Genshin Impact Leak Hints at New Skin and Story Quest for Hu Tao

A recent leak circulating within the Genshin Impact community suggests that Hu Tao will not only receive a new premium outfit for the upcoming Lantern Rite event but will also be the next character to get a second Story Quest. Although some fans may argue that the game doesn’t release skins as frequently as they’d like, the schedule for character outfit releases has been relatively steady. Each year, Genshin Impact typically introduces new skins during two key periods: the Lantern Rite for Liyue characters and the Summer Event for others.

As the 2025 Lantern Rite approaches, speculation about which characters will receive premium skins is growing. In Version 4.4, Shenhe and Ganyu were the last to receive such outfits, and they’ve been absent from Event Banners for over 500 days. Along with the Cryo duo, Version 4.4 also brought a new alternate outfit for Xingqiu, which was available for free for a limited time. While there’s no clear pattern to the character selection for these Lantern Rite outfits, they tend to feature popular figures from Liyue.

According to a leak from Seele Leaks via NGA, Hu Tao, a beloved character from Liyue, will be the next to get an alternate skin during the 2025 Lantern Rite. Given Hu Tao's popularity and her increasing roster of viable teammates—thanks to newer characters like Xianyun, Furina, and Chiori—a premium skin for her seems quite plausible. In addition, the leak claims that Hu Tao will also receive a second Story Quest, likely coinciding with the release of her new outfit.

Could Hu Tao’s New Skin Arrive in Version 5.3?

The Lantern Rite event in 2025 will take place during the latter half of Version 5.3. If the leak proves accurate, we could see Hu Tao’s alternate skin introduced in this update. Despite Hu Tao’s recent appearance on the Event Banners in Version 5.1, Shenhe and Ganyu’s experiences have shown that banner appearances don’t necessarily correlate with the release of alternate skins in Genshin Impact. While it's unclear whether her new outfit will follow a "blue flames" theme, such a design could complement Hu Tao’s character, especially considering her connections to Wuwang Hill.

Version 5.3 will also introduce Citlali and Mavuika, each receiving their own Story Quests, which could make adding a third Story Quest for Hu Tao seem excessive. With the finale of Natlan’s Archon Quest and a major Flagship Event centered around the Lantern Rite expected in the same update, players may have to wait until after Version 5.2’s launch on November 20, 2024, for more details about the upcoming outfits and events.