Everything Announced in Genshin Impact's 2.2 Update Livestream

Genshin Impact’s reputation has endured a tumultuous week. The open-world gacha RPG celebrated its first birthday on September 28 with divisive media coverage, earning both praise for its unprecedented $2 billion earnings and scorn for “insulting” players with stingy Anniversary gifts. Despite what Genshin Impact developer miHoYo was embroiled in, the tidal flow of content for this white whale hasn’t ebbed, and fans can expect its 42-day content refresh to continue as scheduled.

The Genshin Impact Special Program Presentation is an animated livestream hosted by character voice actors, talking to fans about unreleased material. The Version 2.2 preview contained information regarding upcoming events and rewards vital to players whose experience of the game is largely determined by the pay-to-win gacha system. Most importantly, the livestream confirmed the best sources for valuable Primogems and the new characters who may make players spend them after Version 2.2 launches October 13.

New Playable Character: Thoma

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The livestream began with Aether (Zach Aguilar), Thoma (Christian Banas), and Lumine’s (Sarah Miler-Crews) English voice actors officially introducing Inazuma “fixer” Thoma as an upcoming playable character. Thoma debuted in Version 2.0 as the first friendly face the Traveler met in Inazuma. The reliable Chief Retainer and “Housekeeper” of the Kamisato Clan is a close associate of Kamisato Ayaka, and assumed an important behind-the-scenes role in the Traveler’s successful infiltration of the guarded Ritou entry port.

The official Genshin Impact twitter announced Thoma as a Pyro polearm user, taglined “Protector from Afar” – an outlander hailing from an unknown nation now confirmed to be Mondstadt. Fans also learned that the “Housekeeper” title isn’t just a reference to Thoma’s clandestine clean-up of the Yashiro Commission’s political obstacles; Thoma performs essential household tasks such as cooking, sewing, and trimming the courtyard at the Kamisato estate.

A showcase of Thoma’s gameplay followed a discussion of his abilities. His Elemental Skill “Blazing Blessing” deals AoE Pyro damage and generates a shield with stackable damage absorption. His Passive Talent “Imbricated Armor” buffs the active character’s shield strength when the barrier is created or refreshed. Thoma’s Elemental Burst “Crimson Ooyoroi” unleashes AoE Pyro damage and a shield like his Skill, but seems intended for the DPS as “active characters’ Normal Attacks strengthen the shield." While the majority of Thoma’s Talents are shield-based, he does boast an exploration advantage related to the recently implemented fishing mechanic, giving players a 20 percent chance to double their catches in Inazuma.

Fans can look forward to learning more about Thoma during his new Hangout event alongside Sayu: the sleepy Anemo ninja briefly encountered in Inazuma’s World Quest. Thoma and Sayu are the first characters to receive these visual novel-style Story Quests since Barbara, Noelle, Bennett, Chongyun, and Diona.

Version 2.2 Event Character Banners and Weapons

The Event Character Banners for 2.2 will officially be Hydro Bow user Tartaglia, followed by Pyro polearm expert Hu Tao. Thoma will accompany her as one of the potential four-star characters. The re-emergence of Tartaglia was met with some surprise. Though leakers posited he would return due to storyline relevance and repeated imagery, the 11th Fatui Harbringer is now circulating his third re-run before certain characters have gotten one. Tartaglia appeared on his “Farewell to Snezhnaya” Banner in Version 1.1 (November), then again in Version 1.4 (April), and will now appear again; meanwhile fan-favorites like Ganyu and Albedo never returned after their launch in 1.2. Evidently, Genshin Impact players will not be saying farewell to Snezhnaya yet.

This will be Hu Tao’s first re-run since her unveiling in Version 1.3 (March), and fans are eager to know if her signature weapon, Staff of Homa, is on the horizon. Unfortunately, the Genshin Impact livestreams thus far have followed a pattern of implying the first Weapon Banner but not the second, and this 2.2 livestream is no exception. The 2.3 preview is anticipated to run before the end of Hu Tao’s banner.

A five-star bow headlined a new series of icy blue weapons: the “Polar Star" fans assume was made for Tartaglia’s Weapon Banner, with four-star Wavebreaker’s Fin (Polearm), four-star Akuoumaru (Sword), and four-star Mouun’s Moon (Bow) establishing the set. Polar Star’s attributes weren’t included in the livestream, but leakers foundits secondary stat as Crit Rate and Passive Skill similar to The Stringless, increasing Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst damage while following in the footsteps of other Inazuma weapons with additional stack level effects.

Exploration and Enemies

An official glimpse of the final stage in Inazuma’s piecemeal installment was delivered in the form of Tsurumi Island. Tsurumi Island is “covered in dense fog” and emits a notoriously “gloomy atmosphere." Though it is known to bamboozle visitors deep into the murky wilds, this won’t slow the Traveler, and those thirsty for fresh challenges can look forward to more treasure-seeking and monster-eliminating escapades along its dark shores.

Tsurumi Island will host a spooky new foe in the form of “Rifthounds," described as “mysterious monsters from the Abyss." There are currently four known types: Rockfond Rifthound Whelp, Rockfond Rifthound, Thundercraven Rifthound Whelp, and Thundercraven Rifthound. Judging from the color-coded designs, Geo and Electro are their native elements. These craggy lupine creatures appear partly phantom, with disembodied limbs and glowing energy particles in place of organs.

Genshin Impact developers stepped up the combat difficulty with the release of Inazuma, delighting long-term players who outgrew the Hilichurl colonies of Mondstat and Liyue. The Spiral Abyss adopted these practices with ambitiously formidable foes and circumstances, including the dreaded “Corrosion” system that saps party HP. Along with dealing Elemental damage and turning invisible during battle, Rifthounds apply Corrosion to everyone, including shielded characters.

Events and Rewards

Labyrinth Warriors

The unusual combination of Childe and Xinyan escort the Traveler through the first announced event, Labyrinth Warriors. The livestream was titled “Into the Perilous Labyrinth of Fog,” and seems to be the inspiration for the third Tartaglia re-run, so there's speculation whether story tidbits might come from this filler banquet. Xinyan’s appearance is especially celebrated, as miHoYo has neglected to write her into any plot until the recent “Moonlight Merriment” event.

Gameplay involves exploring the Mystic Onmyou Chamber with a paper samurai called Shiki Taishou, who acts as a lucky charm providing assistance with “Shikifuda Buffs," Charms and Cursed Seals reminiscent of the Theater Mechanicus Wondrous Sticks. Players deploy two character teams to scour a total of five levels, with the chance of randomly obtaining items, buffs, and rewards shop tokens. The “Aged Tokens” may be exchanged for Primogems, Crown of Insight, Character Ascension Materials, Talent Level-Up Materials, Mystical Enhancement Ore, Mora, Character EXP Manuals, and a Xinyan constellation.

Shadow of the Ancients

Shadow of the Anicents revolves around a Sumerian scholar studying a unique regenerative Ruin Grader. The event is split into three phases: Investigative Surveys, Data Sampling, and Live Testing. Investigative Surveys are familiar from the recent Spectral Secrets event, this time with players venturing out into all three regions of Teyvat to confront the target. Data Sampling is reminiscent of “protect the Leyline Monolith," with the Traveler defending Electro-charged, information-gathering spikes. Live Testing ends in a strategic face-off against the immortal Ruin Grader.

Tuned to the World’s Sounds

In this rhythm game event, the wandering samurai-poet Kazuha gifts the Traveler with a floral zither to play alongside a strange yet heartwarming selection of companions: Ningguang, Zhongli, Keqing, Xiao, Kokomi, Ayaka, and the Raiden Shogun. The game will have three difficulty levels and employ a new hold-note mechanic. The livestream didn’t confirm whether or not Travelers would keep the zither as an equippable item, but chances are it concludes much like the Windblume Festival with a brand-new instrument to serenade co-op partners while waiting at a domain.

Ley Line Overflow

The celebrated Ley Line Overflow event will return, rewarding double the Mora and Experience Books per use of Original Resin.

Serenitea Pot Upgrades

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Last but not least, the Serenitea Pot is getting an Inazuma update that homebodies have been hoping for since the lavender cliffs of the Electro region debuted. A new realm style with ethereal cherry blossom paths is on the way, along with new Inazuma furnishings and blueprints. Version 2.2 will expand the methods in which blueprints are learned and acquired, hiding some in “remarkable chests” on Tsurumi Island. Other styles are locked until level 40 on the Sacred Sakura Tree is reached.

The Dreams of Bloom event highlights the Serenitea Pot enhancements with gardening packages. The flower seeds disappear after the event, so players want to keep a close eye on their longevity. The livestream also showed off floating platforms with adjustable heights from which to display these bright works of art.

Genshin Impact's First Anniversary Celebration

The livestream wrapped-up with a few stray announcements. Maximum artifact storage will increase from 1,000 to 1,500, and a collaboration with gaming lifestyle brand Razer includes a Paimon-themed ergonomic chair, mouse, and mouse pad that come alongside in-game rewards. Notably absent was any direct response from miHoYo to players dissatisfied over the recent First Anniversary rewards, and the silence sparked criticism on social media.

While miHoYo delivered a total of 1,600 Primogems, four Fragile Resin, a glider, and Serenitea Pot furnishing after the backlash, some fans still aren’t satisfied. However, the livestream was most likely pre-recorded, and the online concert originally organized to celebrate the Anniversary followed with no further commentary.