Genshin Impact Confirms Date and Time for Special Program 5.1

Genshin Impact has officially confirmed the details for its upcoming 5.1 Special Program event. Before the release of each game version, HoYoverse hosts a livestream to showcase the upcoming content, including new regions, characters, weapons, and storylines, giving Travelers a sneak peek at what's to come.

Recent announcements from HoYoverse confirm that update 5.1 will introduce a new five-star character, Xilonen, a Geo user. Since she will be the only new five-star unit arriving in this update, players can expect reruns of three limited-time characters during this patch.

Genshin Impact's official Twitter page has revealed more about the 5.1 livestream event. According to their latest announcement, the Special Program for Version 5.1 will air on September 27 at 08:00 AM (UTC-4).

The official artwork for this event revealed that the upcoming version is titled "The Rainbow Destined to Burn." Following the usual update schedule, players can expect Genshin Impact update 5.1 to be released around October 9. Leaks indicate that this update will allow players to explore a new part of the Natlan region.

Genshin Impact 5.1 Livestream: Date and What to Expect

Recent beta images suggest that the new area in Natlan will have a much darker atmosphere, with evidence pointing to the Pyro nation being tainted by the Abyss. Along with this, leaks have provided further details on the new five-star Geo character, Xilonen. She’s said to be a versatile support or sub-DPS who can fit into a variety of team compositions, a rare trait among Geo characters. Many players have compared her utility to that of Kazuha, the wandering Ronin from Inazuma.

Xilonen also has healing abilities, though her healing output isn’t particularly high. For optimal team setups, players may want to include a secondary healer alongside her. Given that Xilonen is the only new character in this update, she is expected to feature in the first banner cycle of version 5.1. As for the rerun banners, leaks suggest that three fan-favorite characters will return: Chiori, Hu Tao, and Nahida.

This suggests that HoYoverse may continue its pattern of releasing one Genshin Impact Archon per update following the arrival of a major region. The current banner cycle includes the Inazuma Archon, Raiden Shogun, paired with the newly introduced Dendro character, Kinich. Chiori, another Geo character, is well-regarded for her off-field performance, and many fans are eager to see if she will synergize well with Xilonen, making them a powerful duo for players to add to their teams.