HoYoverse have released a new dev diary discussing Sumeru, the next region being added to Genshin Impact.

Sumeru, which will be added in the upcoming 3.0 update in a few months, will introduce the fourth major region and story arc to the popular gacha action-RPG. Much like Monstadt, Liyue, and Inazuma, Sumeru will draw inspiration from various historical regions and cultures, albeit with a fantasy twist. Loosely based on Africa and the Middle East, Sumeru will be divided into a sprawling, sun-scorched desert, and a dense tropical rainforest full of exotic flora and fauna.

Sumeru is the domain of the Dendro Archon, and will finally see the full introduction of the Dendro element to the game. Genshin Impact‘s 7th element has been limited to a handful of enemies and attacks scattered throughout the game, but once Travelers reach the Dendro Archon’s Statues of Seven, they will finally be able to unlock this new element for the game’s main character. Sumeru’s release will also herald the release of a huge cast of new characters from the region, including characters that use the Dendro element.

You can find a new dev diary discussing the design of Sumeru’s environments below.

Genshin Impact is available and free-to-play on Windows PC (via the Epic Games Store and official website), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, and coming soon to Nintendo Switch. In case you missed it, you can find our Genshin Impact review here (we recommend it!).