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Genshin Impact's latest Sumeru teaser showcases forest, desert environments

The latest teaser for Sumeru, the new region coming in Genshin Impact version 3.0, gives players a glimpse into the region's breathtaking rainforest and desert biomes. (Screenshots courtesy of HoYoverse)
The latest teaser for Sumeru, the new region coming in Genshin Impact version 3.0, gives players a glimpse into the region's breathtaking rainforest and desert biomes. (Screenshots courtesy of HoYoverse)

Genshin Impact developer HoYoverse has released another teaser for Sumeru, the new region coming in version 3.0, this time showcasing the beautiful terrain and environment of the game's upcoming fourth region.

The latest teaser confirms that Sumeru has more to offer than just the lush rainforests seen in the earlier trailers. Beyond the seas of green lies a sprawling desert littered with oases and ruins.

Looking at what the developers have revealed so far, it's going to be another unforgettable experience to explore Sumeru once it has been released.

We really have to commend Genshin Impact's Environment Art and Design team, both of Sumeru's rainforest and desert biomes look breathtaking and making these two contrasting landscapes blend together into one region is an amazing feat.

Jax Huang, the Environment Artist featured in the teaser, let us in on how they conceptualized and designed Sumeru's terrain.

He noted that the design process for Sumeru paid attention to “local characteristics, core themes, and use of fantasy.”

This design philosophy reflects how the map looks more tropical compared to the previous three regions: Mondstadt, Liyue, and Inazuma.

Knowing that the first part of Sumeru we will get to see is the rainforest biome, its smoother rock formations, vivid greenness, and towering, ancient trees give off that humid, tropical feel the devs were aiming for.

Even the flora that can be found in Sumeru was inspired from real-life tropical plants.

Watching the rainforests of Sumeru unfold, it’s as if we’ve been transported to some remote rainforest on the other side of the globe.

For me, it's very reminiscent of the mystical forests where the elves lived in the classic book series Lord of The Rings.

The lush rainforests of Sumeru may remind you of the familiar woodlands of Mondstadt or Liyue, but there's much more than meets the eye with this new sea of green. (Screenshot courtesy of HoYoverse)
The lush rainforests of Sumeru may remind you of the familiar woodlands of Mondstadt or Liyue, but there's much more than meets the eye with this new sea of green. (Screenshot courtesy of HoYoverse)

The desert terrain of Sumeru is the stark opposite. Just seeing the stills from the trailer already makes you feel the arid heat in the air against the sepia backdrop of endless sand dunes and eroded rock formations.

The oases are splotches of green against what seemed to be a lifeless desert.

Water is scarce, but historical monuments, sacred ruins, and hidden treasures that could make any Sumeru scholar cry with joy are just waiting to be found by us Travelers.

Beyond the rainforests of Sumeru lies a sprawling, arid desert. What secrets are hidden by these shifting sands? (Screenshot courtesy of HoYoverse)
Beyond the rainforests of Sumeru lies a sprawling, arid desert. What secrets are hidden by these shifting sands? (Screenshot courtesy of HoYoverse)

Watching the trailer, you can also see how much of Sumeru's desert biome is inspired by Ancient Egypt.

Keen-eyed Travelers will have no doubt seen the towering statues of what seemed to be a half-man, half-animal beings. We can surmise that these were inspired by Egyptian gods.

One set of statues stationed in the entrance of a ruin resemble the eagle-headed Horus, who ruled over the sky. Deeper below are statues that resemble the jackal-headed Anubis, the judge of hearts and one of the Egyptian lords of the underworld.

The ancient ruins scattered across Sumeru's deserts are guarded by statues that resemble the gods of Ancient Egypt like Horus and Anubis. (Screenshot courtesy of HoYoverse)
The ancient ruins scattered across Sumeru's deserts are guarded by statues that resemble the gods of Ancient Egypt like Horus and Anubis. (Screenshot courtesy of HoYoverse)

Sumeru seems to be inspired by multiple historical cultures, including ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and more.

It's exciting to see what the developers will do with such real-life inspirations in their design for a fantastical place as such Sumeru.

Huang said that the team “have been experimenting with design boundaries".

"We didn’t want to come up with a very realistic design. (But) we didn’t want to deviate too wildly either,” he added.

“To achieve a good balance between exoticism, fantasy, and realism, the main vision of each area is also very important. The world of Sumeru itself provides excellent support for visual diversity, as it has a wide variety of fantastical elements.”

First steps into Sumeru

As we begin our journey into Sumeru and enter the city built inside a giant tree, we’ll be met with adorable little spirits that supposedly only little children can see.

Maizi, another environment artist featured in the teaser video, said that these little spirits will help the Traveler unlock hidden areas in the map after helping them solve little crises that they will encounter.

There's also a forest where it rains all year round, a forest withered away without any known reason, and special ecological locations with gigantic, luminous mushrooms (Sheeshroom!)

There will also be two gargantuan robots that resemble Ruin Guards lying between the cliffs of Sumeru's forest and desert biomes.

And behind these fantastical locations, a great threat looms… and it seems like it has something to do with a mysterious ruin floating upside down in the desert of Sumeru, where tornadoes rip through the sky.

A mysterious ruin lies deep within the deserts of Sumeru. What treasures and dangers will the Traveler find within? (Screenshot courtesy of HoYoverse)
A mysterious ruin lies deep within the deserts of Sumeru. What treasures and dangers will the Traveler find within? (Screenshot courtesy of HoYoverse)

We’re very, very excited to explore Sumeru and see what this new land has to offer.

Genshin Impact is currently in version 2.8, but fans are already looking forward to the release of a new region, Sumeru, and a new element, Dendro, in version 3.0.

HoYoverse has already released a teaser for Dendro and the elemental reactions it will bring to the game's element system. Aside from a new element, Sumeru will surely bring new landscapes, characters, perils, and adventures to the Traveler.

Version 2.8 is expected to run until 21 August, which means that Genshin Impact version 3.0 should come out on 22 August.

Yan Ku is a full-time dog parent, part-time (gacha) gamer, and part-time writer.

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