When HoYoverse dropped the Version 2.1 patch for Zenless Zone Zero back in July 2025, every Proxy in New Eridu knew the familiar dance: servers would slam shut, maintenance would drag on, and the only cure was patience. Fortunately, the studio gave players a head start with a pre-download window. This cheeky guide breaks down the platform sizes, download methods, and the tiny print that made the pre-load ritual a little less painful.

The pre-download window ran from 2025/07/14 12:00 (UTC+8) to 2025/07/16 05:50 (UTC+8). That window spanned roughly 41 hours, giving eager Proxies plenty of time to stash the patch before the official update. Smart players who used it wisely could skip the post-maintenance download crush and jump back into Hollow Zero as soon as the gates reopened.

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📦 Pre-Download File Sizes by Platform

One size definitely did not fit all when it came to the Version 2.1 pre-download. The client type and installed Voice Packs altered the space requirement, but the baseline estimates were as follows:

Platform Approximate Pre-Download Size
PC about 8 GB
Mobile (Android & iOS) about 5 GB
PS5™ or PS5™ Pro about 14 GB
Xbox about 20 GB

The Voice Pack note was a classic gotcha: anyone who had collected extra dialogue languages would need a bit more free space. Proxies with packed solid-state drives were advised to do some early spring cleaning.

🕹️ How Each Platform Handled the Pre-Download

PC

PC users opened the HoYoPlay Launcher, spotted the Pre-Download icon next to the Start Game button, and clicked it. The beauty of this method? PC Proxies could keep playing the game while the files downloaded in the background. Multitasking at its finest.

Mobile (Android and iOS)

Mobile users had to open the game and tap the Pre-Download Resources icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen. Here was the catch: mobile players could not run the game during the pre-download. The studio kindly nudged everyone to plan their download time accordingly—ideally while charging the phone and doing something productive, like memorizing Bangboo names.

PS5™ or PS5™ Pro

Console players on Sony hardware got the most hands-off experience. After launching Zenless Zone Zero, the system would automatically begin the pre-download after a short while, provided the device had enough reserved storage. PS5 Proxies could continue gaming during the process, so no one had to sacrifice a late-night run.

Xbox

Xbox users enjoyed similar automatic vibes. Launching the game with sufficient storage triggered the pre-download on its own. For those who preferred a manual touch, the path was: Xbox System home screen > My games & apps > Manage > Updates. Xbox players could also keep playing while the patch trickled in.

⚠️ The Maintenance Countdown

After the pre-download party came the real downtime. The dev team scheduled version update maintenance for 2025/07/16 06:00 (UTC+8) and estimated it would take about five hours. During that stretch, no Proxy could log in. The servers were busy getting the new content stitched together, and players were left refreshing patch notes or debating which Agent deserved a buff.

💎 Compensation for the Patient

To soften the blow of server downtime, HoYoverse offered Server Update Compensation: Polychrome ×300. The eligibility rule was simple—reach Inter-Knot Lv. 4 before 2025/07/16 06:00 (UTC+8). The compensation would arrive via in-game mail after the update finished, but there was a catch: the deadline to claim it was before the end of Version 2.1. Procrastinators, consider this a gentle warning.

🔄 Updating After Maintenance

Once the maintenance wrapped up, Proxies could update each platform with these steps:

Platform Update Method
PC Exit the game, restart, then select update
Android Enter the game and follow the in-game pop-up instructions
iOS Open the App Store and select update
PS5™ or PS5™ Pro Home screen > highlight Zenless Zone Zero > hold Options > Check for updates
Xbox Dashboard > My games & apps > Manage > select the game on the Updates page and confirm

🎯 Final Takeaways for Future Pre-Downloads

Version 2.1 may be old news by 2026, but the pre-download blueprint remains a useful lesson for any live-service patch. Free up storage before the window opens, know your platform's quirks, and grab that 300 Polychrome before the Version 2.1 curtain falls. Happy pre-loading, Proxies!