Arknights Q&A #1

• CBT date still unconfirmed.

• Event Progression will be initially based on feedback from CN players.  

• Available content like stages, operator pool, in-game rates etc. will be like the CN version, with the only changes being localization done by Yostar.

• People with CBT access are free to create content with it (i.e. streaming, guides, etc.)

• Feedback

Present: Yamato, Intern-kun, Inacia, Louie, and GTracer.

Q. When will CBT take place?

• No leaks this time, stay tuned.  We will post it soon.  

• "I was locked in the basement for a month because I leaked too much.  So be careful, Winter is coming."

Q. Will there be codes given out for content creators/key people for the community.

• If you are a content creator, can contact Leona in order to get a slot for the CBT.  Will have schedules to help the content creators, add extra slots for the CBT, to promote the game.  

Q. Is the CBT progress permanent?

• No. Will be reset.  Open Beta should be coming out soon after closed beta, should be the normal content after that.  

• Mostly finished game, cbt content is not the final game.

Q. Are we going to get CN content at launch, or catch up.

• Regarding feedback from Chinese players, we will try our best to consider if we need to adjust the path of the English Version.  We will think about it.  

• Will have casual and hardcore players, feel free to email them their opinions.  

Q. Custom changes to global - rates, operator pool, etc.

• We will keep other rates like the CN version.  The only thing we need to do localization is the texts, having native speakers to translate it.  But content should be the same.

Q. Expect to avoid the Azur Lane CBT mistakes.  

• We have learned our lessons.  Think is more than 90% perfect in CBT.  Have outsourced translators, own translators in company, and native speakers to help in translation.  Should be better than Azur Lane's issues.  

Q. Will the EN version have any changes to art?

• No!  No censor.  We will not censor anything.

• Not that there's much to censor, anyway.

Q. Will the game be compatible with iOS and emulators?  

• Yes, will be compatible as long as Google and Apple allow it.  

Q. Lack of events in CN, how will you deal with that?

• Please give us feedback through official channels.  We want to hear from you.  

• Give us feedback on what you want to add to the game.  

Q. What sort of unique challenges can I expect in Arknights?

• This game has quite the unique system - characters skills, don't see in any other tower defense.  Skill based system just like in a moba.  

• Intern Kun: Tower Defense game, with waifus!...  and husbandos? Expect more? No it's perfect for me.  Favorite is Shaw and Rope, where you can push the enemies.  Creativity is amazing.

• Inacia: Can farm the events, making the tower defense more interesting.  Looking forward to AK preview. 

• Louie: Playing for a very long time, what interests most is operators.  So many different classes in the game. Every operator has their own character.

• GT: Haven't played tower defense as much, uses characters instead of actual towers.  There for not just protection, but support too. The whole system around operators where you can raise them is pretty cool.   

Q. How difficult is the game?

• In my opinion, the difficulty rises from chapter 1 to 2.  There are some stages which are quite challenging. These stages, which cost low sanity, will help a lot. 

• Yamato: The game is quite easy at first, which can be played as a side game, but then becomes quite difficult and require planning. 

Q. Azur Lane collab?

• Collabs are requested in EN AL as well.  Send us feedback. Previously most requested was McDonalds. But Personally (Intern-kun) I want to see more innovation.

Q. Is AK open to future collabs?

• Yes.  We want to make sure EN follows CN as well.  We have our whole marketing team available, like Leona and Scotty, who are open to suggestions.  So tell us how great our game is, and how valuable your feedback is.  

• Future will have a poll for most wanted collabs.  

Q. Will EN have its own exclusive collabs?

• Stay tuned.  No leaks yet.  

Q. Will there be Arknights Merchandise?  Can we expect English speaking countries to receive it?

• Yes.  Leona is working on it.  We learned a lot from AL online store, will improve on this.  Once we solve logistical problems, expect a lot of Arknights Merchandise later down the line. 

• To be honest, we are making some - no leaks yet.  Wait. I don't want to be locked in the basement. We are already designing and making some.  

* The next two Questions are for intern-kun himself.*  

Q. How do you feel being called by players to leak content in different discord servers for different games?

• It is my job to leak and shitpost.  So not bad.  

• Yamato: Yeah, until Leona comes and locks you in the basement.  

Q. Which waifu from AK would you like to marry?

• Are you recording?  We can cut it out.

• My personal choice is Shaw - so cute!

Q. Will there be any staff that are Arknights exclusive?

• Louie and Inacia are exclusive to Arknights, while I am the leak man for all games.  

Q. Will seasonal time content be held back until the appropriate season or released on schedule.

• The schedule?  Inacia, I can't leak?  Oh. Stay tuned!  

• Yamato note: Most questions regarding the schedules/patch notes will be the signature Stay Tuned!

Q. Next question: Do you plan to launch a PC version for the game? 

• No.  Phone and emulator.  

• Yamato: This question is more related to the devs.  

• Actually, you can try the emulator first instead. 

Q.  Will there be a regional server, like SEA, etc.  or will there be a global single server?

• Stay tuned - this is a question more for Inacia and Louie.

Q. When will we get the prereg rewards?

• You will get them once you log in and we have your email.  

Q. Is iOS and Android going to be released at the same time? 

• Obviously.  We don't want to discriminate between the two populations?

Q. Will CBT be the full version of the game?

• No.  It will be a good chunk of the game, but subject to change.  

Q. By the term global/EN, are there any regions that will be blocked from downloading the game?

• Stay tuned?  I think we can leak.  At least for CBT, everyone worldwide can download the game.  

• We will have some third party platform to download the game if you are on Android.  

Q. Will sanity refill items be available at launch?

• It will be reliant on the pace of the game, so stay tuned.  

Q. Is it true that Originium is being localized as Originite?  

• In the story, Originium is translated as the same way in the Chinese server.  Originite is the prime one, so that's what you will see. Localization changed to differentiate between the different currencies in the game.  In the story there will be something called originium. So this will differentiate it from the currency.  

• Originite is the "PO" (community), the yellow ones, the purest form of originium, which will be dubbed originite (the things we use to whale.)

Q. When will we have the moderation applications open.  

• Currently working on system that will allow most of you to apply, get interview more seamlessly, like Azur Lane.  Will be looking forward to that, time for moderation applications is closing in. Stay tuned, I will be posting updates as we go.  

Q. Will the paywall be noticeable, or are you planning to make Arknights as f2p friendly as AL.  

• I don't think we changed much from the Chinese version.  We will have some guide videos to help people pass the stages with 3 or 4 star operators.  

• Payment items will be adjusted from region to region, but in general the content will be the same.  Price adjustment for region is not something in our control, it is something done by Google Play/ App Store, something outside of our control.  

Q. Will we have JP VA's voicing the characters?

• Yeah.  In the CN version all the voices are JP.  So yeah, it will be just like CN.  

Q. There are many factions in the game.  Do we get to choose a faction? And only get units from factions?

• In the game there are different groups, and different Operators.  But I don't think you can do something like that. 

• The factions are more for giving backstory/lore to characters.  It's not something that will majorly affect gameplay.

Q. Bit of a controversial question.  Will suggestions in EN be taken seriously?

• Most of the feedback on this server will be collected and passed along.  So you can expect most of the feedback to make it into the game if it is popular and suggested.  

Q. Is Arknights delayed?

• So far, everything is going according to plan.  

• Everything is going quite smoothly.  Don't worry. We have our own schedule, and it is following that.  

Q. Can we expect an oathing system to be added to the game?

• I haven't heard anything like this yet.  If there is, it will come to the CN version first.  For now, can just ring them in our hearts.  

Q. What if the feedback is too biased towards certain portions of the feedback but the community also has people against it?  

• Want to see how many people want something in a game.  Will take account of the different opinions and see if it is worth integrating or not.  

• We will discuss with the developer and will hear from every part of the community.

Q. Will streamers be permitted to stream the CBT.  

• You're more than welcome to.  Can stream your roles. Contact Leona for the creator role (Smiley).  

Q. If certain people have registered for the CBT, will they receive the CBT role?

• If you can confirm you were chosen, then yes, we will give the CBT role.  The CBT role will be unique - once given, will never be given again.  

Q. Will we be subject to sudden removal of content if enough players complain about it?

• That incident (in AL) was a special case and not the norm.  Can expect us to not do it here. But if things arise and it becomes controversial we may be forced to remove it.  

Q. Will CBT players get a special item (i.e. furniture, or special badge.)

• There is a rabbit dorm item (rabbit sofa).  So yeah, there will be.  

• All players who pre-register will get this sofa.  Not just CBT players.  

Q. Will there be times where you can buy premium currency on one platform and cannot use it on another?

• The currency bought will be platform independent.  If want to buy on iOS and spend on Android, you're free to do it.  

Q. Will iOS accounts be able to play on android, and vice versa?

• Yes, we will have  a bind system similar to Azur Lane, and be able to play across devices.  

Q. Is the CBT different from Pre-registration.  Will iOS players have any say in it.  

• CBT is very different from pre-reg.  Pre-reg tells us you are interested in release of future game.  

• With CBT we are collecting testers who will participate in the very early portion of the game.  

• Unfortunately iOS players will need to sit this one out.  

Q. For Inacia: Who drew your profile picture?

• She said it's a character from another game.  She likes that game very much. It's a character from Mahjong Soul.  

*GT and Internkun will be monitoring the discord chat for questions.*

Q. Will we have community related events, like art contests?  

• I'm not sure right now when exactly we will have it, but will definitely have them.  

• Most likely after release so people will get the feel of the game.  

Q. Will you post new operator info the same way CN does?

• Obviously we will do it, as we have done before.  As you can see in the game news channel (in the AK Official Discord.)

• We will have our community manager in charge prepare these posts. 

Q. Will we have a content creator program similar to Epic 7?

• We need more information on that. 

Q. Will the CBT testers receive a special reward like in AL?

• Nope.  Just purely testing.  

Q. Will it be possible to play from mobile then go to emulator?

• Yes, we will have a binding system.  Don't forget to bind your account.  

Q. Will there be more than 1000 CBT slots available?

• There will be some extra spots available from Leona, for content creators, cosplayers, etc.  

• Intern Kun has a few slots to give himself as well. 

Q. Will there be account transfers?

• Between platforms? Yes.

• Between versions (CN to EN) Nope.  They will be complete separate.  

Q. Will there be collaborations in future videos, trailers, etc.

• As usual, stay tuned.  

Q. Will the game release when CBT ends?

• We cannot leak.  

• Some of the questions will be answered in the upcoming clues posted, so look forward to that.  

Q. Clue release date?

• Stay tuned.  (Soon ™)

Q. Will you plan on adding more husbandos to the game?

• Recently in the Chinese version, yes.  Look forward to more waifus and husbandos in the game.  

Q. Who is your husbando in the game, Intern-kun?

• Silverash.  He is strong.  

• Inacia: Silverdaddy~  

Q. Does Yostar have plans of official facebook group as well?

• Good idea.  

• We don't have Yostar facebook just yet.  

Q. How will the pacing be for EN compared to CN?  

• We have answered this at the beginning.  

• We will add into the international group of community servers, just like Azur Lane.  

• We will have an Anime Expo booth.  Also the upcoming year. This upcoming Anime Expo will have more Yostar.

Q. Can we expect an artbook like AL?

• Quite early, we can check. 

Q. Will we get live2d skins for collab/ingame events?

• We have no idea yet.

Q. Will Yostar show up to conventions outside of Anime Expo?

• Yes, we plan to do that next year.  Just tell us which convention you are willing to go, and we will try to make it.  Make sure to tell us a good amount ahead of time.

Q. Will there be PvE Endless mode?

• No idea.  They don't have one on CN yet, so we don't know. 

Q. Will the KFC collab be available on EN?

• We don't know yet.  This one depends on KFC.  

(Memes getting posted in chat, intern-kun photoshopped with the DIE face)

Q. Will we do this kind of Q&A on a regular basis?

• If you want it, we will do it.  We can set something up.  

• As with all the things planned for the future, give us feedback and we will work on it.  

• Most of the things before the release will be "no leak"

Q. Will Yamato ever notice me?

• Find out in the next Q&A, so stay tuned! (™)

"Oh shit we lost Intern-kun.  Uh. You posted the DIE too often and it looks like he died or they locked him back in the basement again.  F's in chat."  

(end transmission)