Key Takeaways
- Genshin Impact’s may hold the Lantern Rite in Version 5.4, a change from past events.
- Typically, the Lantern Rite is featured during the fifth content update of each region, with this leak implying that one or more patch cycles will be shortened.
- Version 5.4 will also reportedly see the release of the 5-star Polearm user Madame Ping and a new 4-star Catalyst character.
According to a recent leak, Genshin Impact may be releasing both of its Lantern Rite characters in Version 5.4, implying that the length of an upcoming update will be shortened. The Lantern Rite has always had a special place in Genshin Impact, as it represents Teyvat’s take on the Lunar New Year. Traditionally, the Lantern Rite has been featured during the fifth content update of every region, allowing players to select a free 4-Star character from Liyue.
The latest Lantern Rite characters are Gaming and Xianyun in Genshin Impact, introduced in Version 4.4. Both have been positively received by the Genshin Impact community, with the latter creating new Plunge Attack teams for several characters. From a gameplay perspective, Version 4.4 may be a tough act to follow, but all rumors point towards Madame Ping being the 5-Star character for the upcoming Lantern Rite.
According to Iris Leaks, not only will the Lantern Rite take place in Version 5.4, but it will also see the debut of Madame Ping and a 4-Star Catalyst character from Liyue. Ping in Genshin Impact will allegedly use Lanya as her name, and will be a 5-Star Hydro Polearm with an ability kit that focuses on Plunge Attacks. Both Lantern Rite characters will use the Medium Female model, and Ping is expected to resemble her appearance from the Version 3.4 cinematic.
Genshin Impact Could Be Adding Two Liyue Characters in Version 5.4
The information provided by Iris Leaks should be taken with a grain of salt, as the possibility of Version 5.4 featuring the Lantern Rite would require some major concessions, both from the developers and the community. Assuming the length of each patch remains unchanged, the Lantern Rite would take place during the second half of Version 5.3. However, since both Mavuika and Citlali are expected to headline the Event Banners in Genshin Impact during Version 5.3, the Lantern Rite would make the update needlessly crowded.
A reasonable solution would be to reduce the length of Version 5.2 by two weeks, in which case Version 5.4 would launch during the Lunar New Year. Given that Version 5.2 has no Archon Quests, many Genshin Impact players would agree that it is the most suitable candidate. On the other hand, Xilonen in Genshin Impact is the only new character introduced in Version 5.1, so shaving off a week from the upcoming update would also make sense. While it remains to be seen how Genshin Impact will be scheduled around the Lunar New Year, players should keep in mind that every Lantern Rite held after the first has come with a new 4-Star Liyue character.
