Zenless Zone Zero 3.3 "Journey to the Sky" launches on 21 October 2026, and Phoenix, a limited S-Rank Fire Anomaly agent, headlines the first half of the update alongside a Velina rerun. Pull Phoenix if you run Anomaly teams; save for Severian, the Wind Attack agent arriving on 11 November, if you lack a main DPS.
ZZZ 3.3 key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Version name | 3.3 "Journey to the Sky" |
| Release date | 21 October 2026 (Wednesday) |
| Phase 1 banners | Phoenix "Into the Flames of Life" (new), Velina (rerun) |
| Phase 2 banners | Severian (new), Norma (rerun), 11 November to 1 December |
| New S-Rank W-Engines | Plume of Rebirth (Phoenix), Incarcerating Grip (Severian) |
| Rerun W-Engines | Joyau Dore (Velina), Chief Sidekick (Norma) |
| Free A-Rank W-Engine | Candlelit Scheme from the Spooky Funhouse Tales event |
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, iOS, Android |
Game8 lists the Phase 1 end as 11 November, while some outlets give 10 November. Treat the evening of 10 November in your server time as the safe deadline for any Phoenix or Velina pulls.
Who is Phoenix and what does she do
Phoenix is the combat second-in-command of the Krampus Compliance Authority. She is a Fire attribute agent with the Anomaly specialty, and her signature W-Engine is Plume of Rebirth. Her English voice is Michaela Jill Murphy, per Game8.
Two parts of her kit, as described in the official 3.3 reveal reported by RPG Site, matter most for account planning:
- Nirvana (Core Skill): sears enemies affected by Anomalies so that later Anomaly damage can critically hit. Anomaly damage normally cannot crit, which is why this is a team buff in practice.
- Rebirth: brings Phoenix back after a fatal strike. Game8 adds that her kit spends HP for burst damage and uses a resource called Pyre.
Full multipliers and best team lists were not final at the time of writing. Game8 notes that its team section will be updated once the full kit is published, so treat early team claims with care.
Severian, Velina and Norma at a glance
| Agent | Type | Phase | Signature W-Engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | Fire Anomaly, new | 1 | Plume of Rebirth |
| Velina | Wind Anomaly, rerun | 1 | Joyau Dore |
| Severian | Wind Attack, new | 2 | Incarcerating Grip |
| Norma | Fire Stun, rerun | 2 | Chief Sidekick |
Severian is a senior commissioner at New Eridu Public Security. His Core Skill, Endless Breeze, automatically dodges an incoming attack and turns it into a counter, then builds Energy for stronger consecutive slashes. Velina and Norma both debuted in version 3.0 in June 2026, so this is the first chance for many players to get them.
Pull or skip: decide by what your account already has
Neither new agent is the right pick for every account. The useful question is what your current teams are missing. Use this table as a starting point:
| Your account | Best 3.3 target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Owns Remielle or other Anomaly agents | Phoenix, then Velina | Nirvana lets your existing Anomaly damage crit |
| Skipped Velina in 3.0 | Velina in Phase 1 | Rerun runs in the same window as Phoenix |
| No modern main DPS | Severian in Phase 2 | Standalone Attack carry, less team dependent |
| Needs a Stun for a newer DPS | Norma in Phase 2 | Fire Stun rerun alongside Severian |
| Low on Polychrome | One agent, no W-Engine yet | Agent first, signature later |
The real 3.3 decision is not Phoenix against Severian. It is Phase 1 against Phase 2. Phoenix and Velina share a window, so an Anomaly player who wants both must have up to two full 90 pull guarantees ready by 21 October, while a Phase 2 player gets three extra weeks of income first.
If you lose a 50/50 on Phoenix, the guarantee carries forward to the next limited S-Rank you hit on the agent channel. Plan around the worst case of 180 pulls for one specific limited agent.
Pity, Polychrome and free rewards in 3.3
- Agent channel: one S-Rank guaranteed within 90 Signal Searches, 50% chance it is the featured agent, guaranteed featured on the next S-Rank if you lose (ONE Esports).
- W-Engine channel: one S-Rank W-Engine within 80 pulls, 75% chance it is the featured one.
- Login: 10 Encrypted Master Tapes and 10 Boopons for checking in during 3.3, per HappyGamer.
- Livestream code: JRNY2SKY for 300 Polychrome plus materials, per Game8. Codes from streams expire, so check it in game before relying on it.
- Event W-Engine: Candlelit Scheme, A-Rank, from Spooky Funhouse Tales.
The patch also adds mech combat, which HoYoverse says will stay in future versions, a seasonal Enigma of the Labyrinth mode called "Spooky Trial", and the new Quietude Isle skyport area in Season 3 Chapter 4.
What 3.3 means for ZZZ account value
Account value in ZZZ follows the meta. A new limited agent shifts which rosters look complete, and reruns decide which older agents stay scarce. Three effects are worth knowing before you buy or sell.
- Anomaly rosters gain value. An account with Remielle, Velina and other Anomaly agents becomes more attractive once Phoenix makes their damage crit.
- Signatures matter. Buyers look for limited agents with their signature W-Engines, and a sig is often worth more damage per pull than Mindscape 1. Our ZZZ account terms guide explains M and W levels.
- Server is permanent. America, Europe, Asia and TW/HK/MO cannot be transferred, so the region must match where you play.
If you would rather start 3.3 with a finished roster, look at Zenless Zone Zero accounts for sale that already include current tier 0 agents and their signatures, then pull Phoenix or Severian on top.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Phoenix banner start in ZZZ?
Phoenix's banner, "Into the Flames of Life", opens with version 3.3 on 21 October 2026 and runs for Phase 1 until Severian's banner starts on 11 November.
Is Phoenix limited or standard?
Phoenix is a limited S-Rank agent on the Exclusive Channel. Missing her banner means waiting for a rerun, which HoYoverse has not announced.
Should I pull Phoenix or Severian?
Pull Phoenix if your account runs Anomaly teams, since her Core Skill lets Anomaly damage crit. Pick Severian if you need a self-sufficient Wind main DPS.
Who reruns in ZZZ 3.3?
Velina, a Wind Anomaly agent, reruns with Joyau Dore in Phase 1. Norma, a Fire Stun agent, reruns with Chief Sidekick in Phase 2.
Do I need Phoenix's W-Engine?
No. Secure the agent first. Plume of Rebirth adds damage, but the W-Engine channel has its own 80 pull pity, so it can wait until you have spare Master Tapes.
How many free pulls does 3.3 give?
Confirmed so far: 10 Encrypted Master Tapes from the version login event and 300 Polychrome from code JRNY2SKY. Event and endgame totals were not fully published yet.
Want Phoenix on day one without starting from zero? Browse buy Zenless Zone Zero accounts on MetaMMO. Every account is hand-checked, comes with a lifetime warranty against recovery by the previous owner, and our team will help you pick the right server and roster.
For deeper reading, see the Zenless Zone Zero hub, the ZZZ banner history, our Velina agent page and what to look for in a ZZZ account.
Sources
- Game8: 3.3 Release Date and Banners Guide
- Game8: Phoenix Banner Release Date and Schedule
- Game8: Phoenix Release Date and Character Guide
- Game8: Version 3.3 livestream and codes
- RPG Site: ZZZ Version 3.3 Journey to the Sky launches on October 21
- HappyGamer: ZZZ 3.3 launches October 21 with Phoenix, Severian and mech combat
- TheClick: ZZZ 3.3 banners, Phoenix, Severian and reruns
- ONE Esports: Zenless Zone Zero pity system
- HostedGG: ZZZ Mindscape Cinema, is it worth it
- RPG Site: ZZZ 3.0 launches June 17 with Velina and Norma
