I still remember the exact moment the city finally answered. After all those months of watching trailers on loop and refreshing every community forum I could find, my inbox lit up with a message that felt more like a golden ticket than a plain old email. It read: "Dear Proxies: Permission to enter the city has now been issued. Welcome to New Eridu!" I won't lie—my heart did a tiny backflip. I was finally about to become more than just a spectator.

Then I read on, and the details unfolded like a map of a place I had only ever dreamed about. The test itself was scheduled to begin on November 24, 2023, at 11:00 AM sharp (UTC+8). I set alarms on every device I owned, which in hindsight was a little ridiculous, but I was not about to miss the gates opening. As for the end time? That part stayed mysterious. The announcement promised it would be shared separately later, so the city kept one secret close to its chest. That open-endedness actually made the whole thing feel more alive—like New Eridu was breathing and simply said, "Stay tuned."

Then I hit the section that made me read twice, maybe three times. The qualification for the test would be bound to the first device I logged in with on each platform. One HoYoverse account could only use one PC, one Android, and one iOS device. In other words, my account had a very strict guest list, and if I showed up on a different device for the same platform? Automatic ban. No polite warning. Just a swift, digital door slam.

That rule was a real "read it twice" moment for me. I triple-checked my devices before logging in, then double-checked again for good measure. The last thing I wanted was to lose my spot because I got careless with a phone or a borrowed laptop.

And here's the kicker: those bans wouldn't be removed for the entire test. Account sharing and trading were the usual culprits, so the team made it clear from the start—no exceptions. The announcement also reminded all Proxies to be wary of account-sharing or transaction scams, avoid selling test applications, and protect personal information to prevent unnecessary losses. Honestly, it felt like the city itself was teaching us a lesson: every Proxy has to earn their own way in. You can't cheat the gate.

To keep myself sane, I broke the rules down like this:

• ✅ First device per platform = your permanent key.

• ✅ One account = one PC + one Android + one iOS.

• ❌ Log in on a different device on the same platform? Auto-ban.

• ❌ Sharing or trading accounts? Ban stays for the whole test.

• 🛡️ Protect your personal info. No second chances.

Device type	Allowed count
PC	1
Android	1
iOS	1

Of course, no city runs perfectly on day one. If I ran into a problem—a texture gone wild, a button that wouldn't respond, or just a suggestion I wanted to whisper to the devs—there was a way to speak up. In the game, I could head to the main city screen, tap the button nestled in the top-left corner, then follow the path: "More" → "Feedback." After that, I'd pick an issue type and fill out my report. It felt less like submitting a ticket and more like leaving a note on the city hall bulletin board, hoping someone on the other side would actually read it.

They promised to keep optimizing and improving based on our feedback, which made me feel less like a visitor and more like a resident. My little notes actually mattered. That was a nice feeling after years of shouting into the void of other games' feedback forms.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. The real magic happened the first time I stepped onto the street... and that's a story for another day.

Looking back from 2026, that 2023 test feels like a strange, wonderful prologue. New Eridu has changed so much since then—new faces, new stories, new corners I still haven't explored. But I still remember that first invitation, the careful device checklist, and the quiet thrill of knowing I had a place inside the walls. For anyone who was there: you know exactly what I mean. For anyone who wasn't? Trust me, it was worth the wait.