When I first logged into Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ), the neon-lit streets of New Eridu blew my mind 🤯. But after binging the story and assembling teams, I couldn't help noticing... where are all the characters? Compared to Genshin Impact's 22 starters and Honkai: Star Rail's 24, ZZZ's 16 launch characters feel like ordering a combo meal only to find half the fries missing 🍔❌. Let's unpack this character shortage and see what the future holds!

The Great Character Famine

As someone who loves team-building, I've been STRUGGLING with:

• Only 1 limited banner at a time (Genshin always has 2!)

• Holes in elemental coverage:

| Element | Characters |

|---|---|

| Electric | 3 |

| Fire | 2 |

| Ice | 1 😱 |

• Support characters being rarer than honest politicians 🗳️

My wallet literally vibrated with fear when I saw the Ice weakness in late-game content - my only Ice unit, Soldier 11, basically became a popsicle mascot 🍦.

Leaks to the Rescue?

The recent 1.1 Special Program dropped like a bass-heavy mixtape 🎧, revealing:

• Jane Doe (S-Rank Electric)

• Qingyi (A-Rank Anomaly)

• Seth (A-Rank Fire)

But the Creator Beta Server leaks are what really made my Discord blow up 💥. Dataminers found 11 upcoming characters, including:

• Big Daddy (please be a literal tank dad)

• Lucia (gothic Lolita vibes detected)

• Sun Bringer (solar-powered himbo incoming?)

Faction Over Function?

Here's where things get spicy 🌶️. Instead of filling elemental gaps, leaks suggest group releases by factions:

• Public Security (Seth's crew)

• Section 6 (mafia chic)

• Belobog Heavy Industries (mecha enthusiasts)

As a theorycrafter, this hurts my soul 💔. Why release 3 Electric characters back-to-back? But then I played the 1.1 beta story - watching factions interact makes the world feel ALIVE. When Qingyi arrested my agent during a recon mission, I forgave the elemental imbalance... temporarily.

The Good, The Bad, The Copium

Pros of faction focus:

• 🎭 Richer storytelling

• 🏙️ Consistent visual themes

• 🤝 Synergy bonuses (speculated)

Cons we're coping with:

• 🔥 Fire mains eating GOOD

• ❄️ Ice mains eating snow

• 💸 Wallet-kun in critical condition

Final Thoughts & Burning Questions

After 200+ hours in New Eridu, I'm torn. The faction system creates vibes that Genshin's elemental nations never achieved. But will my Ice team ever get love? When will we see proper healers?

Open questions for fellow Proxies:

• Should HoYo prioritize gameplay balance over worldbuilding?

• Will faction-specific buffs make mono-teams meta?

• Is Big Daddy actually a mech pilot? (Please say yes)

As I grind for Seth's materials, I'll keep staring at Lucia's leaked design... and pray my Ice relics don't become museum pieces ❄️🛐.