On October 25th at 7 PM, 'Goddess of Victory: NIKKE' hosted its 3rd anniversary broadcast. To mark the milestone, they unveiled a fresh narrative, new Nikke, and special rewards. This time, instead of the usual hosts Shifty and Anis, Cecil and Papillon from Eden took the stage. KookminTree has compiled the highlights from the broadcast, which was set against the backdrop of Eden.

Goddess of Victory, Assemble! A massive 3rd anniversary story awaits

Pilgrim banners: Nayuta, Chime, and Liberalio

The broadcast kicked off with a rapid-fire reveal of the new 3rd-anniversary Nikke. All three are Pilgrims. First up is Nayuta, who played a pivotal role in the main story of chapters 39 and 40, as well as the 'EDEN SPEAR' side story. She is a Burst 2, Submachine Gun, Wind-code support unit. By using 'Memory Absorption,' she buffs her own and allies' attack power while restoring health. Her Burst skill deals significant damage to multiple enemies. Based on the footage, there is a motion where a giant hand descends from the air—reminiscent of the legendary 'Tathagata Palm' often seen in martial arts novels.

The second Nikke is Chime, Crown’s secretary, who has long served as the charming sidekick. She arrives as a 3rd-anniversary giveaway unit. She is a Burst 2, Submachine Gun, Iron-code support type. The skill text mentions 'buffing the King’s attack power' and 'greatly increasing the King’s attack power,' suggesting she is specialized in supporting Crown.

The third Nikke is the Heretic, Liberalio. She is a Burst 3, Sniper Rifle, Wind-code attacker. Her effects vary depending on the target, and her Burst skill boosts her offensive capabilities while dealing massive damage to multiple foes. You can find her in the 3rd-anniversary exclusive pickup recruitment alongside Nayuta.

The Queen Extermination and the story of Behemoth unfold simultaneously

This 3rd anniversary is the 'assemble' event players have been clamoring for. It features a grand meeting of Pioneer, Eden, the Crown Kingdom, and the Heretics. At the center of it all are the new Nikke, Nayuta and Chime, along with Modernia, who has been somewhat sidelined from the main plot lately. The factions gathered in Eden will tackle the Rapture Queen, who has descended from space. The long-awaited clash between the Pilgrim alliance and the Raptures is set to be quite the spectacle.

Matching the story, the new boss 'QUEEN-001' makes an appearance. This is the same entity seen in the 2nd anniversary 'OLD TALES' short animation. With plenty of mechanics involving cancellation, players should prepare for a tough fight. Additionally, players can enjoy a signature 'big game'—the mini-game 'Rebuild Eden,' a management-style construction game where you restore Eden. More details on how to play will be available after the 3rd-anniversary update.

Meanwhile, the story of the Commander who fell in chapter 40 and Anis in the Ark continues. Information on Bahamut, the final member of Behemoth, and the 'other' Queen they created is revealed. A scene shows Liberalio rescuing the Commander from Bahamut, leaving us all wondering where the plot will go next. As for Anis on the Ark side, the narrative follows her journey toward her retirement performance.

As the main story expands, another new boss emerges: 'Only One,' an entity described as a new Queen created by Behemoth. Unlike traditional boss types, it lacks a human or animal form, sporting a bizarre, abstract design. It reportedly has a tentacle-summoning mechanic that players will need to destroy frequently.

Surface Content BETA

The surface content, teased frequently in developer notes, arrives with the 3rd-anniversary update. Note that it will launch as a beta test, and all operational records will be wiped once the test period concludes. However, the developers have promised exclusive rewards for participants.

The surface content takes place on a hexagonal tile map, operated similarly to Lost Sector. You select a squad and move directly across tiles, clearing the fog as you explore. You can form a dedicated surface squad, paying close attention to Rapture elemental weaknesses and range. To facilitate this, existing Nikke gain new 'Surface Tactical Skills.' Since every Nikke has different abilities, you'll want to check the specifics after the update. Notably, squads here are not restricted by Burst skill order, allowing for more flexible team compositions.

Combat is automated based on your squad's Combat Power, code affinity, and range. Since Nikke health depletes during battle, it is essential to include units with healing capabilities. Also, be wary of 'Fatigue' which accumulates as you move on the surface, as it can reduce combat efficiency.

Occupying unclaimed zones requires a 'Camouflage Device' produced in base factories. Activating it triggers a calling signal, drawing Raptures from all directions. Successfully defending until the device finishes activation expands your territory and grants rewards, including Gems.

On the surface, you will encounter Lord-class Raptures for boss battles. You must manually control your units to avoid their telegraphed attack ranges, or you will take significant damage. As you progress through surface content, you acquire an item called 'Code.' In the beta version, this only impacts surface combat, but the full version plans to expand this to affect general Nikke growth.

Developer Commentary

The developers shared their insights for the 3rd anniversary. Scenario Director Jung Jae-sung discussed the story and characters, noting that the Counters and Pioneer squads will face their own respective outcomes. He emphasized that every event has a consequence, which serves as a foundation for future developments, asking fans to look forward to the new narrative arc.

The new character, Nayuta, was crafted as a classic JRPG party member—specifically the monk archetype. The Pioneer squad was originally modeled after a balanced party: Snow White as the heavy-armored knight/tank, Scarlet as the swordsman/damage dealer, and Rapunzel as the priest/healer. Nayuta was designed to round them out as a support-focused monk.

Behemoth, central to the main story, was also mentioned. Director Jung described them as the 'culmination of effort,' where their quest to create a Queen finally bears fruit. He views the theme of Behemoth as 'birth,' with the dark matter coating their bodies acting as the amniotic fluid for creation. 'Only One' was designed to be truly unique in both appearance and ability.

Art Group Lead Chae Ji-yoon explained Nayuta’s visual design. Key elements include the fluttering butterflies, her halo, spheres, and closed eyes. The concept was meant to evoke a sense of wandering the world leisurely with a camel. She noted that the patterns on her clothes and the Chinese characters etched throughout were chosen to reflect her lore. Balancing these elements with high-tech details like floating runes, robotic arms, and a staff was quite the challenge.

Regarding Liberalio and the Queen, the team looked to jellyfish for Liberalio’s motif, designing her with atrophied legs and no footwear to imply she has been suspended for a long time. Every accessory, from the handles to the necklaces, was imbued with specific meaning by the designers.

The Queen was designed to look like an imitation of a human, but one that is incomplete and awkward, creating a strong sense of dissonance and uncanny valley. While she might look like a human woman from a distance, she is intended to feel like a 'parody mocking humanity' up close. Director Yoo Hyung-suk noted that many players seemed surprised, asking, 'Is that really the Queen?' upon seeing her for the first time.

Sound Director Joo Jong-hyun explained that when composing for chapters 39 and 40, he pondered how to best capture Nayuta's essence. He saw her as a complex, strong, and desperate character, and he utilized a metal style to convey that toughness.

He blended this with techniques to express the mysterious atmosphere—the enlightenment and projection associated with Nayuta. He aimed to show that the scale and atmosphere of the story have reached a new level.

Graphic Group Lead Park Sang-hoo discussed 'Only One.' Despite Art Lead Chae’s suggestion for restrained movement, Park decided to do the opposite after seeing the original artwork. The boss is divided into two phases, with an expanded skill set. He added that mentioning this now is a warning for players to prepare. He also expressed excitement about the return of several fan-favorite characters.

Director Yoo Hyung-suk revealed details on the surface content beta, which will offer growth materials and a beta-exclusive frame. He plans to launch a full six-sector version post-beta. He also hinted at 'Instance Dungeons' within the surface content, which will offer a chance to showcase different facets of Tyrant-class bosses, citing examples like the train-like Alteisen and the burrowing Grave Digger.

Kim Young-soo, the new QM Group Lead, also made his debut, with more details found in the separate special commentary broadcast. The QM (Quality Management) Group, a hybrid of PM and QA, introduced their approach to handling past issues and future directions.

They are transitioning to a development system that prioritizes stability and efficiency through the QM organization, while maintaining character and Solo Raid quality. In 2025, they adopted a 'break the limits when you need to' philosophy, which resulted in the summer Bunny Girl event.

They also touched upon the recent 4-week collaboration. They acknowledged that 4 weeks was too long for players unfamiliar with the source material, so they will keep future collabs around 3 weeks and prioritize performance balance. While most 2025 updates are complete, some content was delayed to ensure quality; they plan to strike a better balance between detail and scheduling going forward.

Director Yoo mentioned ongoing optimizations for loading and memory. While significant improvements were made in 2025, the team will continue memory and capacity optimization into 2026. He expressed a desire to create an environment that further enhances character performance next year. He ended by asking players to enjoy the 3rd-anniversary update they worked so hard on.

Don't forget the orchestra, Chzzk, and offline events!

The broadcast wrapped up with a flood of offline event info. The 2026 NIKKE Orchestra Concert is returning to fans. The domestic schedule is March 28th–29th, 2026, at the Kwangwoon University Donghae Culture and Arts Center. Ticket sales start on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, so mark your calendars.

From October 29th at 6 PM to November 18th at 11:59 PM, Chzzk Drops will be available, offering a total of 600 Gems and Nikke growth materials. You can also spot large outdoor advertisements at Hongik Univ. Station Exit 8 and Musinsa Ept. Seongsu.

The 2025 AGF participation and Mom's Touch collaboration schedule were also revealed. You can find Goddess of Victory: NIKKE at AGF from December 5th to 7th, and the Mom's Touch collaboration will run for a month from November 13th to December 12th.

Total 3rd-anniversary rewards were summarized: players can earn over 220 free recruitments and obtain the SSR Nikke Chime. Alongside the anniversary pickup, a 'Pilgrim Select Recruitment' will be held, allowing players to choose between Red Hood, Modernia, and Dorothy.