. Producer Zhenyu Li explicitly designed New Eridu to feel lively and buzzing rather than depressing, creating a stark contrast to the implied destruction of the outside world.

In Their Own Story

The narrative follows siblings Belle and Wise, professional Proxies who illegally guide civilians through Hollows on a for-hire basis under the alias "Phaethon." Players select one sibling as the protagonist at the game's start; this choice is permanent, with the unselected sibling appearing in a supporting role throughout the plot. Operating out of their video rental store front, they investigate their mentor's involvement in the expansion of Hollow Zero eleven years prior to the game's events. This catastrophic event led to the collapse of the previous capital city and affected nearly all current residents of New Eridu. As they juggle daily life with Proxy work, Belle and Wise uncover conspiracies involving factions like The Exaltists and NEPS Inspector Justin Bringer, while attempting to clear their mentor Carole Arna's name regarding the fall of Old Eridu.

Reader's Guide

To navigate New Eridu effectively, players must understand its core mechanics and environment. Parties consist of three Agents and one Bangboo, a rabbit-like robot that assists in combat but cannot be directly controlled during primary gameplay (though it is playable in event minigames). Combat relies on real-time reactions where only one Agent is active at a time, allowing free switching to utilize specific fighting styles or the Defensive Assist function for blocking. Enemies accumulate Daze; once filled, they are stunned and vulnerable to increased damage. Exploration utilizes an in-game clock divided into morning, afternoon, evening, and midnight phases to meet Agents and build affinity. Historically, players could explore Hollows via "Array Mode" (TV Mode), a 2D tile-based system using a Bangboo avatar, but this was phased out after the Version 1.2 update in September 2024 due to mixed reception. It remains accessible only within "Hollow Zero: Withered Domain" and the permanent event "The Mystery of Arpeggio Fault." Progression involves summoning Agents and signature W-Engines through gacha, equipping Disc Drives for general buffs, and completing Commissions released approximately every six weeks.

Did You Know?

• The Xbox Series X/S version of Zenless Zone Zero was announced for a later release and did not come out on July 4, 2024.
• New Eridu uses a retro aesthetic with flip phones and CRT TVs because modern technology is vulnerable to Ether corruption.
• TV Mode was significantly reduced after Version 1.2 in September 2024 but remains in some side content and events.
• The protagonists Belle and Wise operate under the alias "Phaethon" while running a video rental store as a front.
• The city of New Eridu was designed by producer Zhenyu Li to feel lively and buzzing, contrasting with the implied destruction outside its walls.

Setting and Environmental Hazards

New Eridu exists in a world where most of the planet is consumed by Hollows. Inside these zones, Ether distorts matter and turns sentient beings into Ethereals. Outside, society harvests Ether as an energy source to sustain modern life. Despite being futuristic, the city adopts a retro and analog aesthetic because advanced technology is susceptible to Ether corruption. Citizens use flip phones reminiscent of 2000s and 2010s models, CRT televisions are common, and arcades serve as primary entertainment. The video rental store Random Play rents VHS tapes. Producer Zhenyu Li designed New Eridu to feel lively rather than depressing, contrasting with the implied destruction of the unseen outside world.

Protagonists and Narrative Goals

The story follows siblings Belle and Wise, professional Proxies who guide civilians through Hollows for hire under the alias "Phaethon." Players select one sibling as the protagonist at the start; the other appears in a supporting role. They operate a video rental store as a front while investigating their mentor's involvement in the expansion of Hollow Zero eleven years prior, an event that caused the collapse of the previous capital city and affected nearly all current residents.

Gameplay Mechanics and Combat Loop

Players build parties of three Agents and one Bangboo (a rabbit-like robot) to fight Ethereals and human opponents. Only one Agent is actively controlled at a time, though others act autonomously. Players can switch the controlled Agent freely during combat or use Defensive Assist to block attacks. Enemies accumulate Daze; when filled, they are stunned and take increased damage. Parties are formed via gacha mechanics using Disc Drives for general buffs and W-Engines for stronger, type-specific enhancements. Exploration outside combat uses an in-game clock (morning, afternoon, evening, midnight) to meet Agents and develop affinity. Array Mode (TV Mode), a 2D tile-based exploration feature, was phased out after Version 1.2 in September 2024 but remains accessible in "Hollow Zero: Withered Domain" and the permanent event "The Mystery of Arpeggio Fault."

Development History and Platform Availability

Developed by miHoYo and published outside mainland China by HoYoverse, Zenless Zone Zero launched on Windows, iOS, Android, and PlayStation 5 on July 4, 2024. An Xbox Series X/S port was released on June 6, 2025. The game received generally positive reviews for its gameplay, soundtrack, animation, and characters. It follows a live service model with updates (Versions) approximately every six weeks, organized into Seasons that increment the X value in version numbers. Each Version includes Commissions that advance the plot through interactions with Agents and NPCs.