The highly anticipated journey to the Nation of Pyro has finally begun. Following the official livestream, HoYoverse has unveiled all the details for Genshin Impact Version 5.0, marking the grand entrance into Natlan and the start of a new narrative year. This massive update concludes the storyline initiated in Fontaine and sets the stage for the Traveler's fiery new adventures, packed with three new playable characters, a vast new region, unique traversal mechanics, and significant quality-of-life improvements. Players can look forward to a content-rich experience that will keep them engaged for the entire six-week patch duration and beyond.
Genshin Impact 5.0 - Release Date
The New Update Arrived In Late August
Developer HoYoverse confirmed that Version 5.0 became available starting on August 28, 2024. Due to global time zones, players in the Americas likely gained access on August 27. This release date reaffirmed the game's commitment to its regular six-week update schedule, with no last-minute delays. The arrival of Natlan was a pivotal moment, transitioning the game's focus from the technological wonders of Fontaine to the primal, war-torn lands governed by the Pyro Archon.
Genshin Impact 5.0 - New Characters & Banners
Three New Natlan Characters Debuted In The Update
Version 5.0 introduced three new playable characters from Natlan, each bringing unique combat styles and roles to team compositions.
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Mualani - The Hydro Shark Rider: A 5-star Hydro catalyst wielder who operates as a main DPS. Her power scales with HP, and her kit revolves around summoning a shark-shaped mount. This mount enhances her mobility and transforms her Normal Attacks. By crashing into marked enemies, she can launch follow-up missile strikes, making her a dynamic and aggressive on-field presence.
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Kinich - The Dendro Grappling Hunter: A 5-star Dendro claymore user designed as a primary damage dealer. His signature skill is a grappling hook used for both exploration and combat. In battle, he can hook onto enemies, spin around them while firing shots, and finish with an explosive attack. His Elemental Burst summons the pixel-dragon Ajaw to deal massive AoE Dendro damage.
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Kachina - The Geo Drill Specialist: A 4-star Geo polearm character with versatile roles. Her Skill summons a drill that can either be placed as a turret for periodic Geo damage or ridden as a mount, converting her Normal Attacks into AoE Geo strikes. Her Burst creates a field that boosts her movement speed, and the drill persists off-field, allowing her to function effectively as a sub-DPS.
Banner Schedule & New Wish Mechanics
The update featured a two-phase character banner schedule with new and returning 5-star characters:
| Phase | Duration | Featured 5-Star Characters | Featured 4-Star |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Aug 28 - Sep 17 | Mualani (New) & Kaedehara Kazuha (Rerun) | Kachina (New) |
| Phase 2 | Sep 17 - Oct 8 | Kinich (New) & Raiden Shogun (Rerun) | TBA |
Accompanying weapon banners featured the signature weapons for the featured 5-star characters. Furthermore, Version 5.0 introduced a major change to the wish system: the "Capturing Radiance" mechanic. When losing the 50/50 on a limited character banner, players now have a chance to activate this feature, which increases the odds of pulling the featured 5-star character on the next attempt. Additionally, the Fate Points required to guarantee a selected weapon on the weapon banner were reduced from two to one.
Genshin Impact 5.0 - Natlan, Story, Mechanics, & Events
A New Region Filled with Adventure
The heart of the update was the expansive new region of Natlan. While future versions will expand the map, the initial area was substantial, introducing unique gameplay mechanics centered around Saurians—dragon-like creatures integral to Natlan's society. Different tribes revere Saurians of specific elements; players initially encountered Dendro and Hydro Saurian tribes. These creatures serve as a primary means of traversal, offering new ways to explore the rugged terrain.
A new combat and exploration system called Nightsoul's Blessing was also introduced. This mechanic has three aspects that interact with specific Natlan characters, providing buffs for gathering Nightsoul points or unlocking special effects. It also enhances exploration; for instance, swapping to certain characters while exploring could trigger unique movement effects. The environment itself posed new hazards, such as treacherous lava-like substances in certain areas.
Continuing the Archon Quest
The main story advanced as the Traveler arrived in Natlan to find a grand tournament about to commence, hosted by Mavuika, who is widely believed to be the Pyro Archon. However, the narrative hinted at deeper mysteries, suggesting Mavuika may be concealing the truth about the true Pyro Archon or Sovereign. The Fatui Harbinger Capitano also arrived in the Nation of War, indicating high stakes and complex political intrigue. Alongside the Archon Quests, numerous new World Quests and story quests for the new characters were added.
Fourth Anniversary & Major System Updates 🎉
Coinciding with the update was the game's fourth anniversary celebration, rewarding all players with generous gifts:
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10 Intertwined Fates
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1,600 Primogems
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A commemorative pet
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Various other materials
Completing the new Archon Quests awarded an additional 500 Primogems. Completing story quests for Mualani and Kinich also provided Ascension materials to raise them to Level 60 more easily, reducing the early-game grind.
Several groundbreaking system-wide improvements were implemented:
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World Level 9: A new maximum World Level was added for veteran adventurers.
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Improved Drop Rates: Enemies like Kairagi and Specters received increased material drop rates.
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Artifact System Overhaul:
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A new salvaging system converts unwanted Artifacts into Artifact EXP material.
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The introduction of Sanctifying Elixir, a rare item allowing players to craft Artifacts with a selected main stat and two predetermined sub-stats, offering unprecedented control over gear optimization.
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Stamina Increase: All Statues of the Seven now share a unified stamina increase system.
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Annual Free 5-Star: Starting with Version 5.0, players can choose one free 5-star character from the standard banner each year.
Limited-Time Events
The update period was filled with limited-time events offering various challenges, mini-games, and ample rewards, including Primogems, Mora, and character enhancement materials, ensuring there was always an engaging activity for players.
Looking Ahead
Version 5.0 successfully launched the fiery saga of Natlan, providing a wealth of content that reshaped the Genshin Impact experience. From the thrilling new characters and their unique kits to the profound changes in the artifact and wish systems, the update set a new benchmark. With the map and story set to expand further in Version 5.1, the adventures in the Nation of Pyro are only just beginning. Players have a vast new world to explore, mysteries to unravel, and powerful new allies to recruit on their ever-continuing journey.