Genshin Impact, the gacha-based RPG from Chinese developer miHoYo, has grown massively since its original 2020 release. A continuous stream of updates has brought new characters to collect, new bosses to defeat, and new regions for players to explore. This month will see the launch of Genshin Impact 2.5, another major update that will expand the ever-growing world of Tevyat.
Genshin Impact's 2.5 update has been hotly anticipated by fans for some time, ever since a series of leaks revealed hints of its content. On February 4, miHoYo finally put the rumors to bed with a livestream detailing all the major features of the 2.5 update, including a new playable character, new events, and a strangely familiar new boss.
New Character: Yae Miko
overseer fortniteGenshin Impact 2.5's first Event Wish will feature "Astute Amusement" Yae Miko, a brand new 5-star character from Inazuma. As the overseer of the Grand Narukami Shrine, and owner of Yae Publishing House, Yae Miko is an important member of Inazuman society. This is supported by her close relationship with the Raiden Shogun, which has grown despite the fact that Miko's Kitsune lineage makes her true feelings difficult to determine.
5-stars represent the top-tier of Genshin Impact's characters, and players can expect Yae Miko to be a powerful asset on any team. Confirming earlier leaks, miHoYo has announced that she will be an Electro Catalyst-user, making her the first character of that type since Lisa, who has been in the game since launch.
Like many Catalyst-users in Genshin Impact, Yae Miko will have a heavy focus on AoE damage:
| Normal Attack | Spiritfox Sin-Eater | Performs up to 3 Electro attacks, and can consume stamina to create an Electro AoE. |
| Elemental Skill | Yakan Evocation: Sesshou Sakura | Dashes forward, leaving a Sesshou Sakura behind. Sesshou Sakura will periodically deal Electro damage to nearby enemies. 3 Charges. |
| Elemental Burst | Great Secret Art: Tenko Kenshin | Destroys all nearby Sesshou Sakura, turning them into Tenko Thunderbolts that deal huge amounts of Electro damage. |
These active Talents are supported by Yae Miko's passive Talents, which increase the damage of Sesshou Sakura, and allow her Elemental Burst to reset the cooldown on her Yakan Evocation. Her utility passive is Meditations of a Yako, which adds a chance to create a random Talent Material from the same region whenever she crafts a Character Talent Material. Yae Miko will also be released alongside the Karuga's Verity 5-star Catalyst, a new weapon that is bound to be her signature.
Shadowy Husk and New Boss
To go with the new character, Genshin Impact 2.5 will also be introducing some fresh challenges for players to overcome. The first of these is a brand-new enemy type, Shadowy Husks. Unique to the mysterious land of Enkanomiya, the Shadowy Husks appear as towering warriors clad in heavy black armor.
There will be three kinds of Shadowy Husk in 2.5, each wielding a different element and weapon. The Standard Bearers are Pyro and use a banner staff as a weapon, the Defenders use Cryo bows, and the Line Breakers use Hydro lances. Each of these monsters will also come with a special power, though only the Standard Bearers' has been revealed so far. When a Standard Bearer strikes a character protected by a Geo Shield, it will apply a Shield to itself and all nearby Shadowy Husks.
The Shadowy Husks won't be the only new threat players face in Genshin Impact 2.5, as it seems a strangely-familiar new boss is on the horizon. Details are thin on the ground so far, but miHoYo's recent livestream revealed the Raiden Shogun with a brand-new look, and surrounded by huge Electro-charged blades. It won't be the first time the Traveler has taken on the Shogun in Genshin Impact's story, but the Electro Archon seems to have some new powers to unleash.
Events, Story, and Extras
While Yae Miko's Event Wish Everbloom Violet will lead Genshin Impact 2.5, it won't be the only one in the game's latest update. Everbloom Violet will be followed by Reign of Serenity and Drifting Luminescence, re-runs of the previous 5-star characters Raiden Shogun and Sangonomiya Kokomi. In addition, 4-star Geo character Yun Jin will be added to the standard Wanderlust Invocation Wish, giving players a second chance to grab her.
Genshin Impact 2.5 will also unlock the next chapter of the Traveler's story, with two new chapters that explore the Raiden Shogun and Yae Miko respectively. The Imperatrix Umbrosa Chapter: Act II will follow on from the Shogun's existing story, while Divina Vulpes Chapter: Act I will give players their first in-depth encounter with Yae Miko.
Finally, the Genshin Impact 2.5 update will feature a whole host of new and returning Events for players to participate in:
| Three Realms Gateway Offering | A brand-new Event based on exploration, challenging players to search a dangerous, corrosive Enkanomiya while under the time-limited protection of a Bokuso Box. |
| Divine Ingenuity | A fully-customizable Domain that allows players to build and share their own obstacle courses, filled with traps, coins, and puzzles. |
| Of Drink A-Dreaming | Allows players to play bartender at Diluc's tavern, mixing drinks for all kinds of Genshin Impact characters. |
| Hyakunin Ikki | A return of the popular tag-team battleground event, offering new trial characters and secret arts. |
| Overflowing Mastery | Another returning Event, this one lets players gain double rewards three times a day at certain Domains. |
There's no doubt that Genshin Impact's 2.5 update will give players plenty to do over the next month, but miHoYo's recent livestream even included some plans for the future. Genshin Impact's update 2.6 will see the introduction of the Chasm, a brand-new region full of dangerous monsters and valuable ores.
Genshin Impact is now available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5 with a Switch version in development.
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