Players of Infinity Nikki woke up to a mammoth update on April 23, 2026, as Version 2.5 rolled out with a brand‑new region, two simultaneous 5‑star resonance banners, the community‑driven Starlight Contest, and a slew of events that are already the talk of the town. With so many moving parts, knowing where to point your compass is the difference between walking away with every free Diamond and watching timers slip through your fingers. This update is, to put it bluntly, the bee's knees for collectors and combat enthusiasts alike.

The Boneyard: A New Frontier

The centerpiece of 2.5 is undoubtedly The Boneyard, a somber and sprawling region unlocked through the main quest “Where All Souls Return.” According to Infold Games, this quest becomes permanently available after finishing Itzaland Chapter V: Light on Old Soil, A New Chapter Begins. Completing it showers Nikki with Diamonds, exclusive clothing pieces, and the coveted Phantom Token Guardian of Souls. The early bird really does catch the worm here, because several limited‑time events are gated behind story progress in the Boneyard.

Here’s how the chapter milestones shake out:

• Chapter 6 required: Lumies in the Breeze, Hollowbreath Passage

• Chapter 7 required: Ethereal Return, Soothing Songs

• No chapter gate: Long‑Lost Wonders (a Whimstar‑hunting jubilee in the Boneyard)

The official notice drives it home – finish Chapters 6 and 7 as soon as possible. Three separate limited‑time events unlock only after those milestones, and every single one of them vanishes on May 28 at 12:49 UTC-7. Even if your story progress is modest, the Long‑Lost Wonders event is a golden opportunity. Snagging Whimstars scattered across the Boneyard rewards the Where the Dragons Slumber card, Diamonds, and growth materials. Furthermore, Whimstar collection feeds directly into unlocking the Heart of Infinity sketch for the 5‑star outfit Slumber by Blossoms, which can later be crafted with Dreambloom of Yore materials.

Dual 5‑Star Resonance Showdown

Both banners launched alongside the update and run until May 28 at 12:49 UTC-7. They are separate resonances, so picking where to spend Revelation Crystals is a decision that demands you keep your cards close to your chest. The table below breaks down the core offerings:

Banner Name	Focus	Key Ability & Notes
Floral Rebirth	Utility / Farming	Automatic bug‑catching aura within range. Stage 2 evolution adds Illusory Dance (using Radiant Heartchime: Night Blossoms); Stage 3 grants Fading Sigh: Makeup, enhanced effects, and a new idle animation.
Guide of No Return	Combat / Mobility	Soul Vigil mode via Call of Souls ability gives aerial mobility and a unique attack style. Timed Echo of Return barrage charges the Return Sigil; consuming sigil energy performs a finishing strike and fully restores Bow Energy. Note: Return Sigil does not recover while floating or in Winged Hover – touching ground between cycles is crucial.

Milestone hunters, take note: reaching 160 pulls in Evertide of No Return unlocks the Cycle of Souls decoration. At 230 pulls on either banner, you get the Ocean’s Glowing Gift Box, which contains the corresponding Heartshine and an Illusory Dance material. The Momo’s Cloak: Soul Song from Guide of No Return is nothing to sneeze at either – after every three shots, Momo’s fourth attack becomes a piercing arrow that hits multiple enemies. Hitting Esselings builds Soul Song Energy, and when the cloak skill triggers, Momo drains the gauge to restore both Nikki’s Health and Bow Energy. That’s a win‑win if ever there was one.

Starlight Contest: Community Spotlight

The Starlight Contest is the shiny new feature everyone is buzzing about. Access it via Current Adventures > Starlight Contest or Color Lookbook > Starlight Contest. The maiden theme, Tidal Requiem, runs until May 10 at 18:59 UTC-7 and unfolds in three distinct phases:

1. Submission Phase – Upload qualifying works from Nikki’s Album or capture fresh Snapshot works and send them in.

2. Voting Phase – Opens one day after submissions begin. You receive 10 votes at the start, then 5 votes per day (regardless of login). Unused votes are wiped when the contest ends, so use ‘em or lose ‘em.

3. Tallying Phase – Submissions and voting close. Top‑ranking entries and vote counts appear on the Current Trending screen.

A word to the wise: if you replace a submitted work with a new one, all votes it had already received evaporate into thin air. Only swap if the new entry is markedly better. Participation yields Diamonds and Upgrade Packs, and the Color Lookbook itself received a facelift – the Popular and Discovery tabs have merged into a single Featured tab, while a new Shimmer Album category now houses Starlight Contest entries alongside publicly posted Snapshot works.

Limited‑Time Events and Freebies

The patch is stuffed with events that reward the diligent. Here’s the lay of the land:

• Last Vigil Check‑in – Runs until May 10 at 18:59 UTC-7. Log in for 7 total days to claim 10 Revelation Crystals. That’s one of the heftiest free pull hand‑outs this patch, so don’t miss the boat.

• Tales of Itzaland II – Five chapters unlocking daily. Complete Boneyard tasks to earn Travel Insights, then exchange them for the 4‑star outfit Verdant Chord, its sketches, and Diamonds. Infold has stated this event will be available for an “extended period,” but a concrete end date hasn’t been nailed down yet. Keep your eyes peeled for future announcements.

• Deep Breakthrough Double Rewards – Runs April 27 through May 18. Once you unlock it via a qualifying world quest or story progress, challenge the Realm of Breakthrough weekly for double loot. Unused attempts reset every Monday at 04:00 and do not carry over – a classic snooze‑you‑lose situation.

• Maintenance Compensation – The April 23 downtime apology awards every eligible player 300 Diamonds and 1 Resonite Crystal. You must log in and unlock the inbox before 08:59 UTC-7 on May 1. Consider this low‑hanging fruit, but fruit that rots quickly.

Mira Crown and Beyond

The Mira Crown Merit Arena welcomes a new theme, Echoes of Tides, featuring 7 total arenas: 6 Regular Stages and a debut Finale Stage. The first stage opens on patch day, with a new arena unlocking every Sunday at 13:00 UTC-7. Clearing all Advanced Stages in a Regular Stage earns the achievement Echo of the Tide, while conquering the Finale Stage (unlocked after the sixth stage) grants Trace the Echo of Return and the title Conqueror of Miracles.

For Pinnacle Contest aficionados, May’s schedule is split into two phases:

• Phase 1 (May 1 – May 16): +15% to Classical pieces, +15% to Glow pieces

• Phase 2 (May 16 – June 1): +15% to Classical pieces, +15% to Divine pieces

If you’re tailoring your wardrobe for Pinnacle performance, Classical pieces are the cream of the crop – they enjoy a bonus throughout the entire month, making them a savvy investment.

Quality‑of‑Life and System Tweaks

Momo’s Camera now supports Video Mode. On PC and PlayStation, clips can run up to 10 seconds; on mobile, the cap is 3 seconds due to device limitations. Videos save to the Live Album, and you can scrub the timeline to pick a cover frame – a detail that brings a feather to any content creator’s cap. The Resonance interface has been redesigned with a left‑side vertical layout, and ability previews now let you freely switch between effect views. Detailed and History sections are merged into a single Resonance Details panel, while limited‑time screens flaunt video covers.

Mobile players receive meaningful storage relief: Evolution Stage 3 video resources for 5‑star outfits no longer download automatically on install. They ping down only when you obtain a second 5‑star outfit through Resonance, reach Stage 3 evolution, or choose to replay the cutscene. Hardcore users can still force‑download everything via Settings > Features > Services > Download Outfit Evolution Resources.

A new exchange system starring Ian the Cadenceborn arrives. Gather Dews of Inspiration and complete the world quest Hello, Ian the Cadenceborn to swap for the 4‑star outfit Whispered Dreams and three Momo’s Cloaks: Soulheal, Howlbeast, and Feathered. Finally, the Momo Growth > Basic section gains the Itzaland Insight tab. Unlocking its nodes bestows Momo with a special skill and the Momo’s Cloak: Trail, which delivers a rapid claw combo after three basic attacks, a Pawbeam for distant targets, and an enlarged form that headbutts and kicks with gusto.

Priority Checklist for Your April and May

With events piling up like dominoes, a clear order of operations saves heartache. Based on the official deadlines, here’s the smart play:

1. Claim maintenance compensation before May 1 (300 Diamonds, 1 Resonite Crystal). It’s the lowest hanging fruit, but blink and you’ll miss it.

2. Start the Last Vigil check‑in immediately – it ends May 10 and requires 7 login days. No time to dilly‑dally.

3. Push Itzaland’s main story to Chapter 7 to unlock all four Boneyard limited‑time events. Think of it as the key that opens every treasure chest.

4. Collect Boneyard Whimstars for Long‑Lost Wonders rewards and the Slumber by Blossoms sketch – a perfect side hustle while you progress.

5. Run Deep Breakthrough weekly before May 18 for double Realm of Breakthrough rewards. Unused attempts vanish, so treat each week like a limited commodity.

6. Decide your resonance pulls before May 28 when both banners close. Weigh farming utility against combat flair and commit.

Tales of Itzaland II is the dark horse; its extended availability means you shouldn’t deprioritize it entirely, but events with concrete May deadlines must come first. Time is of the essence, and with fortune favoring the bold, this update is a banquet for those who hit the ground running. Stay tuned to official channels and keep your wardrobe ever‑expanding – Infinity Nikki shows no signs of slowing down.