Genshin Impact 5.0 and the release of the new Natlan region are due later today, August 27, for much of the world. New Hydro 5-star Mu𒉰alani will kick off the regional expansion with her debut banner, which is scheduled to drop at approximately 8pm PT / 11pm ET / 4am BT depending on maintenance downtime.
Developer that "in version 5.0, to optimize the update 💮installation speed after pre-downloading on hard disk drives, the req🐷uired space for PC pre-download is relatively large, and is approximately 26 - 38 GB (with the resource package occupying 16 - 23 GB)." You can already pre-install today's hefty download to prepare for the patch, though you'll still have to jump through a few hoops on startup.
Mualani will debut alongside a rerun banner for popular Anemo user Kazuha. The 4-star characters on their banner🧸 are Bennet, Xinyan, and new Geo user Kachina (who will also be given out for free in Natlan). The second half of update 5.0 will featu🍃re new Dendro 5-star Kinich and Electro Archon Raiden Shogun. Their 4-star lineup hasn't been announced.
Like many Natlan characters, Mualani comes with a unique movement ability. She can surf around on a shark-like creature, and certain environmental features in Natlan let her move especially quickly over short distances. In combat, she's positioned as a hard-hitting on-field Vaporize DPS who wants Pyro teammates to set up her big, infrequent hits. S♌urf through enemies to mark them, and once you have at least three marks, fire off a volley of shark bites and missiles.
Kachina seems to be a more typical off-field support DPS, and somewhat weak at that, but she also comes with a special movement function. She can ride her deployable drill like a giant top and even skate up cliffsides. Kinich, meanwhile, has a Dendro grappling hook capable of huge leaps. If you're not interested in these characters, you'll find dinosaur-like critt✃ers in Natlan that offer similar𒁃 exploration bonuses.
New Genshin Impact character Xilonen was just announced for update 5.1, and the open-world RPG's next Natlan hero and latest Geo 5-star is also another cat-girl.
Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurog𓄧amer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning ꦓDestiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.
