Genshin Impact version 5.5 update ‘Day of the Flame’s Return’ launches March 26

Varesa and Iansan join the fray.

The version 5.5 update for Genshin Impact, dubbed “Day of the Flame’s Return,” will launch on March 26, developer miHoYo announced.

Here is an overview of the update, via miHoYo:

Venturing into the southwestern reaches of Natlan, players will meet a new tribe, the Collective of Plenty, and explore the Great Volcano of Tollan, where they may begin their journey towards the sacred city. Meanwhile, Varesa, a new ally, and the long-awaited Iansan will become playable alongside a new Saurian companion, the Tatankasaurus, all to collectively enrich combat and exploration!
Long revered as a sacred mountain, the Great Volcano of Tollan now extends its fiery embrace to all players who dare to tread its depths— where traces of its rich, layered history lie hidden, where a sacred city built by the Dragonborn slumbers, slowly roused by the restless roiling of magma beneath. Players can enter the Sacred City of Tollan through a special method, and set out to unravel the mystery of the “Flamelord’s Blessing” and the enigma surrounding their Little One.
On the path to the sacred mountain, players will encounter a new tribe, the Collective of Plenty. The people there are deeply devoted to fitness and love to test their strength in friendly competitions. Nurtured by fertile volcanic soil, the tribe’s harvest is blessed with exceptionally sweet and juicy fruits. However, the volcano, though usually simmering in silence, can occasionally spring to life and spew out showers of falling rocks. When this happens, players can transform into the Tatankasaurus, a new Saurian from the Collective of Plenty, capable of smashing through large chunks of Pulverite and even briefly dashing across water or liquid Phlogiston.
New Saurians roam this scorching land, as do the Collective of Plenty’s noble warriors. Among them are Varesa and Iansan, who can sprint and perform flying leaps as they traverse Natlan’s terrain.

Varesa is a 5-star Electro Catalyst user who uses Plunging Attacks to trigger her Fiery Passion state. While in this state, she deals more Electro DMG, and can access a special Elemental Burst with reduced Energy cost. To quickly enter this state, Varesa can tap her Elemental Skill, then follow up with Normal Attacks to perform swift Plunging Attacks. Additionally, her unique talent helps restore Phlogiston after the party consumes food. As her Tribal Chronicle will reveal, Varesa is only fierce in battle, and leads a daily life almost far too laid-back.
Known as Varesa’s coach and one of the six heroes of Natlan, Iansan is a 4-star Electro Polearm wielder. She provides powerful support to the party by enhancing the on-field character’s ATK while also healing her allies. Her Elemental Burst increases the on-field character’s ATK even when she is off-field, and her ATK buff scales with the distance that her teammates move. Additionally, when her teammates trigger a Nightsoul Burst, Iansan obtains the Warming Up effect, allowing her to continuously restore HP to the on-field character for a short duration. In the first phase of Version 5.5’s Event Wishes, Varesa and Iansan will debut alongside Xianyun’s rerun, followed by reruns for Xilonen and Venti.
After a long hiatus, Natlan’s traditional Bloomflower Trials will be making a return. Players will team up with Mavuika, Ifa, and their other Natlan allies to participate in this unique event, and save a brave Saurian afflicted by a rare illness. Moreover, in the “Saurian Treasure Seeker” mini-game, players can also assist a group of baby Saurians in their quest to overcome obstacles and collect shiny treasures. By taking part in the event, players will have the opportunity to invite Ororon for free.
Version 5.5 also introduces new challenges and system optimizations. A new boss, the Lava Dragon Statue, awaits in the geothermal fissures of the volcano. As for optimizations, the Artifact leveling experience will be enhanced, as upgrading Artifacts defined with Sanctifying Elixirs guarantees at least two upgrades to the defined Minor Affixes.

Genshin Impact is available now for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, PC via client and Epic Games Store, iOS via the App Store, and Android via Google Play. A Switch version is also planned.

Watch a new set of trailers below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.