Genshin Impact 5.0 'Flowers Resplendent' launches August 28 with Natlan

Genshin Impact Version 5.0 "Flowers Resplendent on the Sun-Scorched Sojourn" launches August 28, 2026 with the most-anticipated region since launch: Natlan, the Nation of Pyro. The new region, 3 new characters, and 4th anniversary rewards make this the biggest Genshin update of 2026.

The new region: Natlan

Natlan is the 6th major region in Genshin Impact and the Nation of Pyro (War). The new region features:

• A sprawling map with volcanoes,

canyons, and ancient ruins

• Phlogiston — a unique resource

tied to Pyro that powers the new "Saurian" mechanic

• Saurians — dragon-like

companions that you can ride and fight alongside

• 3 new world bosses + 2 new domains
• A new Archon Quest featuring

the Pyro Archon Mavuika (the 7th Archon to appear)

• 3 new tribes with their own

cultures and storylines

Natlan is the most-vertical region in the game. Expect a lot of climbing and dragon-riding.

The 3 new characters

• Mualani (5-star, Hydro, catalyst) —

the first Natlan 5-star. Surf-style combat, the most-mobile Hydro character since Ayato. Featured in Phase 1 banner.

• Kachina (4-star, Geo, polearm) —

the first free Natlan character. Obtained for free after completing the Natlan Archon Quest. Featured in Phase 1 banner as a boosted 4-star.

• Kinich (5-star, Dendro, claymore) —

the second Natlan 5-star. Jaguar- themed combat with a grappling hook mechanic. Featured in Phase 2 banner.

The 4th anniversary rewards

• 110 free Intertwined Fates (about

18,000 Primogems) over the 5.0 + 5.1 period

• 1 free standard 5-star selector

(first time ever, will be a permanent anniversary reward going forward)

• 2 free 4-star weapons (Mualani's

signature catalyst + 1 craftable)

• 1 free pet (the new "Saurian

Companion" system)

• 1 free 4-star character (Kachina

from completing the Archon Quest)

• 1 free gadget ("Firstborn

Firesprite" + "Kaboom Box")

• 1600 Primogems in mail
• Double bonus reset on Genesis

Crystal purchases

• Increased rewards from the

Shrine of Depths (40 → 80)

The new system changes

Capturing Radiance gacha

The new "Capturing Radiance" mechanic is the biggest gacha QoL change since launch:

• When you lose a 50/50 on a limited

banner, you have a chance to trigger Capturing Radiance

• Capturing Radiance guarantees the

event-exclusive character on the NEXT 5-star

• The trigger rate increases with each

lost 50/50

• This effectively removes the

"guaranteed at 160" worst case for most players

World Level 9

• Unlocks at Adventure Rank 58
• Enemies are ~20% stronger than WL 8
• Drop rates are ~15% better than WL 8
• Mora, EXP, and ascension materials

all scale up

• A new Ascension Quest to unlock

(the first new WL since 2021)

Weapon banner QoL

• Maximum Fate Points reduced from 2

to 1

• This means you can guarantee your

weapon after 1 miss (was 2)

• The weapon banner is now much more

friendly to F2P players

Sanctifying Elixir

A new artifact enhancement system:

• Trade in a 5-star artifact for an

"Elixir" item

• Use the Elixir to redeem a new

artifact with 1 designated main stat and 2 designated substats

• This is a HUGE artifact QoL —

before, you had to farm hundreds of artifacts hoping for the right substats

• The Elixir is 1:1 for 5-star

artifacts, so you trade one to get one

Localized specialty tracker

• The in-game map now shows the

location range of regional specialties (e.g., "Valberry is found in Stormbearer Mountains")

• No more alt-tabbing to a wiki to

find character materials

• The tracker is built into the

minimap

What's next

• Aug 28: Version 5.0 launches
• Sep 17: Phase 2 banner (Kinich +

Raiden rerun)

• Sep 28: 4th anniversary event
• Oct 8: Version 5.1 (rumored to

be the first Natlan expansion)

• Nov 12: Version 5.2

FAQ

When does Genshin Impact 5.0 launch?

August 28, 2026 at 4am BST / 8pm PT (Aug 27 for US time zones).

Is Mualani free?

No, Mualani is a 5-star limited character. Kachina (4-star) is the free Natlan character from completing the Archon Quest.

What's Capturing Radiance?

The new gacha mechanic that gives you a guaranteed event character on the next 5-star if you lost the 50/50. The trigger rate increases with each lost 50/50.

Can I get a free standard 5-star?

Yes, every anniversary from 5.0 forward gives a free standard 5-star selector. This is the first time this reward is being given.

Is World Level 9 worth it?

Yes, if you're at AR 58. The drop rate increase is significant, and the new content scales to the new WL. Below AR 58, you can ignore the change.