Unraveling the Divine Maze: Zenless Zone Zero’s Major Co-op Event Detailed

As Zenless Zone Zero moves into 2026, it introduces a landmark multiplayer experience: the Joint Investigation into the Divine Maze. This event, featuring both cooperative and individual challenges, along with exclusive cosmetic items and demanding gameplay, showcases the evolving direction of Hoyoverse’s urban fantasy action RPG, especially for players who have progressed past the initial narrative.

Content Warning: This article contains details about story elements and event progress beyond Chapter 1 Intermission.

The Significance of the Joint Investigation Event

Debuting in early 2026, the Divine Maze event is designed to satisfy players seeking challenging co-op PvE scenarios and unique, one-time incentives. With its escalating difficulty tiers and special achievements, this event also provides insight into how cooperative gameplay is being developed within live-service gacha titles.

Divine Maze: Event Overview

Availability: January 3, 2026, at 10:00 AM to January 22, 2026, at 3:59 AM (server time)
Requirements: Players must be Inter-Knot Level 20 or higher and have finished Chapter 1 Intermission.
Starting Point: Begin the event by interacting with a specific NPC in Failume Heights.
Play Modes: Features a Solo mode and a Joint (multiplayer) mode, with three distinct difficulty levels for Joint.
Primary Rewards: Includes a unique event namecard, exclusive in-game titles, Polychromes, and various material for upgrades.

Mode Type	Player Count	Adjustable Difficulty	Key Aspects
Solo Exploration	Single Player	Not Applicable	A traditional experience for individual progression
Joint Expedition	Co-op (2–4 players, unofficial)	Standard, High Risk, Nightmare	Multiplayer focused; demands advanced team synergy

(The precise number of participants for co-op is not officially confirmed; 2–4 players is a common assumption.)

Transforming Gameplay: The Divine Maze Impact

Narrative Context & Event Design

To embark on this journey, agents must find and engage with a troubled woman in Failume Heights, initiating the Divine Maze investigation. The event is structured around two distinct engagement types:

Solo Investigation: A conventional single-player trial, likely reintroducing familiar game mechanics adapted for individual challenge.
Joint Investigation: Tailored for cooperative play, offering difficulty settings of Standard, High Risk, and Nightmare. Each level amplifies complexity, necessitates greater team coordination, and presumably, yields superior loot.

The bounty includes the prestigious “Maze Exit” namecard, distinct event titles such as “Silver Thread of Dreams” and “Thin Line of Reality”, valuable Polychromes (the game’s essential gacha currency), and a variety of enhancement items. These cosmetic and progression rewards are particularly noteworthy; historical patterns from Hoyoverse suggest that exclusive event namecards often become highly coveted status symbols following their initial release.

Progression Prerequisites & Event Timing

The requirement of achieving Inter-Knot Level 20 and completing Chapter 1 Intermission targets dedicated players who possess a solid understanding of ZZZ’s mechanics. This approach mirrors the gating strategies seen in major co-op events within Genshin Impact, indicating Hoyoverse’s intention to reserve significant competitive or social content for committed players rather than new arrivals. While this means seasoned players gain access to the best rewards, it simultaneously enriches the endgame experience for the invested community.

The event’s duration, spanning nearly three weeks, provides ample opportunity for consistent players, including those who log in daily and low-spenders, to acquire most of the rewards—a crucial aspect given the unique nature of the event and its exclusive cosmetic offerings.

Rewards: Prestige Titles, Namecard, and More

The official communications have confirmed the following primary rewards:

Exclusive Namecard: “Maze Exit”
Unique Titles: “Silver Thread of Dreams”, “Thin Line of Reality”
Polychromes: (premium currency—specific amounts not yet disclosed)
Upgrade Resources: (types of materials not specified)

Exact quantities and complete reward details are pending confirmation.

Optimized Strategy for Free-to-Play and Budget Players

Given that Polychromes serve as the primary hard-currency, maximizing participation in this event is vital for players who don’t spend or have limited budgets. It is anticipated that Nightmare difficulty will provide the highest returns per completion, though this will likely demand optimized team compositions or dependable multiplayer companions. Nevertheless, even clearing lower difficulty tiers is beneficial for obtaining cosmetic items and currency—avoid skipping the event if your builds aren’t fully optimized for endgame yet.

Essential Event Preparation Guide

Confirm eligibility: Ensure your Inter-Knot Level is 20+ and Chapter 1 Intermission is completed.
Identify your agents’ strongest configurations for effective co-op synergy (refer to GenshinBuilds ZZZ team guides).
Coordinate playtime with friends for tackling higher difficulty tiers whenever feasible.
Accumulate consumables and upgrades that enhance survivability and damage output for team-based encounters.
Research potential boss mechanics if Nightmare stages present significant challenges (GenshinBuilds boss mechanics guide TBA).

Event Analysis: Lessons from the Divine Maze

The Divine Maze event transcends a mere test of player skill; it offers insight into Hoyoverse’s long-term vision for Zenless Zone Zero’s multiplayer components. By offering distinct, non-repeatable rewards and increasing difficulty, the event encourages both community engagement and personal readiness. The stringent eligibility requirements are notable: this content is not for beginners, and its structure emphasizes dedication to the endgame rather than casual involvement.

Furthermore, cosmetic rewards like exclusive event namecards and titles hint at a potential future prestige system, where these items could serve as highly visible markers in player profiles or upcoming online modes (subject to confirmation in future updates).

Future Projections (Clearly Marked)

Please note: The following are unconfirmed and subject to change. Based on previous Hoyoverse events, the Joint Investigation could potentially feature reruns or narrative extensions, possibly delving deeper into the Divine Maze’s lore or introducing new characters linked to its setting. As of 2026, no such plans have been confirmed; all speculation regarding reruns remains unverified until official patch notes or livestreams provide updates.

Post-Divine Maze: What Comes Next?

As Zenless Zone Zero continues to evolve, players should monitor advancements in event mechanics and the possible introduction of ranked or seasonal co-op options. With the Divine Maze elevating the standard for multiplayer integration, future updates might broaden eligibility criteria or facilitate cross-region team play. For now, prioritize completing Chapter 1 and reaching Inter-Knot Level 20 to claim your rewards and experience ZZZ’s most robust co-op challenge to date.

Recommended Visuals

A screenshot depicting the event’s initiation scene at Failume Heights (showing the event NPC and its location)
- Alt text: In-game view of Failume Heights, displaying the NPC required to start the Joint Investigation in Zenless Zone Zero.
A tabular graphic summarizing the distinctions between Solo and Joint event modes
- Alt text: A comparison table illustrating key strategic differences between the various event modes.
An image showcasing the exclusive namecard/rewards interface (if available)
- Alt text: Zenless Zone Zero event rewards preview, highlighting the “Maze Exit” namecard and associated titles.

For detailed strategies or team-building theories, explore Zenless Zone Zero team compositions at GenshinBuilds.