HoYoverse announced Genshin Impact update 2.6 launches in March 2022, news confirmed in their latest special program livestream.

While “Zephyr of the Violet Garden” Genshin Impact update 2.6 launches on March 30th, this will come after the usual round of scheduled maintenance and server downtime.

You can find the trailer and livestream below.

Update 2.6 introduces The Chasm, a vast abandoned underground mine in Liyue that has been teased for many months now. The Chasm will be the next area added to the game, and will include lots of new places to explore, new quests, new enemies, and the next part of Genshin Impact‘s main storyline as players team up with Dainsleif once again to investigate the Abyss Order’s latest scheme. The Chasm will also contain a new Domain with two new sets of artifacts: Echoes of an Offering and Vermillion Hereafter.

All Genshin Impact updates add at least one new character, and in 2.6’s case it’s the highly anticipated Kamisato Ayato. The head of the Kamisato Clan and Commissioner of the Yashiro Commision in Inazuma, Ayato has been referenced numerous times within Genshin Impact, and was finally teased as coming soon a few months back when his artwork was officially revealed on social media.

Kamisato Ayato will be a Hydro sword-wielding 5-star character and will be the highlight of the Azure Excursion limited time banner when the update launches. As with most new characters, Kamisato Ayato will also get a story quest that introduces him in this update.

Update 2.6 will include two rerun banners as well. Venti’s Ballad in Goblets banner will return alongside Ayato’s banner. The second phase of 2.6 will see the return of Kamisato Ayaka in The Heron’s Court banner, giving players another chance to pull for Ayato’s extremely popular little sister.

This update will see the release of a new 5-star weapon as well, the Haran Geppaku Futsu. This new weapon will be the subject of 2.6’s first Epitome Invocation banner, and is Ayato’s signature sword.

The main limited time event of 2.6 is the Magnificent Irodori Festival, Inazuma’s equivalent to Lantern Rite and Windblume. As with the other annual festivals, various fan-favorite characters from throughout Teyvat will make their way to Inazuma to participate in the festivities. Players will be able to hang out with characters in various story quests and participate in a wide range of minigames and activities, including the return of the Theatre Mechanicus tower defense event.

Other events in the festival include a photography event, a dueling challenge where elemental skills are replaced with parry mechanics, and a gardening event where players create beautifully decorated potted plants.

Seeing as how the Irodori Festival is focused on poetry, it’s only natural that Xingqiu would come to participate. He will play a part in the festival’s overarching narrative, and if you do all the activities, you will have a chance to recruit him for free.

The Magnificent Irodori Festival isn’t the only limited time event in 2.6. Outside the Canvas, Inside the Lens is a new photography event where players will travel around Teyvat taking photos. Spices From the West is a new cooking event minigame where players mix spices to create dishes to serve their Serenitea Pot companions. Finally, Vibro-Crystal Research is a combat challenge where players create buffs by matching crystals and test out their combos in arenas against various types of enemies.

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 review here (we recommend it!)