Genshin Impact Update 2.8 Arriving July 13

The next update to Hoyoverse’s free-to-play action RPG is coming next week. Update 2.8 “Summer Fantasia” will see you revisiting the Golden Apple Archipelago, now filled with new areas, more stories, puzzles treasures and other activities.

The update will also come with the Summertime Oddessey seasonal event where Fischl, Xinyan, Kaedahara, Kazuha and Mona will take part. Plus, if you haven’t got Fischl yet, the four-star character can be recruited through this event.

Other events will also be live during this update, including the “Reminscent Regimen” co-op event and the”Resonating Visions” event where you collect special conches for lore bites and a new outfit for Fischl.

Update 2.8 adds a new playable character Shikanoin Heizou. The four-star character is of Ameno elemental and is a catalyst user, but his attacks are melee-based, a first for catalysts.

Shikanoin Heizou is the only new character added with the update. But you do get a rerun to pull for Kaedehara Kazuha and Klee, with Yomiya being available at a later date. Diluc and Fischl are getting new costumes. And Diluc, Kaedehara Kazuha and Shikanoin Heizou will also have events and stories.

Genshin Impact is free-to-play (with gacha elements) and is available on PS4, PS5 PC, as well as on iOS and Android. The game supports cross-save (transferable progress across all platforms) as well as cross-play.