Genshin Impacts Long Road to Inazuma

Genshin Impact, like many other free-to-play gatcha games, is still a work in progress, releasing new bits of story and gameplay with each additional update. While some updates may add new character quests or new world events, others are much larger, expanding the game's map giving players new locations to explore and experience. Genshin Impact's 1.2 release added Dragonspine, a large snow-covered mountain with new quests, new characters, new mechanics, and new rewards. On the horizon lies Inazuma, the next major nation of Teyvat, and the continuation of the game's major storyline. Unfortunately, it looks like players may need to wait a bit longer for Inazuma's release.

Initially thought to be included in Genshin Impact 1.4, it looks less and less likely that will be the case. While players will still get a new area to explore, it seems to be a smaller area called The Chasm. New characters are expected to be released, including Rosaria, a Cryo Polearm user who players first met in The Chalk Prince and the Dragon storyline, and YaoYao, a new child character rumored to be the first playable Dendro character.

Developer miHoYo's official release schedule has Genshin Impact 1.4 releasing around March 17th, 2021, 1.5 around April 28th, 2021, and 1.6 around June 6th, 2021. 1.4 should contain The Chasm, YaoYao, an Oceanid event involving Rosaria, an unlockable Oceanid Seelie pet, and possibly Ayaka, a 5-star Cryo Sword user and Inazuma princess. While players may not see Inazuma, the story could certainly move in that direction with Ayaka's inclusion. Version 1.5 will be a smaller event update, possibly leading into the Traveler's journey into Inazuma, which now seems like it will happen in Genshin Impact's 1.6 update.

While all of this is speculation, all the currently leaked information so far seems to support it. If this is the case, Genshin Impact 1.6 will be a huge update, larger than any the game has seen up to this point. The world of Teyvat consists of seven different nations: Mondstadt and Liyue, which have already been released, and Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan, and Snezhnaya. Inazuma is home to the Electro Archon, Baal. Modeled after Japan, Inazuma has started to turn toward isolationism and has become a tense and dangerous place to live. This makes travel there unwise.

The instability of Inazuma sets up a perfect story arc where the Traveler seeks assistance to travel there in their continued quest to seek the wisdom of The Seven and find their sibling. This may also draw the Fatui into the mix once again, as they can enter and exit Inazuma freely due to their diplomatic immunity. Will the Traveler seek Childe's help despite their differences? Scaramouche, previously introduced in the Unreconciled Stars event, introduces himself as a "vagrant from Inazuma," so he may also play into the story of Inazuma and the nation's current situation.

Considering all of this, Inazuma's release later in the year makes a bit more sense than it releasing with version 1.4 as previously thought. There are also plenty of currently released Genshin Impact characters who have not had their stories explored, leaving plenty of room for future content. All of this is expected from a free-to-play game, especially one so rich in lore as Genshin Impact. While many fans are eager to move on with the main story, there are plenty of players out there who relish the attention to detail miHoYo has lovingly put into the world of Teyvat and its inhabitants.