We're all very excited for Nicole to arrive in Genshin Impact and to dive into all the lore she brings with her. As the first playable Hexenzirkel member, she's sure to shake things up - and right in time for us to head to Snezhnaya, where the story really ramps up.
A new trailer showcasing some of her lore is now live on the Genshin YouTube channel. In it, we see the trials she's been through, but also get a glimpse of her speaking to the Heavenly Principles themselves. For the first time, we see them get a name: right at the end of the trailer, Nicole says 'Phanes'.
Phanes, eh? We know that in Genshin's lore, Phanes - also known as The Primordial One and Heavenly Principles - is likely linked to Kevin Kaslana of wider Hoyoverse fame. Perhaps you also know him as Phainon. What does this mean? Will we get a full crossover of the games? Is the lore intertwined? There are so many unanswered questions.
Funnily enough, the only voice actor confirmed in the video's description is Nicole herself. She's played by Sophie Shad. There are some other VA's in the video, one of which sounds a bit familiar. It's not confirmed, but some people (including myself) think it sounds like Joshua Waters, who plays Honkai Star Rail's Phainon. Coincidence? I think not!
This isn't the first time there's been either a nod or an actual crossover between the Star Rail and Genshin universes. We see the Traveler's glider in the Herta Space Station's exhibit, and the planet on the Star Rail loading screen could well be Teyvat. There's every chance that the Tsaritsa appears as an expy of either Bronya or Cyrene, too - but we'll have to wait and see for her official reveal.
Are you excited for more lore? I know I am, and I'm itching to get to Snezhnaya. Nod Krai is cool and all, but I've been waiting for the big, cold, northerly region since 2020. You can see what we know about upcoming characters and the next Genshin Impact banner here, and start planning your pulls.