Genshin Impact 3.4 shows off Yaoyao, Lantern Rite, new events

William Davis Published 06/01/2023

Hoyoverse has revealed all of the content coming in Genshin Impact 3.4, and it includes a new Lantern Rite, several upcoming events, and the long-awaited debut of Yaoyao.

After months of anticipation, Genshin Impact fans finally know what to expect in the game’s next massive update. Hoyoverse showed off a massive batch of new stuff in a new version 3.4 trailer that dropped on January 6, 2023. In addition to the return of Lantern Rite, the update also brings a slew of temporary side content and the highly anticipated release of Yaoyao, a new dendro character that fans have been expecting for years.

Yaoyao finally coming to Genshin Impact in 3.4 update

The first major reveal was the upcoming release of Yaoyao, a young four-star spear wielder from Liyue. The trailer didn’t go into detail on her abilities, but it did show off her plush pal Yuegui.

The toy rabbit appears to be her elemental skill and is meant to help celebrate the Chinese new year, which falls to the rabbit on the zodiac. Her cinematic burst voice line also indicates that she will be some type of healer, making her the game’s first dendro medic.

Yaoyao may not seem familiar to newer Genshin Impact players, but those who have been playing the game since its release know how big of a deal this is.

Yaoyao’s appearance was leaked within the first few months of the game’s launch, but she has been entirely absent from announcements ever since. Many theorized that this was because she was to be a dendro character, but that element wasn’t in the game for the majority of its release. With the addition of both Sumeru and the dendro element in 3.0, Yaoyao will finally get her long-awaited debut in Genshin Impact 3.4.

She will likely share a banner with Alhaitham, which is another new dendro character being added in the new update. As a four-star on the same wish, players have a great opportunity to add more plant-powered units to their adventure teams.

Lantern Rite returns with new events in 3.4

The biggest addition in terms of content for Genshin Impact 3.4 will be Lantern Rite, which represents the Chinese New Year.

Just like in previous Lantern Rites, this update will bring a ton of temporary content to the game all across the nation of Liyue. The events announced for Genshin Impact 3.4 include the following new and returning side attractions:

• The Exquisite Night Chimes
• Warrior’s Spirit
• Almighty Arataki Extraordinaire and the Exhilarating Extreme Beetle Brawl 
• Second Blooming 
• Overflowing Mastery
• Fortuitous Invitation

The Exquisite Night Chimes will be the new event to celebrate Lantern Rite, with several stages and tons of opportunities to earn free Primogems. Based on the key art, the story will seem to center around Hu Tao, Yelan, and Xiao. That diverse trio will all be involved in the celebration in some way or another, but potential obstacles could lead to their paths crossing. Of course, the rest of the Liyue squad including Ningguang, Keqing, and Xiangling will probably make cameos at the very least.

Warrior’s Spirit is a new version of the in-game fighting test introduced in Inazuma. In this mode, players control the Traveler as they fight against predetermined opponents with a limited moveset. Those looking for a purer fighting experience can look forward to the Exhilarating Extreme Beetle Brawl, which is a 2D fighting game where the player controls a beetle.

Second Blooming appears to be a story quest involving Lisa, and with it comes a new alternative outfit for Monstadt’s resident witch. The Sumeran expatriate will somehow be involved in a series of arena battles with preselected teams of three, putting extra pressure on players to plan their adventure squads wisely.

Rounding out the events for Genshin Impact 3.4 are Overflowing Mastery and Fortuitous Invitation. Overflowing Mastery grants double rewards from leylines, making it a good time to stock up on Mora and XP books. Fortuitous Invitation allows players to claim a free Liyuen four-star after completing the events of the Lantern Rite, which makes it a great way to claim Yaoyao or a constellation for free.

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