July 08, 2023

Tanabata, the Star Festival, Returns

Seasonal holiday events return + new upgrade bonus

You'll be seeing stars all weekend long! This weekend, head to Yokai Isle as we celebrate the legendary Star Festival (known in our world as Tanabata). Complete all of the Emissary's quests to make a wish of your own and change the night sky in /yokairiver! Along with our returning seasonal Star Festival events, the Frostval in July holiday is also back! If you're just joining us, you're in for a frosty treat in the middle of our summer heat!

This weekend's game releases:

• NEW game update: Celestial Dungeon
• Star Festival events return in /starfest and /yokairiver
• NEW drops on the Fallen Star in /starfest and Uji no Hashihime in /yokairiver
• Seasonal Frostval in July events return in /icestorm, /akibalight, and /brightlights 
• July's Elemental Chronomancer available through July 31st (Design Notes)
• New July 2023 upgrade bonus pack (Design Notes)

This Weekend's Daily Login Gifts:

• Server Boost: Double Gold
• Saturday: Festival Surprise Miko house item + Locks
• Sunday: rare Cosmic reward item

Celebrate the Star Festival

For last year's celebration, we created an adventure featuring the Celestial Emissary, a living Daruma that traveled around our world to help the gods of Yokai Isle grant wishes. Help it and you'll be able to make a wish of your very own... that will change the shape of the very stars themselves!

Visit the Star Festival to:

• Decorate Akiba for the Star Festival
• Battle across Lore as you hunt for her wishes
• Unlock the Moon Bow Ninja reward armor set after completing the story
• Get the exclusive level 80 boss drop armor set
• Return to the event at any time with the hanging Star Festival Decoration house item

Stellar Rewards 

We've got a host of new 0 AC reward items for you this weekend to help you look like star while you battle to save the world... and beyond!

Shorinzan Merge Shop

Complete the Celestial Emissary's quests in /starfest to gather the merge shop resources for the Starry Samurai set + a selection of celestial weapons from AQW community artist, Mihuri!

• Starry Samurai armor
• Starry Samurai helm, capes, weapons
• Aurelian Sword, Dagger, Staff

Reward Drops

Battle Ultra Uji No Hashihime in the Yokairiver map for a chance to get 4 new 0 AC house items.

• Wish for Love Constellation Wall item
• Wish for Peace Constellation Wall item
• Wish for Gold Constellation Wall item
• Wish for Happiness Constellation Wall item

Star Festival Gift quest. Bring Empress Miko Fallen Stars and there's a chance she'll give you one of the following:

• a piece of the Moon Bow Ninja armor set
• Tanabata Polearm
• Paper Crane mace
• Soben Bowl + Sticks daggers (member-only)
• Storm Kimono (member-only)

Star Festival Character Page Background

If you are a member in AQWorlds, we've got some exclusive holiday event bonuses for you! 

• Star Festival Character page background: Unlock the holiday character page background in the first room in /Yokai River.
• Tanabata Fest Decoration Shortcut: Buy the house item from the Akiba House shop for 7,777 gold. When you click on this item, you'll be taken straight to a permanent version of Akiba, where you can continue to farm for the 0 AC Moon Bow Ninja armor set!

Updates Shifted to Next Week

While you've been summoned by the Priestess of the Midnight Sun, I've been called to attend a family gathering and am currently out of town. Because of that (happy birthday if you're reading this, Mom!) several things we planned to release this weekend were pushed back to next week. 

• July hub town, ncluding Bido's NPC + birthday shop/quests
• the next set in our Zodiac Heroes series honoring everyone born under the sign of Cancer
• the second round of surfboards in the collection chest, featuring iconic NPCs + zones

Next week's planned updates include:

• Voice in the Sea Pt 5 story update
• FIN-tastic farming reward gear (doo DOOT doo CUTE doo doo doo doo O_O)
• the supercool July Limited Quantity Sets (including the Frozen Dracolich Lord set shown above)
• new Daily Login gifts (like the much-anticipated Primaris Paladin set)