Singapore-based HoYoverse has announced all the content coming to Genshin Impact version 5.3 update set to release on 1 January 2025. The update titled Incandescent Ode of Resurrection will feature a new playable character Pyro Archon, Mavuika and will include a decisive battle with her in the main story.
Genshin Impact is a free to play, open world role playing game developed by Chinese developer miHoYo and published by HoYoverse. The game features an anime-inspired art style where players control a traveler from another world with a goal to reunite with their lost sibling and unravel the mysteries of the game world named Teyvat. Players can explore the world at their own pace and can run, jump, climb, fly and even swim as their character. Players can battle monsters in solo or co-operatively with friends using a variety of characters each offering a different playstyle for players to master.
The game is available on PS4/PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Android, iOS and PC.
Also part of the update is the in-game festival Lantern Rite featuring a plethora of free rewards, including in-game currency like Primogems × 1,600, Intertwined Fates × 10 (via daily login event), a new glider named Wings of Fate’s Course Intertwined (via in-game mails), a four-star Liyue character selector (via Lantern Rite event), and an Xiangling outfit (via Festive Fever in the event). The in-game festival will feature a new story and new mini-games.
The update continues the story with Act V of Natlan Archon Quest, in which the new character Mavuika and the Traveler will face the Abyss in a climatic battle. The Pyro element will be unlocked for the Traveler.
The new playable character Mavuika can use her motorbike for exploration and combat whereas other characters such as Citali aka “Granny Itztli,” offers shields and constant cryo damage, and Lan Yan helps the player with an adaptive elemental shield.
The update will bring two new outfits including Hu Tao – Cherries Snow-Laden with a limited-time discount and the aforementioned Xiangling – “New Year’s Cheer” (free reward from Lantern Rite).
Players will get to fight two new bosses including the Wayward Hermetic Spiritspeaker and the new weekly boss the Lord of Eroded Primal Fire. The update has made the rhythm game permanent and adds characters like Kazuha and Ganyu to the Envisaged Echoes challenges.
Version 5.3 brings new optimisations like reduction of boss respawn time to five seconds without the need to teleport away and has increased the artifact inventory limit to 2,100. The optimisations also enhance the game’s training guide.
In addition, HoYoFair 2025’s Genshin Impact Fan Art Special Program, Dimensional Detective Chronicles will air on 28 December at 8 pm on the game’s official YouTube, X, and TikTok. This program will feature the latest episodes of well-known series such as If Genshin Had a Cyberpunk Anime: Progenitor by animator Dillongoo and Genshin with Guns fan animations by 2D and 3D animator No_Tables. Additionally, a lightweight text-based adventure game, echoing the detective theme, will be available to play ahead of the program, starting at 12 pm on 25 December.
