The upcoming Genshin Impact version 2.6 update will revisit ideas from the past while tying new ones together. Most notably, fans will finally meet the princely Hydro sword user, Ayato, and explore a mysterious new area called the Chasm. The recently aired Genshin Impact 2.6 livestream and advice from leakers have fleshed out what we should expect in the latest update. Or, should I say “Zephyr of the Violet Garden”? Here’s everything you need to know about the release date, characters, and potential content coming in Genshin Impact version 2.6.

When is the Genshin Impact version 2.6 update release date?

As expected, the Genshin Impact 2.6 update is due on March 30, 2022. Genshin Impact consistently receives a major update every six weeks on Wednesdays. Maintenance typically starts around 6 p.m. Eastern and ends sometime around 11 p.m. Like past updates, maintenance will likely take between 4 to 5 hours. Players can expect 300 Primogems after the update is live, which they have 30 days to claim.

What are the Genshin Impact version 2.6 character banners?

Kamisato Ayato, the brother of the 5-star character Kamisato Ayaka, will appear as a featured 5-star in the first half of the 2.6 update. Developer HoYoverse officially revealed Ayato before the 2.5 livestream, complete with a fact sheet and face reveal. He’s a Hydro sword user who reluctantly handles politics as the Head of the Kamisato Clan.

It’s unclear which 4-star characters will join Ayato on his banner. Leakers suggested that Shinkanoin Heizou, an Inazuman detective that has yet to appear in the story, might be one of the featured 4-stars. However, that’s unlikely at this point because HoYoverse hasn’t revealed any official information about Heizou or when he’s coming to the game.

Venti, our fan-favorite bard, will run alongside Ayato in his second rerun. Ayaka reruns after her brother in the second half of the update. Though fans expected another rerun alongside Ayaka, there wasn’t one confirmed during the official livestream.

What are the Genshin Impact version 2.6 quests?

A new Archon Quest involving the Chasm and the return of Dainsleif appears in the Genshin 2.6 update. The Traveler ventures into the Chasm to put a stop to some monstrous thing hiding beneath the rocky exterior. The Genshin 2.6 livestream delved deeper with a trailer that suggested the Chasm might contain a dark, hidden secret related to the Abyss Order.

In addition to the new Archon Quest, Ayato will have his own story quest. It’s unclear what point you have to pass in the story to unlock it.

What is the Chasm in Genshin Impact version 2.6?

During the 2.5 update broadcast, Genshin voice actors confirmed that the Chasm would open for exploration in a future update. It’s a new location similar in setup to Enkanomiya with an entrance near the Lisha area in Liyue. Also, it’s the place where Morax fought Azhdaha during the Archon War. You can technically already see the Chasm in the game, but players can’t yet enter.

The Genshin 2.6 trailer speaks about Hilichurls venturing in, never to be seen again. The Traveler and Paimon can be seen observing a glowing pit, leaking with energy, and then a floating, upside-down city. It seems like there’s an entire world under there, though how large it’ll be is unclear.

Some leakers have already uploaded exploration videos of the new location without any monsters. In one video where a player tours the Chasm with Ayato, it resembles a dark ruin similar to Enkanomiya. However, there are visible “broken” items and abandoned carts and pulleys like one would expect to see in an abandoned mine.

What are the new Genshin Impact version 2.6 artifacts?

The Genshin 2.6 livestream confirmed two artifact sets that could be farmed out of a domain in the Chasm. Both are Attack-based like Gladiator’s Finale and Shimenawa’s Reminiscence, though all of them have different effects as a four-piece set.

Vermillion Hereafter increases the character’s attack after an Elemental Burst for 8 seconds and adds an attack boost when their HP decreases. Meanwhile, Echoes of an Offering bases itself around a character’s normal attacks, giving them a 36% chance to trigger a 70% attack boost every few seconds. These perks only activate when equipping a four-piece set, though. So players will need to experiment to figure out if it’s worth replacing most of their current artifacts.

What is the new Genshin Impact version 2.6 boss?

Genshin voice actors also introduced a new monster called the Ruin Serpent during the 2.5 livestream. It appeared again during the 2.6 livestream, but without any significant information. The Ruin Serpent looks related to similarly named monsters like Ruin Guards and is advertised as a “digging machine of sorts.” It seems like it’ll be set up similarly to the Bathysmal Vishap herd and similar bosses, though nothing about its drops or background has been revealed.

What are the Genshin Impact version 2.6 events?

The Irodori Festival stands out as the main event with a crossover between characters from Mondstadt, Liyue, and Inazuma. It’s an international cultural festival meant to celebrate five ancient poets from Inazuma, though not many details on the lore have been revealed. Featured characters include Albedo, Kaedehara Kazuha, Kamisato Ayaka, Kamisato Ayato, Klee, Kujou Sara, Venti, Xingqiu, and Yae Miko. Xingqiu is the character reward for the event.

Back when only leaks were available, Genshin Intel quote-tweeted Celestia’s post to add that all the playable Inazuman characters should be present, too. They later followed up with more details on the event like that it would include a story quest and four mini-games. The Genshin Impact 2.6 livestream confirmed this, revealing a photo-taking game, the return of tower defense game Theater Mechanicus, a sword-fighting game, and ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) game.

The international theme follows in the later events. Artists and merchants from Inazuma, Sumeru, and Fontaine ask the Traveler to help complete their various tasks.

As more information is made available about Version 2.6, we’ll update this article accordingly.