Genshin Impact 5.4 update is set to launch on February 12, 2025, ahead of the Natlan Archon Quests. This update will introduce the highly anticipated Anemo character, Yumemizuki Mizuki, along with exciting in-game events, making it one of the most awaited updates in recent months.

Genshin Impact 5.4 Global Release Date & Timing

Based on previous patch schedules, Genshin Impact 5.4 is expected to go live between February 12 and 11 AM, 2025 (UTC +8). Mizuki will debut with her signature weapon, and in-game events will offer Primogems and other rewards. However, the exact release time will differ by region, with the following times set for major global locations:

Pre-Update Preparations & Server Maintenance 

HoYoverse will begin server maintenance for the scheduled update on February 12, 2025, at 6 AM (UTC +8). The maintenance is expected to last about 5 hours, meaning players won’t be able to access the game during that time.

Genshin Impact 5.4 is a major update that will bring exciting new content, including the debut of Mizuki and fresh in-game events, expanding the story for players worldwide. As the update approaches, fans can look forward to an exciting new chapter in Teyvat starting February 12.

>>> Read more: Wriothesley Rumored to Make Long-Awaited Return in Genshin Impact Version 5.4

With a roster boasting over 90 playable characters, Genshin Impact faces an uphill battle in keeping its Event Banner schedule balanced and equitable. Even if the game sticks to releasing one new 5-Star character per update, the math still doesn’t favor fans. There are 43 limited 5-Stars vying for their well-earned yearly rerun, yet only 27 slots available per year. The result? A scheduling dilemma that’s impossible to resolve without leaving some fan favorites on the bench.

The introduction of the Chronicled Banner in Genshin Impact was the developers' way of tackling the rerun problem, but many fans view it as little more than a band-aid solution. Case in point: Shenhe endured a grueling wait of over 600 days before her rerun was finally locked in for Version 5.3. Unless the devs are prepared to take the plunge into Triple Banners, it seems players will have to brace themselves for increasingly extended gaps between character reruns.

Wriothesley Banner Rerun in Genshin Impact 5.4

One standout casualty of Genshin Impact's flawed banner rotation is Wriothesley, the Cryo Catalyst who made his debut in Version 4.1 but has been missing from the Event Banners ever since. As a modern Cryo hypercarry, Wriothesley shines in Burnmelt teams capable of dishing out impressive damage. Yet, despite his potential, players haven’t had the chance to pull for him since November 8, 2023. According to insider Flying Flame, that dry spell will finally end in Version 5.4, where Wriothesley is set to make his long-awaited return to the Event Banners.

It’s worth mentioning that Flying Flame’s track record regarding Natlan-related leaks has been hit or miss. While they correctly predicted the arrival of a new Chronicled Banner in Version 5.3, themed around the Lantern Rite, several of their other claims have proven unreliable. With that in mind, Genshin Impact players should approach this rumor with a healthy dose of skepticism. That said, the latest Spiral Abyss buff seems tailor-made for Wriothesley’s playstyle, lending a bit of credibility to the speculation surrounding his potential rerun.

Genshin Impact 5.4 is shaping up to be a big one, with the anticipated debut of Mizuki, who might become Inazuma’s first Standard Banner character. If the rumors hold true, Mizuki and Wriothesley could take one half of the Event Banners, while the other half is expected to feature either Furina or Venti. This speculation aligns with the trend of Archon characters receiving their reruns in sequence, and Furina and Venti are the last remaining Archons yet to do so. Mark your calendars—Version 5.4 is slated to drop on February 12, 2025.

>>> Read also: Genshin Impact Leak Reveals New Zones, Characters & Possible Upcoming War

While Genshin Impact has brought significant quality-of-life improvements to Natlan, its treatment of male characters in 2024 has been disappointing. Kinich is the only 5-Star male character released this year, and with no additional male characters expected from Natlan after Ifa, it's likely that 2025 will follow the same trend.

From a gameplay perspective, male characters in Genshin Impact are typically built as hypercarries instead of support units. While Ororon was added in Version 5.2 as a 4-Star Electro Support, the most recent male support character before him was Baizhu, a 5-Star Dendro Support, introduced in Version 3.6. This lack of diversity in roles, along with a scarcity of 5-Star male characters, has sparked frustration among the Genshin Impact community.

With Kinich and Ororon being the only male characters introduced in Natlan so far, many Genshin Impact players were hopeful that Ifa would help change this. However, as shared by Full Stop Chan through hxg_diluc, Ifa will be a 4-Star character from the Flower-Feather Clan. His weapon and element remain a mystery, but given his background as a Saurian veterinarian, he is likely to serve as a Support character. Ifa's potential as a playable character was also hinted at through the voice lines of the upcoming weekly boss in Genshin Impact, which include unique lines for both Ifa and Varesa.

Upcoming Characters in Genshin Impact 5.4 & 5.5

• Ayano
• Citlali
• Iansan
• Ifa
• Lan Yan
• Mavuika
• Varesa

With Ayano set to debut in Version 5.4 as a new Genshin Impact character from Inazuma, there are several possibilities to consider for the other three units. Iansan and Varesa both belong to the Collective of Plenty, but unlike Ifa, their rarities have not been confirmed. While it's commonly assumed that Iansan will be a 5-Star character, the releases of Ororon and Citlali have shown that being one of the six Heroes of Natlan doesn’t necessarily determine a character’s rarity.

If the Collective of Plenty zone is introduced in Version 5.5, it’s expected that Genshin Impact will have to debut either Iansan or Varesa to introduce the new exploration ability. Since Ifa is a 4-Star character, it’s very likely that he will be released alongside whichever character is featured as the 5-Star in Version 5.5. Players will learn more in the upcoming months, with Version 5.5 set to launch on March 26, 2025.

>>> Read more: Genshin Impact Rewards Players with Free Primogems for Excellence Award

While Genshin Impact is focusing on Natlan characters for the near future, that doesn’t mean we won’t see characters from other regions. The Fontaine update, for example, brought Xianyun, Gaming, Chiori, and Sethos into the playable roster, even though none of them are from Fontaine. So, there’s still room for surprises!

With Mavuika and Citlali set to launch in Version 5.3, Natlan will have at least one character for each element by January 2025. While Inazuma has been getting a new character every year since its release, there’s also the upcoming Lantern Rite to think about. Leaks suggest that Madame Ping could become playable during the Natlan era, and there are rumors that the Lantern Rite event will introduce a new 4-star character from Liyue as well. Exciting times ahead!

The latest scoop comes from Tieba, with support from hxg_diluc, a trusted source in the Genshin Impact community. While it doesn’t confirm the rarity or element of the new character, the leak suggests that the upcoming addition will be from Inazuma and is set to drop in Version 5.4. Previous rumors hinted at a Pyro or Electro Catalyst debut after the Lantern Rite in 2025, but it’s unlikely these two rumors are connected. As always, keep in mind that leaks should be taken with caution, as Genshin Impact has been known to shift its character release plans unexpectedly.

New Inazuma Character in Genshin Impact 5.4

An Inazuma character dropping in Version 5.4 makes sense, especially since both Kirara and Chiori in Genshin Impact were released only after their region's Archon Quests wrapped up. However, one could argue that adding another Inazuma character might delay a much-needed new face for Mondstadt, which has only received one new character since Eula in Version 1.5. While Genshin Impact fans are still hopeful for Varka's debut with a future Mondstadt map expansion, it’s likely that Liyue and Inazuma will take the spotlight for the time being.

Interestingly, Inazuma remains the only region in Genshin Impact that's locked behind story progress. While players can technically access Inazuma early through certain characters or glitches, there’s no official way to enter it. This has led to the community seeing Inazuma characters as at a major disadvantage, since players can't farm their Ascension materials without unlocking the region first. Still, as shown with Chiori and Kirara, the developers don't hesitate to release new characters from Inazuma if the concept is solid. Players will get more details after Version 5.3 drops on January 1, 2025.

>>> Read more: When is Pyro Traveler Coming to Genshin Impact?