Arknights: Endfield Launches on PS5 Jan 22 — Combat, AIC Automation, Blueprint Sharing, and DualSense Features

Hypergryph has revealed key gameplay details: four-Operator real-time squad combat, a stagger and Execution damage loop, and a large-scale automation layer (AIC) where production lines directly shape exploration and progression.

If you want a fast action RPG with strategy and base-building systems, this is the official “here’s how it actually plays” breakdown.

Arknights: Endfield Launch Details

• Release date (PS5): January 22
• Genre: anime-style action RPG blending exploration, real-time squad combat, and industrial automation systems
• Role: you play as the Endministrator, leading Operators across Talos-II

Welcome to Talos-II

Talos-II is beautiful and dangerous. One hundred fifty-two years ago, colonists arrived through the Æthergate. When that portal collapsed, survivors were cut off. Civilization rebuilt itself in safe zones. Outside those boundaries: lawless wilderness, hostile factions like the Aggeloi, and rogue scavengers called Landbreakers.

The core gameplay loop is built around pushing outward. As you explore, you establish footholds. Industrial facilities and automated production lines grow alongside your reach. The further you go, the more resources you gain, and the more options you unlock.

Combat System Explained

Real-Time Control with Four Operators

You field four Operators in real-time. You can switch control freely. That means shifting between roles mid-fight.

Start as a tank, swap to a healer, then drop into your DPS to trigger key combos. The AI controls your off-hand characters, so you are always active.

Stagger and Execution Loop

Combat revolves around a deliberate loop:

• Basic attacks build into strikes
• Strikes deal stagger damage and refill SP
• Max out the stagger bar to leave enemies exposed
• Trigger Execution for high damage and more SP recovery

This rewards timing and target focus, not button-mashing.

Skills and Combos

Each Operator has unique skills powered by SP. Ultimates hit harder and create openings. Combo skills let you chain abilities across characters, rewarding good positioning and smart rotation.

The system is built to feel fast and expressive, but every move is a tactical choice.

Automated Industry Complex (AIC)

The AIC system connects to almost everything: exploration, gear, upgrades, even how you unlock regions. You mine, refine, and process resources using lines that you physically build and scale. Output affects your ability to craft medical supplies, equipment, and more.

Blueprint System

Once you design a production line that works, you can save it. Blueprints let you instantly rebuild or move setups. This lowers friction and boosts experimentation. You can also share blueprints with other players.

Strategic Building and Trade Routes

As you expand zones, output increases. Different regions specialize in different materials. Trade routes emerge. Picking where to build matters. AIC layout affects more than just production speed. Every placement choice influences your overall strategy and shapes how you expand across the map.

Story Progression

After the Valley IV opening, you move toward the Qingbo Stockade near Wuling. Supreme Chief Tangtang is missing.

New threats like the Bonekrushers and the Corrosion event hint that something deeper is spreading across Talos-II. Expect more Operators, more regions, and more choices that shape what kind of Endministrator you become.

Arknights: Endfield Designed for PS5

• DualSense: haptics, adaptive triggers, light bar, built-in speaker
• Audio: 3D Audio support
• Activities: jump back into story chapters from the PS5 menu

Day One Tips

• Tune your camera and aim sensitivity settings early
• Learn the stagger bar window on your first elite enemy
• Unlock the AIC system early; it drives your gear and supply flow
• Save your first blueprint and iterate before expanding

Getting Started the Smart Way

Your first steps after launch should focus on the essentials. Start with the beginner combat guide to learn how each Operator role works in real-time fights. Then move on to early AIC builds to understand how production lines support your gear and upgrades.

Finally, check out the blueprint-sharing hub where players post layouts, trade tips, and give feedback. Once you’ve got a handle on the basics, get your squad ready and start expanding across Talos-II.