Etheria: Restart is preparing to enter a frosty new era with the launch of Season SS2, Rime Tiara, arriving on December 4, 2025, and running through February 2, 2026. During a highly anticipated livestream, developer XD Games revealed a deep dive into everything coming this season—new Animuses, system overhauls, winter-themed cosmetics, major events, streamlined gameplay updates, and the next chapter of global esports competition.
The preview delivered exclusive trailers, reward codes, and a complete roadmap, setting the tone for a season filled with snow, strategy, and high-stakes battles. With SS2, Etheria transforms into a shimmering world of frost and crystal, inviting Hyperlinkers around the globe to take on its icy challenges.
Welcome to Rime Tiara: A Frost-Themed Season of Power and Style
Season SS2 completely reshapes Etheria with a dramatic winter makeover. At its core is the Everwinter Tribunal, a stunning Contender Realm arena sculpted from snow and glacial ice—perfect for intense Summit Arena clashes.
Players can unlock a collection of radiant winter cosmetics throughout the season:
- Chaku Outfit: Frostnight Justiciar
- Male Hyperlinker Loungewear: Snowveil Resolve
- Female Hyperlinker Loungewear: Winter Blossom
These designs channel an elegant blend of icy regality and snow-queen fantasy, attainable through SS2 progression and time-limited events.
Five New Animuses Headline Season SS2
The Etheria: Restart community has long anticipated fresh additions to the roster, and SS2 delivers five powerful Animuses, each with dedicated banner periods and selector types.
SS2 Animus Banners Schedule
December 4 – December 18
- Lowan (E.O.S. Security Bureau Commander-in-Chief; ruthless hunter of criminals and Animuses)
- Santik (underground metal bassist turned unhinged killer)
Selector Types: LD, RGB
December 25 – January 8
- Palin (holy Astral Union emissary)
- Senyu (Hydra Bank executive secretary with poise and cunning)
Selector Types: RGB
January 15 – January 29
- Fiamelia (top Hydra Bank manager; icy-cold and elegant, Extre-Affinity)
Selector Types: LD
Each banner introduces unique combat roles, lore tie-ins, and team-building strategies, giving players more tactical depth throughout the season.
Ability Awakening: A Major Boost for SR Mains
SS2 introduces Ability Awakening, a transformative new system giving non-SSR Animuses a real chance to shine. Beginning with Turandot, Sania, and RC-77, players can unlock powerful stat boosts and skill enhancements through the Enhancement Tree in the Prowess tab.
Only three SR Animuses can be awakened per season, making the system a long-term progression path for dedicated players.
Shell System Reworked for Maximum Flexibility
The Shell System receives a major overhaul in Season SS2:
- Shell Overhaul: Refine matrices and modify passives with new Grim Pursuit materials.
- Shell Projection: Customize Legendary Shell looks with cosmetic drops, auto-recycled during inherit or salvage.
These updates build on the November Shell Lab event, adding even more ways to craft ideal loadouts.
Packed Seasonal Events and Full Calendar Access
Hyperlinkers can now view the complete seasonal events calendar directly in-game—perfect for planning rewards and progression through early 2026.
Key SS2 Events
- Season Celebration (Dec 4 – Dec 11): Sign-in rewards and upgrade materials.
- New Year’s Events (Dec 25 – Jan 1): Festive missions and exclusive cosmetics.
- Chaku Treasure Hunt: Explore Encrypted and Cipher Zones for valuable items.
- Limited-Time Summit Arena (Late December): Rank-free matches, chaotic modifiers, and battle pass progress.
- Ongoing Events: Blessings Galore, Wishbinder Gift, and more.
Players also have a last chance to finish the SS1 battle pass and grab Lily’s “Azure Confidant” outfit.
Incoming Balance Updates and Battle Pass Rewards
SS2 rolls out monitored PVP balance adjustments—full patch notes arrive next week. A new seasonal battle pass introduces fresh outfits and themed rewards inspired by the frosty Rime Tiara setting.
Massive Gameplay Optimizations Launching With SS2
Quality-of-life upgrades are a core focus this season, making progression smoother than ever.
Gameplay Optimization Rollout
- Ember Trek Hard Mode: Auto-minor rewards (SS2 Launch)
- Phantoma Theater Quick-Complete: For SSS clearing players (SS2 Launch)
- Infinity Train Auto-Select: Smarter runs (SS2 Launch)
- Expanded Module Reforge Materials: More refinement options (SS2 Launch)
- Post-Auto Sell for Modules/Shells: Cleaner inventory (SS2 Launch)
- Enhancement Total Stats Button: Quick overview (SS2 Launch)
- Loadout Folders: Coming end of December
- Module Overhaul Templates: Save and share presets (Mid-SS2)
- Post-Battle Data Stats: TBD release
These updates aim to make Season SS2 one of the smoothest gameplay experiences to date.
Etheria World Summit 2025 Global Finals Set for Shanghai
With Season SS2 coinciding with esports season expansion, the Etheria World Summit Global Finals will take place offline in February 2026, hosted in Shanghai.
Competitive structure includes:
- Open regional qualifiers (during SS2)
- Regional Finals
- Final 16 from Global, East Asia, and China servers
Grand Prize: A massive prize pool and the honor of collaborating with the dev team to design an exclusive Emanator Skin.
Etheria: Restart Looks Ahead After a Massive SS1
Following its global launch on September 25th—with over 5 million day-one downloads and strong App Store and Steam features—Etheria: Restart continues to evolve with consistent updates, new Animuses, and competitive features.
“Rime Tiara is our most ambitious season yet,” an XD Entertainment representative shared. “Between new characters, progression systems, and world-class esports, we can’t wait to see Hyperlinkers dive in beginning December 4.”
Content creators can expect dedicated support, while new faces across adjacent gaming communities are encouraged to join the growing Hyperlinkers scene.
Redeem the livestream gift codes now and prepare for the winter season. Etheria: Restart is available on iOS, Android, and Steam.
About Etheria: Restart
Etheria: Restart is a free-to-play supernatural RPG by XD Inc., blending stunning visuals, team-building strategy, immersive storytelling, and diverse PvE and PvP content. Optional in-game purchases enhance the experience but are not required to enjoy its core systems.
