Stepping into the neon-drenched streets of New Eridu for the first time felt like diving headfirst into a living, breathing cyberpunk dreamscape. As one of over tens of millions who preregistered for HoYoverse's latest masterpiece, I've spent months exploring its hollows and battling Ethereals across PlayStation 5 and mobile devices. The city pulses with energy, but what truly captivated me was unraveling the mystery everyone asks: is Zenless Zone Zero a multiplayer experience or purely solo? After extensive play since its July 2024 launch, I've discovered it occupies fascinating middle ground—neither fully solitary nor robustly social, but something uniquely hybrid. Producer Zhenyu Li's team has kept their promise, monitoring player feedback like digital sentinels, making subtle tweaks while preserving the core design. My journey through this world revealed both exhilarating connections and surprising limitations when trying to share the chaos with friends. 🎮

Unlocking the Multiplayer Experience

Unraveling co-op possibilities felt like discovering hidden back alleys in Sixth Street. The pivotal moment came when I stumbled upon the Godfinger Arcade, its retro-futuristic cabinets humming with potential. Approaching Billy Kid triggered a quirky questline involving rogue arcade tokens and malfunctioning machines—typical New Eridu shenanigans! This culminated in accessing three key features:

1. Reckless Challenge: Unlocked naturally through Chapter 3's story progression, this became my primary multiplayer hub

2. Battle Circuit Duos: A lightning-fast 2v2 mode against AI opponents with shared health bars

3. Proxy VS: Player-vs-player score attacks on leaderboards using proxy avatars

What surprised me most was how organically multiplayer wove into the narrative fabric. Unlike Genshin Impact's open co-op, ZZZ treats multiplayer as curated arcade distractions rather than core exploration. The tactile joy of inserting virtual tokens into glowing cabinets creates nostalgic charm, though I often wished for more substantial integration beyond these isolated pockets.

Navigating the Restrictions

Here's where reality bites: coordinating with friends feels like herding cybercats through a data storm. Despite the friendlist feature, Reckless Challenge dumps you into regional matchmaking pools with zero party controls. My crew developed a ritual: counting down via Discord before hitting 'queue' simultaneously, hoping the algorithm would pit us together. Success rate? Maybe 60% on good days. The dissonance is jarring—why implement friends lists if you can't actually play with friends? 🤔

Current limitations include:

• No direct invites or private lobbies

• Progress tied solely to host's story completion

• Cosmetic-only proxy interactions in Arcade modes

This design philosophy creates strange social dynamics. You're surrounded by other players' flashy avatars in New Eridu's plazas, yet interaction boils down to emotes and score comparisons. It's multiplayer through a one-way mirror—visible but untouchable. During intense Ether battles, I'd glimpse familiar usernames in matchmaking only to watch them vanish into different instances post-mission. The longing for proper coordination grew with each disjointed session.

The Evolving Landscape

Post-launch updates have subtly shifted the experience. Zhenyu Li's team delivered quality-of-life tweaks based on player clamor:

• Matchmaking Tags: Added in January 2025 patch letting players signal desired playstyles

• Cross-Progression Enhancements: Unified rewards across PS5/mobile platforms

• Arcade Event Rotations: Limited-time co-op challenges with exclusive skins

Yet the core restriction remains unchanged. Community forums buzz with debates—some demand Honkai: Star Rail-style support units, others champion pure solo focus. Personally, I've made peace with the hybrid model. There's magic in spontaneously teaming with strangers against colossal bosses, our combos syncing like we'd trained for years. When the chaos clicks, it's electrifying! ⚡

Game Overview at a Glance

Final Thoughts

Eight months in, Zenless Zone Zero remains my daily escape. The combat's rhythmic perfection—dodging, parrying, unleashing EX specials—never loses its thrill. While multiplayer still feels like sampling appetizers rather than a full co-op feast, the Arcade's chaotic charm grew on me. Watching my proxy avatar climb leaderboards delivers unexpected pride, and random Reckless Challenge victories with strangers create fleeting camaraderie. HoYoverse nailed the solo experience so completely that the multiplayer limitations feel intentional rather than lacking. I'll keep queuing with fingers crossed for proper party systems, but until then? New Eridu's neon glow beckons me back, solo or not-so-solo, ready for whatever hollows await. 💥