Genshin Impact version 3.1: Cyno, Nilou, and Candace, new bosses and region in Sumeru

Genshin Impact players have a lot to look forward to in the game's next version, as developer HoYoverse unveiled a ton of new characters, events, and other content in the version 3.1 preview livestream, which aired on Friday (16 September).

Genshin Impact version 3.1, titled 'King Deshret and The Three Mages', will be released on 28 September, introduce the mysterious desert area of Sumeru.

It will continue the region's Archon Quest storyline with chapters III and IV. The game will also be celebrating its second-year anniversary alongside the release of the new version.

In addition, players will also be returning to Mondstadt in the second half of version 3.1 to celebrate the wine-loving Anemo Archon's favourite festival: Weinlesfest!

But before we get into all the new and exciting things to look forward to, we've listed down the preview livestream codes for you. Act fast and redeem them before they expire!

• 3B6RYY7AHX9D - 100 Primogems, 5 Mystic Enhancement Ore

• JT78YH7SGWRZ - 100 Primogems, 5 Hero’s Wit

• 2BP9HY6BYFR5 - 100 Primogems, 50,000 Mora

Candace, Cyno, Nilou make debuts, Venti and Albedo return

After being drip-marketed before the arrival of version 3.0, Cyno, Candace, and Nilou will finally make their in-game debuts in version 3.1.

Cyno and Candace will be deeply connected to the story of Sumeru's desert-folk and their fallen god King Deshret, also known as the Scarlet King.

Meawhile, Nilou will make her way to the game after being one of the main characters in version 3.0's storyline.

Cyno

Cyno has been a long-awaited character ever since he was featured in the Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview: Travail and appeared in the Genshin Impact prelude manga.

He will soon join the game as a 5-star Electro polearm character with a kit built for being a strong main DPS.

Aside from being classmates with the Knights of Favonius librarian Lisa during their days in the Sumeru Akademiya, Cyno was also the one to save Collei from the Archon Residue curse inflicted on her by Il Dotorre and Barabas.

Cyno is currently the General Mahamatra of the Sumeru Akademiya, acting as the overseer of their research and activities while also punishing those caught committing academic offences and other injustices.

He also has a knack for cracking bad jokes.

Candace

Candace is a 4-star Hydro polearm characters who is the sworn protector of Aaru Village, the largest settlement in Sumeru's desert and home to desert-folk and exiled Akademiya scholars alike.

She is the half-blooded descendant of King Deshret and is a skilled warrior sworn to protect her home.

Candace's skill is similar to Beidou and Yun Jin’s, acting as a charged attack that gets fully charged when an enemy hits her while she's charging up.

Her burst infuses your active character’s weapons with Hydro, similar to Chongyun’s skill or Bennett's burst when he's C6.

Nilou

Players were entranced by Nilou during her introduction in version 3.0's Archon Quest.

She is a graceful dancer who is devoted to Lesser Lord Kusanali, teaming up with Dunyarzad to celebrate the Dendro Archon’s birthday in the Sabseruz Festival.

But while she's a practitioner of dance, theatre, and the arts, Nilou is also a formidable fighter in-game. She is a 5-star Hydro sword character whose grace and beauty can be readily seen in her dance-like attack animations.

Cyno is slated to debut with Venti’s fourth rerun in the first half of version 3.1. Candace also joins the game's roster of 4-stars during this event banner.

Nilou, on the other hand, will have her debut alongside Albedo’s third rerun on the second half of version 3.1.

Desert area unlocked, new bosses to fight

The deserts of Sumeru are a far cry from the lush greenery of the forests we saw in version 3.0.

Dry, arid, and dangerously beautiful, this sea of sand hides many ruins related to the deceased Scarlet King, whose fanatical followers posed a threat to the Traveler and Alhaitham during the version 3.0 Archon Quest.

The mystery surrounding the Scarlet King's return will be further explored in the upcoming 3.1 Archon Quest, and it’s up to us to find out the truth about his demise and apparent resurrection.

Aaru Village will also be made available to players. The village is the great stronghold of the desert-folk and a place of refuge for various exiled Akademiya scholars.

As such, the village is a hub of information that isn’t widely available in Sumeru City.

New boss enemies will also be introduced, most likely as the source of ascension materials for Candace, Cyno, and Nilou.

The Algorithm of Semi-Intransient Matrix of Overseer Network

This mechanical construct is the leader of the unknown machines protecting the mausoleum of King Deshret.

It has the terrifying ability to turn invisible during combat, so players should take caution when fighting this new enemy.

Aeonblight Drake

Part of the ruin series, this new boss enemy is situated in the rainforest and is a beefed-up version of the Ruindrake enemies introduced in version 3.0.

Archon Quest chapter III and IV: Il Dottore enters the scene, Scaramouche returns

The mystery continues!

With chapters III and IV dropping with version 3.1, we’re finally going to find out who exactly is experimenting on the Akasha Terminal to harvest the dreams of the people of Sumeru.

During the trailer, we’re introduced to the Fatui Harbinger Il Dotorre, who we can surmise is the one behind the mind-bending experiments the citizens of Sumeru are being put under.

The Scarlet King, King Deshret, also plays a major role in the story as his “resurrection” is imminent.

From what we can gather from the trailer, a conflict between the Sumeru Akademiya and the desert-folk is coming to a head, much like how the Inazuma storyline saw a civil war between the Shogunate and Watatsumi Island.

The trailer also dropped a harrowing scene: Katheryne being speared by members of the Eremite faction The Corps of Thirty as Scaramouche laughs. Yes, you read that right, Scaramouche is back.

Now donning insurmountable power by wielding Raiden Ei’s Gnosis, the Sixth of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers is housed in what appears to be his mecha.

Just what he plans to do with it is a mystery, though we can guess he'll wreak some havoc with it.

Scaramouche ends the trailer for Sumeru’s Desert storyline with the quote “Your era is coming to an end”. Is it finally time for a Raiden Ei versus Scaramouche showdown?

Genius Invokation TCG: The Game within The Game

Genius Invokation TCG, the sensational trading card game taking Sumeru by storm, will soon be available to players as a permanent game mode!

The game mode is planned to be released in version 3.3, featuring both PVE and PVP gameplay, with the prior netting rewards. Genius Invokation TCG's cards feature both playable characters and NPCs, with cards obtainable through gameplay.

We heard Cyno is a big fan of Genius Invokation TCG, so let's hope we can challenge him to a du-du-du-du-duel in-game soon!

Genshin Impact celebrates 2nd anniversary on 28 September

With Genshin Impact celebrating its second-year anniversary on 28 September, the same day 3.1 will be released, players can expect celebratory gifts in the form of a seven-day log-in event that gives 10 Intertwined Fates as well as rewards through the in-game mail that contain Primogems, new devices, and much more!

The Genesis Crystal top-up packs will also be reset, so players can enjoy double the crystals when purchasing from the store.

This is great news for whales and players who don't mind digging into their wallets to get the characters they want.

Weinlesfest in Mondstadt: Razor’s Origin Explored

Mondstadt’s Windblume may be missed, but there's plenty of other festivals for Venti to get all the wine he wants.

Mondstadt's Weinlesfest caters to this alcoholic Archon by celebrating wine and the art of wine-making, the choice drink of the City of Freedom.

The second half of the trailer also introduces Mika, the surveyor of the Reconnaissance Party, who has a letter to read to the Knights of Favonius from Grand Master Varka. He is expected to be a future playable character.

With the celebrations well underway, players will reunite with old friends, like Bennett and Klee, to unearth Razor’s hidden past: his parents and origin, known only by Varka, Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius.

Events on Events on Events!

There will be tons of new events coming in version 3.1 that will surely keep players glued to their devices. These events include:

• Of Ballads and Brews - Mondstadt’s Adventurer’s Guild has commissioned you just in time for Mondstadt’s Harvest Season for Weinlefest. Fight mobs, manage your own store, and complete puzzles for Primogems, Mora, and more! A new event-only weapon called Missive Windspear, as well as its enhancement material, can also be availed through this event.

• Hyakunin Ikki - the fan-favourite no-holds-barred fighting game is back! Fight mobs with chosen characters and buffs, collect fervor, and get rewards such as Primogems, enhancement materials, and more!

• Wind Chaser - Explore a peculiar domain and fight strange enemies with an adventurer named Honglan to collect plentiful rewards.

• Star-Seeker’s Sojourn - an adventuring event for a player to relax and get rewards.

Free Collei on floor 4, Chamber 3 of Spiral Abyss

New players who have yet to try out Spiral Abyss will get 4-star Dendro bow character Collei for free upon clearing floor 4, chamber 3. She pairs with 4-star Pyro polearm character Xiangling, who is also free once clearing Floor 3, Chamber 3.

Genshin Impact is getting its own anime!

In the biggest surprise of the version 3.1 preview livestream, HoYoverse revealed that they have partnered with Japanese animation studio ufotable for a long-term animated series project!

Ufotable is the studio behind Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, so we can expect some beautifully-animated fight scenes in the Genshin Impact anime. I mean, just check out the concept trailer, even the animation for the environment is jaw-dropping.

Genshin Impact is currently in version 3.0, which will run until 28 September and features the release of Sumeru, Dendro, new characters, and a ton of other content.

Genshin Impact versions 3.0, 3.1, and 3.2 will have shortened run times of five weeks instead of the usual six weeks, likely to catch up to the game's original release schedule after the release of version 2.7 was delayed back in April

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

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