Honkai: Star Rail – Gallagher revealed for update 2.1

Facial hair? In my anime game?

HoYoverse has revealed Gallagher as the third and final playable character to join Honkai: Star Rail with update 2.1 later this year. This version is set to come out on March 20, 2024, which is thus the earliest possible release date for Gallagher.

Gallagher is a 4-Star character following the Path of The Abundance and dealing Fire Damage. His most striking feature, though it is very subtle and you might easily miss it, is that he has a beard. Well, “beard” is maybe a strong word. He’s got some facial hair – an incredible rarity in HoYoverse games. The studio mostly models its characters according to modern Chinese beauty standards, which makes sense since China is its largest market. Suffice to say, beards are not part of those beauty standards and HoYoverse probably feared that characters with facial hair wouldn’t sell well – hence this experiment is only being done with a 4-Star character. Small steps, eh?

It's very subtle, but the facial hair is there. Let's hope that his in-game model actually shows it as well / HoYoverse

Gallagher is voiced by Erik Braa, who not only sports a magnificent beard, but is an experienced video game voice actor with roles in titles like Starfield, League of Legends, World of Warcraft, StarCraft 2, and Ori and the Blind Forest.

Here’s what the official description says about Gallagher:

"Making a drink is a sensory skill. In dreams, creating fizzy concoctions requires adding a bit of your mood. Heavier if you're troubled, a touch sweeter if you're in high spirits... It's not just about mixing beverages. It's about mixing the experiences of life."

A security officer of the Bloodhound Family at Penacony. He is also a slovenly and indolent mixologist. Though unorganized in apparel and casual in how he makes his drinks, he is always courteous toward guests but keeps his vigilance about him. He seems to be a character with a complicated past, yet never actively mentions any details.

Unlike the two other revealed characters for update 2.1 – Acheron and Aventurine – who have been invited to Penacony by The Family, Gallagher is working for one of those ruling clans, the Bloodhound Family. Before they make their way into the game, however, version 2.0 will have to be released and run its course.

Update 2.0 for Honkai: Star Rail will be released on February 7, 2024, introducing Black Swan, Sparkle, and Misha to the playable roster. The Honkai: Star Rail 2.0 livestream is scheduled for January 26, 2024.

Upcoming Honkai: Star Rail characters you will be able to play as