Quick answer: Zenless Zone Zero Version 3.3 "Journey to the Sky" starts with update maintenance at 2026/10/21 06:00 (UTC+8), which is Tuesday 2026-10-20 at 18:00 EDT / 15:00 PDT / 23:00 BST. HoYoverse estimates the maintenance "will take five hours", so expect to log in around 11:00 UTC+8 (23:00 EDT / 20:00 PDT). Pre-download is open now until 2026/10/21 05:50 (UTC+8): about 6 GB on PC, 5 GB on mobile, 14 GB on PS5 and 21 GB on Xbox Series X/S. Every player at Inter-Knot Lv. 4 or higher gets Polychrome ×300 in mail after the update. Phase I opens with Phoenix (Fire Anomaly, new) and a Velina rerun until 2026/11/11 11:59 server time.
This page was refreshed on 2026-10-19, two days before launch, with Version 3.2 "Their Secret Histories" still live. Every confirmed date and number below comes from four HoYoverse notices posted on HoYoLAB on 2026-10-19 between 12:05 and 14:30 (UTC+8), plus the 3.3 Intel Report from the 2026-10-09 Special Program. Nothing here is from a leak.
When does ZZZ 3.3 release in my time zone?
The Pre-Download & Update Notice (HoYoLAB post 47130875) gives one timestamp and one duration:
"[Version Update Time] 2026/10/21 06:00 (UTC+8) : We estimate this will take five hours."
Maintenance start is fixed. Maintenance end is an estimate, so treat the "live" column as "earliest likely", not a promise.
| Region | Maintenance starts | Expected live (5 h estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Asia (UTC+8) | Wed Oct 21, 06:00 | Wed Oct 21, 11:00 |
| Japan / Korea (UTC+9) | Wed Oct 21, 07:00 | Wed Oct 21, 12:00 |
| UTC | Tue Oct 20, 22:00 | Wed Oct 21, 03:00 |
| UK (BST) | Tue Oct 20, 23:00 | Wed Oct 21, 04:00 |
| Central Europe (CEST) | Wed Oct 21, 00:00 | Wed Oct 21, 05:00 |
| US East (EDT) | Tue Oct 20, 18:00 | Tue Oct 20, 23:00 |
| US West (PDT) | Tue Oct 20, 15:00 | Tue Oct 20, 20:00 |
Daylight saving does not end in Europe until October 25 or in the US until November 1, so the summer offsets above are the right ones for this patch.
This date was not a surprise. On 2026-10-01 we published it from a single sentence in the Version 3.2 update announcement (post 46622788): "Version 3.2 will run for 42 days, ending on 2026/10/21 06:00 (UTC+8)." ZZZ versions abut, so the end of 3.2 is the start of 3.3. Today's notice confirms the timestamp to the minute.
How big is the Zenless Zone Zero 3.3 pre-download?
Pre-download runs 2026/10/19 12:00 to 2026/10/21 05:50 (UTC+8), ten minutes before the servers go down. HoYoverse's published sizes:
| Platform | Pre-download size | Can you keep playing while it downloads? |
|---|---|---|
| PC (HoYoPlay) | about 6 GB | Yes |
| Android / iOS | about 5 GB | No |
| PS5 / PS5 Pro | about 14 GB | Yes (starts automatically) |
| Xbox Series X/S | about 21 GB | Yes (starts automatically) |
Three details from the notice that trip people up every patch:
- Mobile locks you out. "Mobile users will not be able to play the game during the pre-download." If you still have 3.2 dailies or Operation Bagel runs to finish, do them first, then tap "Pre-Download Resources" in the bottom-right corner.
- Voice packs change the size. The notice says installed voice packs "will affect the space required", so a PC with two or three languages installed will need more than 6 GB.
- Consoles only auto-start with enough reserved storage. On Xbox you can force it from My games & apps, then Manage, then Updates.
The console numbers are the outlier: Xbox is roughly 3.5 times the PC figure. If you play on Xbox and are short on space, clear room tonight rather than at 06:00 on the 21st.
What's in the Version 3.3 Phase I banners?
The V3.3 Limited-Time Channels (Phase I) notice, post 47131668, went up at 14:00 (UTC+8) today. It runs from "After the Version 3.3 Update" to 2026/11/11 11:59 (server time) and contains four channels:
| Channel | Type | Featured S-Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Into the Flames of Life | Exclusive Channel (new) | Phoenix, Fire / Anomaly |
| Plume of Rebirth | W-Engine Channel (new) | Plume of Rebirth, Anomaly |
| Graceful Gale | Exclusive Channel (rerun) | Velina, Wind / Anomaly |
| Joyau Dore | W-Engine Channel (rerun) | Joyau Dore, Anomaly |
The 3.3 Intel Report (post 47023957, 2026-10-09) already showed Phase II: Severian (Wind / Attack) with Incarcerating Grip, and a Norma rerun (Fire / Stun) with Chief Sidekick, running 2026/11/11 12:00 to 2026/12/01 14:59 server time. The Phase II channel names have not been published yet; expect them in a notice about two days before November 11. Our ZZZ 3.3 banners breakdown covers the full phase-by-phase lineup.
The Intel Report describes Phoenix in four lines: a "Fire Anomaly DPS Agent" who "grants a chance for the whole squad's Attribute Anomaly DMG to trigger a CRIT", "rapidly accumulates the Anomaly Buildup gauge in a short time" and "can return to the battlefield and restore HP after being defeated." The notice does not publish skill multipliers, and neither do we. See our Phoenix page for what HoYoverse has revealed so far.
Two rules in today's notice decide how you should pull:
- Pity carries from 3.2. "The Search count for guaranteed Signals is cumulative across all Exclusive Channels." Pulls you put into Roxy or Promeia in 3.2 Phase II count toward Phoenix or Velina. W-Engine pity is a separate counter. Our pity system guide explains how each counter works.
- Neither Phoenix nor Velina will be added to the standard channel. "The limited S-Rank Agents and limited S-Rank W-Engines above will not become available in the Star-Studded Cast Stable Channel."
Phoenix or Velina?
That question is all over the subreddits today, and the player answers are unusually unanimous. One reply on r/ZenlessZoneZero sums up the thread: "Phoenix will want Velina, but Velina will support many other teams as well." Several others point out that Velina makes almost every Anomaly team stronger, while Phoenix is a single new Anomaly DPS who leans on Velina to get the most from her. If you can only afford one, the consensus is Velina first. Our Velina build and rerun guide explains why her Energy Regen passive makes her the flexible pick.
You can test both before spending. The Phase I notice includes "The Final Callback - Audition Stage", which unlocks at Inter-Knot Lv. 8 and runs the whole of Phase I with trial versions of Phoenix and Velina. Clearing each stage for the first time pays a reward on the results screen.
What else is new in Zenless Zone Zero 3.3 Journey to the Sky?
Today's notices and the 3.3 Intel Report confirm these additions:
- Main Story Season 3 Chapter 4, "Journey to the Sky". Permanent after the update. Requires Season 3 Chapter 3 "Their Secret Histories" (notice 47131894). The notice's tagline: "Within a sleepwalker's dream... another dreamer awakens."
- Candlelit Scheme, a new A-Rank Armorer W-Engine handed out as an event gift (Intel Report).
- Angels Support Operation continues into 3.3 (the 3.2 event runs until 2026/11/30 03:59 server time). New in 3.3: clear every Mission Mode stage in the "Spooky Funhouse Tales" event to claim an Angels of Delusion outfit from the event page (Intel Report). Our guide to the Angels of Delusion outfits covers the 3.2 phase.
- All-New Program login event: 7 total login days for Encrypted Master Tape ×10 (Intel Report).
- New outfits: Phoenix's "Daydream Complex" and "The Illness Called Life" (sold together as the "Empty Daydreams" set) and Severian's "Solemnly Impeccable".
The store notice (47131792) prices Phoenix's two outfits at Monochrome ×1,350 each during the 3.3 discount and ×1,680 afterwards. Both outfits stay in the shop permanently, but the discount and the "Empty Daydreams" set bundle (both outfits for Monochrome ×2,350) end at 2026/12/02 05:59 (UTC+8).
That timestamp tells us one more thing. A sale that ends at 05:59 on December 2 lines up exactly with a 42-day version ending at 06:00 that morning. HoYoverse has not published the 3.3 end date yet, but its own store notice is consistent with the 2026-12-02 end we projected on October 1.
What do you have to finish in 3.2 before the update?
The trap: 3.2 banners end before maintenance starts. The 3.2 Phase II channels (Roxy, Promeia, Crimson Moon Casket, Frostfall Sickle) close at 2026/10/20 14:59 server time. Phase II has closed at 14:59 the day before the next version in each of the last six versions. On Asia servers that leaves about 20 hours with no limited Agent banner: 15 hours until maintenance starts, plus roughly five hours of maintenance. If you want Roxy, pull before the 20th, not on the night of the update.
The rest of the checklist:
- Pre-download before 05:50 (UTC+8) on October 21.
- Reach Inter-Knot Lv. 4 before 06:00 on October 21 to qualify for the Polychrome ×300 update compensation. You have until the end of 3.3 to claim it from mail.
- Finish Operation Bagel. The current season has closed at each version update so far, so expect it to end on October 21. See our Operation Bagel guide.
- Don't wait for a launch code. The 3.3 Special Program code, JRNY2SKY, expired on 2026-10-11 at 23:59:59 (UTC+8). No first-party 3.3 code is live right now. Our ZZZ livestream codes tracker logs every Special Program code and when it expired.
How reliable is the ZZZ patch schedule?
Reliable enough to plan Polychrome around. Three things we predicted for this patch, and how they turned out:
| Prediction | Published | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 3.3 launches 2026/10/21 06:00 (UTC+8) | 2026-10-01 | Confirmed by notice 47130875 |
| Special Program broadcast Fri 2026-10-09 19:30 (UTC+8) | 2026-10-03 | Exact |
| Pre-Download & Phase I notices post 2026-10-19 | 2026-10-13 | Exact (12:05 and 14:00 UTC+8) |
The method is simple: HoYoverse posts the Pre-Download & Update Notice two days before launch, and has done so for every recent version (3.0, 3.1, 3.2 and now 3.3). Versions have run 42 days each since 2.8. Both patterns held again. Using the same patterns, the next projections are:
- Phase II switch: 2026/11/11 12:00 server time (already first-party in the Intel Report).
- Version 3.3 end: about 2026/12/02 06:00 (UTC+8). Projected; the store discount end supports it.
- Next Special Program: about Friday 2026-11-20, 19:30 (UTC+8). Projected, not announced.
Server time is regional. The Phase I deadline of 11/11 11:59 lands at 11:59 local server time on each regional server. America runs on UTC-5 and Asia on UTC+8, so the same deadline arrives 13 real hours apart between them.
What is still not confirmed about ZZZ 3.3
As of 2026-10-19, HoYoverse has not published:
- The Phase II channel names for Severian and Norma
- Full patch notes (the version update announcement usually posts at about 07:00 UTC+8, an hour after maintenance begins)
- The total update size after maintenance, beyond the pre-download figures
- Any new redemption code for the 3.3 launch
- Phoenix's or Severian's skill multipliers in text form
Anything on page one asserting these as fact is a leak or a guess. Signal Search drop rates are only those shown under "Details" in the in-game search page. Don't trust any rate that isn't in HoYoverse's own Signal Search details.
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FAQ
What time does ZZZ 3.3 come out? Maintenance begins 2026/10/21 06:00 (UTC+8), which is 18:00 EDT and 15:00 PDT on Tuesday October 20. HoYoverse estimates five hours of maintenance, so the game should be playable around 11:00 UTC+8, or 23:00 EDT / 20:00 PDT on October 20.
How big is the ZZZ 3.3 update? The pre-download is about 6 GB on PC, 5 GB on Android and iOS, 14 GB on PS5 and 21 GB on Xbox Series X/S, per HoYoverse's notice. Installed voice packs increase the PC size.
Can I play ZZZ while the 3.3 pre-download runs? On PC, PS5 and Xbox, yes. On mobile, no. HoYoverse's notice says mobile players "will not be able to play the game during the pre-download."
Who is on the ZZZ 3.3 Phase I banner? Phoenix (S-Rank, Fire Anomaly) debuts in "Into the Flames of Life" with her W-Engine Plume of Rebirth, alongside a Velina rerun in "Graceful Gale" with Joyau Dore. Phase I ends 2026/11/11 11:59 server time.
Does my pity carry over from 3.2 to 3.3? Yes. HoYoverse's 3.3 notice states the guarantee count "is cumulative across all Exclusive Channels", so pulls on Roxy or Promeia count toward Phoenix or Velina. W-Engine Channel pity is tracked separately.
Is there free Polychrome for the 3.3 update? Yes. Polychrome ×300 as Server Update Compensation for every account that reaches Inter-Knot Lv. 4 before 2026/10/21 06:00 (UTC+8). It arrives in mail after the update and can be claimed until the end of Version 3.3.
Sources: HoYoLAB official Zenless Zone Zero posts 47130875 (Version 3.3 Pre-Download & Update Notice), 47131668 (V3.3 Limited-Time Channels Phase I), 47131894 (Main Story Season 3 Chapter 4), 47131792 (Version 3.3 New Stock in the Store), all posted 2026-10-19; 47023957 (3.3 Intel Report, 2026-10-09); 46622788 (Version 3.2 Update Announcement). Player sentiment from r/ZenlessZoneZero, 2026-10-19. Verified 2026-10-19.
