Back in late 2021, I still remember how the Genshin Impact community would explode every time a new leak surfaced. We were in the middle of Version 2.2, grinding through the Labyrinth Warriors event, and all anyone could talk about was what was coming next. Fast-forward to 2026, and it's almost nostalgic to scroll through old leak threads and see just how much – or how little – we actually got right. Today I want to share a deep-dive into one of the most talked-about leak dumps from that era: the infamous compilation of Versions 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 banner predictions.
At the time, a trusted account named "SaveYourPrimos" on Twitter (how I miss that handle) gathered leaks from multiple reliable sources and presented them in a tidy timeline. The post instantly became a sacred text for primogem hoarders like me. I'd stare at it while doing daily commissions, mentally calculating how many pulls I could stockpile before a rumored Xiao or Ganyu rerun.
The leak was split into three levels of confidence: solid leaks from several trusted insiders, info from a single reliable source, and sheer speculation. Let's break it down the way I scribbled it in my notebook back then, but now with the glorious clarity of hindsight.
🔎 The Leak Breakdown (October 2021)
Tier 1: Multiple Reliable Sources
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Albedo rerun in Version 2.3 first half
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Itto and Gorou debut in 2.3 second half
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Yunjin will be a part of Version 2.4
Tier 2: Single Reliable Source
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Shenhe arrives in Version 2.4
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Yae Miko finally arrives in Version 2.5
Tier 3: Speculation (No Solid Evidence)
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Xiao rerun in Version 2.4 (some voice lines about Shenhe locked behind a quest pointed to it)
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Ganyu rerun in Version 2.5 – because if Yae was pushed back, Ganyu would likely be pushed back with her.
✅ How It Actually Turned Out
As a day-one player, I lived through every patch, and I can tell you exactly how these predictions matched reality:
| Prediction | Reality | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Albedo rerun in 2.3 first half | Albedo reran in 2.3 first half – but in a surprise dual banner alongside Eula! | ✅ Mostly correct |
| Itto & Gorou in 2.3 second half | Arataki Itto and Gorou dropped exactly in the second half. | ✅ Perfect |
| Yunjin in 2.4 | Yunjin debuted as a 4-star Geo polearm in 2.4, featured on both Shenhe's and Xiao's banners. | ✅ Perfect |
| Shenhe in 2.4 | Shenhe released in the first half of 2.4. | ✅ Perfect |
| Yae Miko in 2.5 | Yae Miko's banner opened the 2.5 update. | ✅ Perfect |
| Xiao rerun in 2.4 | Xiao reran alongside Shenhe in the first half of 2.4. | ✅ Correct speculation |
| Ganyu rerun in 2.5 | Ganyu actually reran in the second half of 2.4 instead, paired with Zhongli. | ❌ Wrong |
Looking at that table now, the accuracy is almost scary. Six out of seven points were either spot-on or only slightly off. The biggest miss was Ganyu's timing, and even that was based on a logical chain of "if Yae gets pushed, Ganyu gets pushed." The leakers didn't anticipate that miHoYo (now Hoyoverse) would pack 2.4 with back-to-back heavy hitters: Shenhe + Xiao, then Zhongli + Ganyu. That shook everyone's primogem plans.
🤔 What This Meant for Savers Like Me
I remember vividly that I was skipping everything for a future Ayato (who, by the way, wasn't even leaked yet!) and hoping to grab Ganyu on her rerun. The leak said Ganyu in 2.5, so I'd have plenty of time. Then the 2.4 livestream dropped, and suddenly she was coming in the second half, right after I would have blown my savings on Xiao.
A friend of mine, a die-hard Albedo main, only saved for the Albedo rerun and completely ignored the Eula dual banner. Another friend, an Itto enthusiast, had zero issues because the leak nailed the second half of 2.3. For Yunjin enthusiasts, everyone knew she'd be in 2.4, so they were ready. The only real chaos erupted around Ganyu, and I still chuckle at the meltdown in my co-op world that day.
📈 The Bigger Picture: 2.2 Context and Leak Culture Evolution
In October 2021, we were still in the Labyrinth Warriors event (hence the nostalgic image above), and players were already theorycrafting team comps for the upcoming wolves and the Geo resurgence. The leaks about Itto and Gorou fueled the Geo hype train, and they turned out exactly as described. It's funny to think that in 2026, while we have more sophisticated datamining and even official banner roadmaps, nothing quite matches the thrill of those old, cryptic leak compilations.
The one wildcard none of us saw coming was the dual banner system itself. That innovation reshaped the whole saving strategy. No longer could you blindly trust that a rerun character would have a whole half-patch to themselves; you might have to choose between two must-pulls at once. Looking back, those 2021 leaks gave us a rough map, but the devs always kept us on our toes.
💭 Final Thoughts
If I could go back and tell my 2021-self one thing, it would be: "Don't take speculation as gospel, but trust the well-sourced leaks." The predictions about Albedo, Itto, Gorou, Yunjin, Shenhe, and Yae were practically flawless. The Xiao/Ganyu speculation was half-right, but that single miss still shaped pulling decisions for months.
For any new traveler reading this in 2026, just know that even now, leaks are a high-stakes game of telephone. The 2.3–2.5 saga taught me to always have a backup plan, stash an emergency primogem fund, and never underestimate the power of a surprise dual banner. Happy pulling! 🎉