In the rain-slicked alleys of New Eridu, a Proxy named Kael watched the Inter-Knot pulse with a familiar warning: Version 1.3 was coming. The year was 2024, though by 2026 the memory of that pre-download window would feel like a vintage cassette tape—still playable, still instructive. The dev team had opened a pre-download period from 2024/11/04 12:00 (UTC+8) to 2024/11/06 5:50 (UTC+8), a narrow corridor of time in which Proxies could pull part of the update early. Kael, like a lighthouse keeper charting a storm before it arrived, studied the instructions with the calm of someone who had been burned by slow connections before.
The pre-download file sizes were not trivial. On PC, it weighed about 7 GB. On mobile, both Android and iOS, it was about 3 GB. The Voice Pack(s) installed on the client would affect the space required, a detail Kael noted with the precision of a deep-sea diver checking oxygen before a long descent. The announcement urged Proxies to ensure sufficient device space and to download over Wi-Fi. Kael cleared old screenshots, cached videos, and forgotten audio logs, then connected to a stable network.
For PC users, the process was almost ceremonial. Open the HoYoPlay Launcher, and a 'Pre-Install' icon would appear next to the 'Start Game' button. Click that icon, and the download began. PC users could continue playing the game during the pre-download, which meant Kael could still run commissions while the future arrived in the background. It was like a librarian cataloging books before the readers stormed the gates—quiet, methodical, and oddly satisfying.
Mobile users faced a different rhythm. They opened the game, tapped the 'Pre-Download Resources' icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen, and started the download. But mobile users could not play the game during the pre-download. Kael planned a break, set the phone on a charger, and let the data flow. The trade-off was clear: faster access later, a short silence now.
| Platform | Pre-download size | Can play during pre-download? |
|---|---|---|
| PC | About 7 GB | Yes |
| Mobile (Android and iOS) | About 3 GB | No |
Then came the maintenance. The dev team scheduled a version update maintenance starting 2024/11/06 06:00 (UTC+8). During that time, Proxies could not log into the game. The estimate was five hours. Kael marked the window on a sticky note, brewed a pot of coffee, and waited. The city outside kept humming, but inside the game, the servers would be silent.
For those who qualified, there was compensation. Server Update Compensation: Polychrome ×300. Eligibility: Proxies who reached Inter-Knot Lv. 4 before 2024/11/06 06:00 (UTC+8). The compensation would be issued via in-game mail after the update was completed. The claim deadline was before the end of Version 1.3. Kael, already at Inter-Knot Lv. 4, felt the small satisfaction of a reward earned by simply showing up.
Once maintenance started, Proxies could follow in-game instructions to update their game. The methods varied by platform:
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PC: Exit the game, restart, then select update.
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Android: After entering the game, follow the in-game pop-up instructions to complete the update.
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iOS: Go to the App Store and select update.
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PS5™: Open the PS5™ home screen > Highlight Zenless Zone Zero > Hold down the Options button on your controller > Check for updates.
Kael double-checked the checklist. Storage: cleared. Wi-Fi: stable. Launcher: ready. Voice packs: accounted for. The pre-download was not just a technical step; it was a ritual of anticipation. By the time the maintenance ended, Kael would step back into New Eridu with the new version already waiting, like a train that had arrived early and simply needed the doors to open.
In 2026, looking back, the Version 1.3 pre-download is a reminder that preparation is its own kind of adventure. The details—7 GB on PC, 3 GB on mobile, the five-hour maintenance, the 300 Polychromes—are small numbers in a long history. But for a Proxy who lived that window, they were the shape of a night well spent. The game would update, the servers would wake, and New Eridu would continue. Kael, like so many others, was ready.