Are you having trouble keeping up to date with the frequent Genshin Impact update schedule? Well, sit back, relax, and let us fill you in on everything you need to know. Hoyoverse generally drops an update for the popular title every six weeks, meaning you never have long to wait for some fresh content.
If you can’t get enough of one of the best gacha games mobile has to offer, we’ve got plenty of other content just like this. Take a look at our Genshin Impact tier list to see where your favorite character ranks, or check out our Genshin Impact codes and Genshin Impact download guides for even more content to consume.
Here’s everything you need to know about the current and next Genshin Impact update.
When is the next Genshin Impact stream?
The Genshin Impact 5.0 livestream went live on on August 15, 2024 at 21:00 PT / 23:00 CT, or on August 16, 2024 at 00:00 ET / 5:00 BST on the official Genshin Impact Twitch channel and the Genshin Impact YouTube.
We predict that the Genshin Impact 5.1 livestream will go live on Friday, September 27, 2024.
When is the Genshin Impact 5.0 release date?
The Genshin Impact 5.0 release date went live on Wednesday, August 28, with maintenance starting on Tuesday, August 27 at 15:00 PDT / 18:00 EDT / 23:00 BST. That means you can dive into the action and start exploring Natlan right now!
Maintenance usually lasts for five hours. Each time maintenance concludes you receive a minimum of 300 primogems in your in-game mailbox as compensation for the game’s downtime. If maintenance takes more than five hours, all players get an extra 60 primogems for every additional hour.
The 5.0 update invites us to explore the long-awaited, fiery nation of Genshin Impact’s Natlan, introducing multiple new mechanics and characters to the game.
When is the Genshin Impact 5.1 release date?
While Hoyoverse is yet to announce anything, we predict that the Genshin Impact 5.1 release date will be Wednesday, October 9, 2024, with maintenance starting on Tuesday, October 8.
This falls in line with the standard six week update schedule that Hoyoverse generally sticks to. However, we’ll be sure to update this guide as soon as we get official confirmation.
What are the Genshin Impact 5.1 banners?
Hoyoverse is yet to announce the Genshin Impact 5.1 banners, but drip marketing and leaks suggests that they will feature Genshin Impact’s Mavuika and Genshin Impact’s Xilonen. Of course, we’ll be sure to update this guide as soon as we learn more.
Before that, here are the characters that feature on the Genshin Impact update 5.0 banners:
Splish-Splash Wavechaser – phase one
Scarlet Leaves Pursue Wild Waves – phase one
- Genshin Impact’s Kazuha
- Kachina
- Bennett
- Xinyan
Turnfire Hunt – phase two
Plane of Euthymia – phase two
- Genshin Impact’s Raiden
- Chevreuse
- Sara
- Thoma
Alongside the featured characters, you can also pull for their signature weapons on the weapon banners. Here are the weapons that feature on the Genshin Impact 5.0 weapon banners:
Epitome Invocation – phase one
- Surf’s Up (five-star catalyst)
- Freedom-Sworn (five-star sword)
Epitome Invocation – phase two
- Fang of the Mountain King (five-star claymore)
- Engulfing Lightning (five-star polearm)
To find out more about all of the current and upcoming characters and weapons, be sure to keep an eye on our Genshin Impact banner guide.
Do we get any free characters in version 5.0?
Version 5.0 is feeding us well. Firstly, you can claim a free copy of the new geo four-star character, Kachina, to help you explore Natlan.
On top of this, as a part of the fourth anniversary celebrations, you can also claim one free standard banner five-star character. And this isn’t a one-time deal – Hoyoverse has confirmed that every anniversary from now on will reward the same – so that means you can choose a free five-star standard banner character every year.
Is there a new area in Genshin Impact 5.1?
In version 5.0 we get to finally explore the long-awaited nation of Natlan. This fiery nation is said to be located on the other side of Sumeru’s desert region and is home to natural hot springs created by volcanic activity.
Natlan consists of many distinct landscapes, including the mysterious and challenging Night’s Trial and a gargantuan volcano with intermittent eruptions. The people of Natlan follow the Pyro Archon (otherwise known as the God of War), and are grouped into six major tribes, each with their own rules.
One thing remains consistent throughout the tribes, though – dinosaur- or dragon-like creatures known as saurians are regarded as family members by the people of Natlan, and play an important role in their everyday life. The live, work, and fight together, and you get the opportunity to experience this first-hand, as you can harness the power of these adorable critters as you explore this new land.
Of course, as a nation ruled by the Pyro Archon, fire holds a high level of importance in Natlan. Fire also has a unique, practical significance in Natlan. Besides the pyro element, Natlan also has a widely present substance called Phlogiston. Phlogiston is an advanced form of the pyro element, unique to Natlan, and exists in different forms, each with unique uses. It can serves as an energy source, a strategic resource in battle, and more. It also holds significant spiritual meaning, symbolizing the infomitable spirit of the people of Natlan. No matter what challenges they face, their fire will never go out.
Speaking of challenges, Natlan is also known as the Nation of War. This is due to the countless crises it has faced throughout history. To protect their homeland, the people and saurians of Natlan have stood united in resisting the various forces threatening the nation. During these battles, countless heroes have emerged, and their heroic deeds have been recorded and carved into obsidian as “Ancient Names”.
Another nifty feature related to this nation is something you may have already spotted during the promotional materials. Kinich, Mualani, and Kachina have a unique visual effect that looks like neon flames burning around them. This is a new mechanic specific to Natlan characters called “Nightsoul’s Blessing”, based on the nation’s local lore. Natlan characters utilize the Nightsoul’s Blessing state in battle to fully showcase their power. Nightsoul’s Blessing is activated through an ancient ritual called “Phlogiston Engraving”, through which vision holders in Natlan communicate with the tribe’s Wayob and Ley Lines to enhance their strength.
Of course, a new nation naturally means a new element for Genshin Impact’s Traveler, too – however, you can’t unlock pyro Traveler and activate the Nightsoul’s Blessing for them by simply touching the Statues of the Seven this time. This strange phenomenon relates to the various crises Natlan is facing. But don’t worry, as you delve further into the secrets of the nation you’ll get the answers you’re seeking.
There’s a whole lot of lore behind the world of Natlan and its history, and plenty of new mechanics to explore, so be sure to watch the full livestream to find out more from the creators themselves.
We predict that version 5.1 will see us continue to explore Natlan, perhaps introducing us to new areas within the nation of pyro.
Are there any new Genshin Impact 5.0 quests?
Version 5.0 sees us start a whole new chapter in the archon questline with both Act 1 “Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn”, and Act II “Black Stone Under a White Stone”, inviting us to learn more about the vibrant world of Natlan. This fresh chapter introduces us to not only the pyro archon, but also the people of Natlan and their culture, with a main focus on the intriguing tournament held at the Stadium of the Sacred Flame
During this tournament, the six major tribes come together to compete in various categories and select the strongest warriors to continue heading to the battlefield. And, as the player, you get to meet the contestants and learn more about the challenges they face and how they view the wars they’re in firsthand.
On top of the new archon quest, we also get two brand new story quests. First up is Tribal Chronicles: People of the Springs, which invites us to learn more about Mualanias we explore a legendary, mysterious island.
The second new story quest is Tribal Chronicles: Scions of the Canopy, where we can learn more about Kinich and the history of his tribe, as well as the secret behind the Ancient Name he inherited.
Of course, there are also plenty of world quests coming in version 5.0 presented in an episodic format. So be sure to keep an eye out while exploring!
We predict that version 5.1 will see a continuation of the Archon quests, and will also introduce more Tribal Chronicles to reveal more about the Natlan characters.
What are the new Genshin Impact 5.0 events?
As always, there are plenty of exciting events coming in version 5.0. These include Natlan exploration guides and travel reviews for various places in Teyvat. One of these events even rewards you with a new four-star catalyst.
In addition to all this, Hoyoverse has also announced a web event through which you can earn some of the new Natlan craftable weapons, an upcoming Logitech crossover called Touch of Fate, and more.
And, as always, there are sure to be plenty of exciting events in version 5.1, though we don’t have any details just yet. So, to keep on top of all the current and upcoming events, be sure to keep an eye on our Genshin Impact events guide.
What are the Genshin Impact fourth anniversary rewards?
Version 5.0 coincides with Genshin Impact’s fourth anniversary, so, of course, you can expect some freebies to celebrate.
First, there’s a seven-day log-in event through which you can claim a total of ten intertwined fate. Additionally, all players will receive the following rewards via the in-game mail system:
- 1.6k primogems
- One sancitfying elixir
- Two fragile resin
- Firstborn Firesprite pet gadget
- Kaboom Box explosive toy
And, as mentioned in the ‘free character’ section, you can also claim one standard banner five-star character of your choice. Here are the characters that you can choose from:
- Genshin Impact’s Dehya
- Genshin Impact’s Keqing
- Genshin Impact’s Mona
- Genshin Impact’s Qiqi
- Genshin Impact’s Jean
- Genshin Impact’s Tighnari
- Genshin Impact’s Diluc
And it’s not just a one-and-done deal, either – from this year onwards, during every Genshin Impact anniversary version, you can get any five-star character from the standard banner pool for free. Which, of course, will become even more exciting as the selection continues to grow over the coming updates!
Are there any new Genshin Impact 5.0 bosses?
As we take to a new whole new nation, there are, of course, plenty of new beasties to best, including two brand new bosses.
First up is the Gluttonous Yumkasaur Mountain King. Having eaten too much fruit, this rotund yumkasaurus found himself trapped in a place where he can’t escape. The ancient king of his species, it slumbers beneath the canyon, wagering its centuries-old pride and awaiting young warriors of the tribe to rise and challenge it.
Next is the Goldflame Qucusaur Tyrant. It dwells in the mist-shrouded valley of firewood, cursed by ancient bloodlines. If you want to take this terror on, you must find a way to withstand its powerful golden flames.
Hoyoverse is yet to reveal whether there are any new bosses coming in version 5.1, but we’ll be sure to update this guide as soon as we find out more.
Are there any new Genshin Impact 5.0 artifacts?
Version 5.0 introduces two new artifact sets – Obsidian Codex and Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City. Here are the set bonuses:
Obsidian Codex
- Two equipped: While the equipping character is in Nightsoul’s Blessing and is on the firled, their damage dealt increases by 15%
- Four equipped: after the equipping character consumes one Nightsoul point while on the field, their crit rate increases by 40% for six seconds. The effect can trigger once every second
Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City
- Two equipped: when a nearby party member triggers a Nightsoul Burst, the equipping character regenerates six elemental energy
- Four equipped: after the equipping character triggers a reaction, all party members gain a 12% elemental damage bonus for the involved elemental types for 15 seconds. If the equipping character is in the Nightsoul’s Blessing state when they trigger this effect, all party members gain an additional 28% elemental damage bonus for the elemental types involved in the reaction for 20 seconds
Are there any new features in Genshin Impact 5.0?
Version 5.0 introduces a heap of new features, as you’d expect from a whole new version.
First, and arguably the most exciting, is the introduction of the aforementioned saurians. These little cuties can help you in a variety of ways. You harness their power and transform into them via a process called ‘indwellin’, and from there you can make full use of their abilities, from burrowing underground to swinging through the skies. Additionally, the new characters also introduce fresh traversal systems through their kits, with Mualani surfing on a dolphin, Kachina riding around on a drill, and Kinich grappling through the air.
With the addition of these new traversal features baked into the Natlan characters’ kits, Hoyoverse has also recreated part of the environment of test runs starting from version 5.0. Test runs now feature a brand-new area that resembles Natlan’s open world, allowing you to test out character abilities more thoroughly to work out whether you enjoy their playstyle and traversal systems.
Of course, as we arrive in a new nation, we also see the return of the reputation system – however, it’s a bit different this time. In Natlan, you can visit the Obsidian Totem Pole in each tribe to accept corresponding tribe bounties and supply notices and unlock Tribal Chronicles. These chronicles include not only the tribe’s legends and local customs, but also the Natlan characters’ story quests. Each tribe has three chapters that you can unlock and explore over time.
If, like us, you’re on the hunt for more freemos, you’ll be glad to know that completing the archon quest “Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn” during 5.0 allows you claim an additional 500 primogems from the event screen. This event will also occur in versions 5.1 and 5.3 to coincide with the key acts of the main storyline – so that’s a total of 1.5k extra primogems on top of the normal quest completion rewards. Hoyoverse is also giving out extra rewards when you complete the new story quests or tribal quests, including primogems and the level-up materials that you need to ascend the new characters.
Now, those extra primogems for completing the archon quests sound great, but they’re limited time – so what happens if you’re behind? Well, Hoyoverse has also introduced a new quick start feature for archon quests. After the version 5.0 update, as long as you’ve completed the Liyue archon quests and reached adventure rank 28 or higher, you can unlock Natlan’s archon quest in the event interface to get started.
If this encourages you to return to Genshin after a break, you’re also in for a treat, as there are some new adjustments to the Stellar Reuinion rewards. Beside the original rewards, you can also claim an additional ten intertwined fates.
Now, if you’re the unlucky type to always lose your 50/50, we have some great news for you in that department, too. While pulling on a limited character banner, you may notice a new animation. This is actually a new event mechanic added to the character event wishes in version 5.0 called Capturing Radiance.
Essentially, if your last five-star character on the limited character banner was the featured one, you have a 50/50 chance of either getting the limited or a standard five-star as your next five-star pull. However, when you’re on a 50/50, there’s now a chance that the Capturing Radiance event will activate and reward you with the featured five-star. So, simply put, Capturing Radiance increases your chances of getting more than one featured five-star character in a row.
And that’s not all. Previously, the Epitome Invocation weapon banner’s wish system had a two fate point system, where you select which weapon you want and, if you’re particularly unlucky, you could pull up to two unwanted five-stars before you got the featured weapon that you wanted. Starting from 5.0, Hoyoverse has reduced the amount of fate points needed to guarantee your chosen weapon from two to one. That means it now follows a similar 50/50 system to the character banner, where, if you pull a five-star weapon other than the one you have selected, the next five-star weapon is guaranteed to be your desired result. If you want to read more about this system, be sure to check out the ‘system optimizations’ section of this official HoYoLab post.
Imaginerium Theater also gets an update in version 5.0. Hoyoverse has redesigned the Wondrous Boons events to offer clear strategies based on the current season’s three-element reaction system, making it easier for you to pick your team. These buff events offer powerful special elemental reaction mechanics designed to fit into the existing reaction systems. So, even if you aren’t familiar with the mechanics of your available characters, you can still easily develop effective strategies through elemental combinations.
But what if all those powerful buffs make Imaginerium Theater too easy for you? Well, version 5.0 also introduces the new Visionary Mode, which offers more of a challenge (and, in turn, more rewards).
Finally, version 5.0 also sees an update to Genius Invokation TCG with new monster, action, and character cards, including Genshin Impact’s Freminet and Genshin Impact’s Xianyun. There are also new Natlan card backs for you to obtain.
Are there any new optimizations in Genshin Impact 5.0?
Hoyoverse has been listening to our feedback, and is introducing some very welcome optimizations in version 5.0.
Firstly, when looking for regional specialties, you can now head to the item in your inventory and click on the ‘go to collect’ option above the ‘found in the wild’ tag to automatically track the collection locations of these items on your map. You can also use this feature to monitor the quantity of remaining harvestables in different locations, making it much easier to farm for character ascension materials.
On top of that, there are some new optimizations to monster drops. If you’ve built any character that needs their materials, you should remember the pain of farming Kairagi and specter enemies (those handguards were nearly the death of me when I was building my Inazuma characters). Well, with the 5.0 update, the drop rates for certain monster materials are increasing, including both the Kairagi and specters.
If you’re still after even more materials, version 5.0 also introduces the brand new world level 9, which also boosts enemy drops – though it also makes the battles tougher, so keep that in mind.
Another sore point for many players is the artifact system, and Hoyoverse is introducing new optimizations to this, too. Firstly, you can now earn artifact EXP materials from salvaging artifacts instead of just mora, which is a real blessing when leveling up artifact sets for your new characters (and also makes the system of clearing out your artifact inventory a lot more rewarding, in my opinion).
There’s also a brand new item called sanctifying elixir, which you can exchange for artifacts with specific ‘affixes’ (i.e. main stats and sub-stats). This can really take the sting out of trying to farm perfect sets for your mains – honestly, I wish this was around back when I was building my full EM Kazuha!
To get started, you first need to complete adventurer handbook quests to obtain the transmuter gadget. This gadget then allows you to define artifacts (choose the major and minor affixes). You can also use it to consume artifacts and extract more sanctifying elixir.
But that’s not the only way to get sanctifying elixir – you can also farm it by exploring Natlan’s open world or via the Gnostic Hymn battle pass rewards. And, to get you started, the anniversary rewards also include some sanctifying elixir, too.
Speaking of the battle pass, Hoyoverse has acknowledged that some of the rewards are no longer very useful to most players. So, starting from version 5.0, there are some adjustments to the battle pass rewards. First, when the battle pass period begins, you can choose three out of four types of materials as rewards (mora, adventurer’s experience, mystic enhancement ore, and sanctifying elixir).
Additionally, if you unlock the Gnostic Hymn or Gnostic Chorus and reach the corresponding levels, you can now choose any talent books from any nation, rather than being tied to the same few. And yes, that also includes the new talent books from Natlan.
Another handy feature starting in 5.0 is that you can now increase your stamina limit by offering to the Statues of the Seven in any region. Meanwhile, starting from Natlan, Natlan’s Statues of the Seven, Shrines of Depths, and exclusive offering system (similar to Fontaine’s Fountain of Lucine) also provide more primogem rewards, adding up to more than enough to by ten intertwined fates.
If you’re thinking about trying a new game before the next Genshin Impact update, take a look at our list of the best mobile RPGs on iOS and Android, or check out our Honkai Star Rail update and Zenless Zone Zero update guides.