Genshin Impact
miHoYo
Genshin Impact has now shown off its 2.1 update, coming September 1, and it seems to verify an earlier leak about the order of the next six banners, in terms of which 5 star characters, new and old, are being featured.
From the stream yesterday, here’s what we know:
- Baal (Raiden) will be the first 2.1 banner, and will arrive with new 4 star Kujou Sara.
- Then Kokomi will be the second 2.1 banner.
- After that, leaks say that we should have Yae Miko coming in a future patch, then we start a series of re-runs. Ganyu, then Hu Tao, then Albedo. And that’s the next six banners in total.
Missing here, and probably attached as 4 stars in some of these banners, are Thoma and Gorou, which are a part of the story and miHoYo teased them as playable heroes before 2.0 launched. I’d expect one of them to be attached to Yae Miko, and another to be with one of the re-runs.
We do not have any information about characters like Scaramouche, despite the fact he’s seen in the 2.1 trailer, or Signora, who has been revealed as a boss we fight. Everyone assumes both of these characters will be playable eventually, so we’ll have to see. It’s possible that Genshin Impact will avoid giving us “true villains” as part of our team. Childe, for instance, was a Harbinger, but also an ally. Signora does…not seem like that. With that said, however, Baal seems like a pretty clear enemy, at least at the moment, and a far cry from the archons we have good relationships with, Venti and Zhongli. But perhaps we come to some sort of understanding by the end of the Inazuma storyline.
Baal is likely to be one of the biggest character debuts the game has seen. Not only is she an archon, a must-have for most players, but she’s the first new electro five star in the game’s history. The first new electro character period, actually, since launch. I know people were either saving for mainly her or Ayaka, and my guess is that she makes miHoYo more money than any other hero to date.
As for the story, I am looking forward to reaching the conclusion of the Inazuma storyline, and what was shown off in the trailer looks compelling. I like having villains that actually come across as pretty terrifying, but I am curious how or if Baal comes around to our side. More to come soon.
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