With Genshin Impact 4.0’s imminent release later this year, new information about the update is revealed, either by developer HoYoverse or leaks. Version 4.0 is highly anticipated, as it is the patch that will introduce the new region of Fontaine and, with it, a roster of new characters, more main story missions (named Archon Quests), exclusive gameplay mechanics, including underwater exploration, and much more. The release of the Nation of Justice led by the Hydro Archon also marks the popular action RPG’s third year, following its initial release back in 2020.
As a live-service game, Genshin Impact constantly receives new content through smaller patches but tends to receive a larger update every year. In 2022, Version 3.0 added the region of Sumeru and Dendro as a playable Element, forever changing the gameplay meta. While Genshin Impact 4.0’s release will not bring any new Elements into play per si, there are rumors about new gameplay mechanics, as well as a series of new playable characters that are in line with Fontaine’s lore – many of which have been somewhat confirmed by HoYoverse.
Genshin Impact 4.0’s Release Date
If there are no internal delays and the game’s usual six-week schedule between updates is taken into consideration, it is possible to predict when the next patch is arriving. Updates for the game tend to arrive on Wednesdays and, considering patch 3.8 was released on July 5, it is possible to speculate that Genshin Impact 4.0’s release date is August 16. This has yet to be officially confirmed by HoYoverse during the version livestream, which is expected to occur between August 4 and August 6, but it is the best guess at the moment.
According to 4.0 leaks, Genshin Impact will not have a Version 3.9 to bridge the gap between the current Version 3.8 and the upcoming Version 4.0.
New Characters In Genshin Impact 4.0
Many Genshin Impact 4.0 Fontaine character leaks were proven to be correct with HoYoverse’s official teaser trailer for the new region, which was shared on Genshin Impact’s official YouTube channel. The short animated video showed new scenes with Lyney and Lynette, the magician duo who were also the first confirmed Fontaine characters ever. Before they appear, however, the beginning of the video shows a character slowly sinking into the water. This character is Freminet, Lyney and Lynette’s younger brother, and an upcoming playable hero that had been heavily leaked before his official confirmation.
The same teaser trailer shows a new Genshin Impact 4.0 character called Navia. She is a Geo user who wears elegant Fontaine clothing. She may be introduced in Version 4.0 or in any future updates that continue the Fontaine story arc. The same can be said about Wriothesley and Sigewinne, whose designs were confirmed in the trailer. It is uncertain exactly how these characters will be introduced to the Traveler and how they will become allies, but they are a part of the Fontaine campaign.
Arlecchino, one of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers, was also confirmed as an important character in Genshin Impact 4.0. It is unknown if she will make her antagonistic appearance as early as Version 4.0, but she is expected to be Fontaine’s main villain – there is a chance that she will be redeemed, however, as leaks suggest that she may actually be playable in the future. Three other Fontaine characters are confirmed: Clorinde, Furina, and Neuvillette. These characters seem to play an important part in the story and are expected to become playable in the future as well.
Earlier this year, players also got to meet Charlotte, one of the new characters from Fontaine, who will likely make a reappearance in the upcoming update. This journalist for the Steambird was part of the seasonal Windblume event and was also shown in the teaser trailer. One of the new characters in Genshin Impact 4.0 that players will also meet is not exactly new, but the Hydro version of the Traveler. Hydro Traveler’s gameplay kit in Genshin Impact was leaked, indicating that they will operate as a DPS of sorts, who relies on Elemental Mastery to boost reaction power.
Character Banners In Genshin Impact 4.0
While there will likely be dozens of new characters in Fontaine, the character banners in Genshin Impact 4.0 are more limited, as HoYoverse will spread out the release of new characters for the following year. Lyney has been confirmed as a new 5-star hero, while Lynette and Freminet are the new 4-star characters to be added to banners. Although unconfirmed, many Genshin Impact 4.0 character banner leaks point to the exact heroes that will be featured in the version along with Lyney. Phase 1 of the version will feature Lyney and Yelan as the 5-star characters. Lynette is expected to be released along with her brother.
Phase 2 will feature no new 5-star characters. Instead, the second phase of character banners in Genshin Impact 4.0 will be composed of reruns for Tartaglia and Zhongli, according to the leaks. The exact 4-star characters with increased drop rates during Phase 1 and Phase 2 are still unknown. Freminet should be added as a playable character during the update, but it is uncertain if he will be featured during the first portion or as a novelty factor in the second part of the patch.
Of course, most of the information is leaked and, therefore, should be taken with a grain of salt. The character banners may be inaccurate or simply subject to change ahead of the update’s release. This means that the leaked Genshin Impact 4.0 character banners may see a change to order, with Yelan being changed with either Zhongli or Tartaglia. Lyney is expected to be released in Phase 1, as this is a new regional character accompanying the release of the region itself. This is a great way of promoting new content, so it is unlikely his release will be pushed back into Phase 2.
Fontaine In Genshin Impact 4.0
The introduction of Fontaine in Genshin Impact 4.0 will finally introduce players to the Nation of Justice. This region, which is led by the Hydro Archon, has been mentioned in the game several times – players have even met Charlotte and a few other NPCs during their adventures. There is a lot of mystery surrounding the area, but its main principle is Justice and, because of it, Fontaine has a strong judicial system overseen by Neuvillette.
Fontaine is also the land of Hydro, meaning water is a constant element throughout the region. This is so true, in fact, that HoYoverse is adding an underwater exploration mechanic, which will allow players to control their characters in designated underwater portions of the map. This may be an exclusive gameplay mechanic for Fontaine. Leaks also indicate that the region has rival factions and these are represented by Pneuma and Ousia. These alignments have been mentioned in Lyney’s leaked gameplay kit in Genshin Impact 4.0, for instance, and leaks suggest that alternating the usage of characters from different factions may result in opponent paralysis.
Fontaine’s overall art and architectural designs are heavily inspired by Belle Époque France and Industrial Revolution England. The region is well-known for both its artistic scene and its technological advancements, so these elements will be abundantly present throughout the region. More details about the Nation of Justice remain to be seen with the addition of Fontaine in Genshin Impact 4.0, which is expected to stir up the game after a few versions of less relevant content.
Source: YouTube/Genshin Impact