You want to learn more about the new Genshin Impact characters? According to Hoyoverse’s original Genshin Impact roadmap – new faces should release with every major update. During each new update there’s usually at least one Genshin Impact banner with a minimum of one brand new character.

The banners feature characters with increased drop rates, including one five-star character and three four-star characters. Heizou is the most recent Genshin Impact character now available to arrive in the Genshin Impact 2.8 update, and we know that Tighnari, Collei, and Dori are all arriving in a future update.

There are also leaks and datamined information concerning new faces that may appear further down the line. This information is not official, but Hoyoverse has provided a summary of current speculation and rumors. Genshin Impact characters, both new and upcoming, are:

GENSHIN IMPACT 2.8 NEW CHARACTERS

Heizou

Heizou was first mentioned in several other characters’ voice lines. Heizou was officially announced by Hoyoverse in May 2022 via the Genshin Impact Twitter account, and Heizou’s banner debuted as part of the first half of Genshin Impact 2.8, which launched on July 13. Network N earns affiliate commission for qualifying sales. Heizou is an Anemo and Catalyst character, and he features on both Kazuha’s and Klee’s banner reruns. If you’d like to know more about this mysterious detective, check out our Heizou build and Heizou team composition guides, as well as what Heizou materials you need to take him to max level.

GENSHIN IMPACT UPCOMING CHARACTERS

Dainsleif

Dainsleif, the Bough Keeper, was officially announced by Hoyoverse during the 2020 Tokyo Game Show – however, no release date was attached. Although his voice actor has been confirmed, we don’t know when he will be arriving. Dainsleif is from Khaenri’ah, an underground realm that is not part of Teyvat itself – so perhaps one day in the future we’ll meet Dainsleif when we explore his homeland.

Yaoyao

Yaoyao is an adorable NPC who is mentioned in several characters’ voice lines. She was previously Xiangling’s junior when they both studied under the same master chef, but has now become an assistant for Genshin Impact Ganyu. The official art below shows her, and may give us some clues as to when she will join us in-game. The art depicts Yaoyao with Qiqi at the Mid-Autumn Festival – so her release may coincide with a festival of some kind.

Baizhu

Baizhu is a Genshin Impact NPC. He is also the owner and operator of Bubu Pharmacy in Liyue. Fans believe that Baizhu may one day be a playable character because he has a Dendro vision.

Lyney and Lynette

Lyney and Lynette were revealed in the same storyline preview video – they’re a pair of twins, presumably, who are dressed like magicians – they hail from Fontaine, a region inspired by France. There’s speculation that they could be recruited as a pair and can switch places with one another in battle – though that may be nothing more than a cool idea.

Iansan

Iansan was also shown in the Teyvat Chapter Storyline video in the Natlan section. We believe she’s a Pyro user, but we’ll have to wait until we visit Natlan to find out more about her.

Collei

Collei is a Sumeru character in the official Genshin Impact manga. She is among three characters that are expected to make their debut in Genshin Impact 3.0, including the Sumeru region and the Dendro element. She has been officially confirmed as a Dendro bow user – making her one of the first playable Dendro characters – thanks to an official introduction via the Genshin Impact Twitter account. The seer Barnabus imbued her with Archon residue, but she was assisted by Cyno as well as Amber to suppress the effect. We now have more information about Collei abilities as well as Collei materials from 3.0 beta.

Tighnari

This name first emerged from the Genshin rumor mill in March 2022, and while more information leaked in the months that followed, Tighnari was officially announced via the official Genshin Impact Twitter account at the same time as Collei and Dori. It is believed that he is a Dendro bow user like Collei, and may play similar to Ganyu. He is the second character believed to debut during Genshin Impact 3.0, and is the only five-star character rumored to be on the slate for that patch at the moment. Tighnari, like Collei, is currently in 3.0 beta. We have enough information to begin speculating about the best Tighnari build, as well as team composition, based upon what we know of Tighnari’s abilities at the moment.

Dori

Again, this name first appeared in March 2022, along with further leaks in June, before Hoyoverse officially revealed Dori via the Genshin Impact Twitter account. While we know she is an Electro character, there’s currently nothing official on her weapon. Information datamined from the 3.0 beta suggests she wields a claymore, and rumors point to Dori’s banner dropping during Genshin Impact 3.0. Like Collei, she is also a four-star character, so will likely feature on someone else’s banner.

Nilou

A previous round of Genshin Impact leaks make reference to character data attributed to someone called ‘Nilou’. Project Celestia believes that she has the ‘girl’ body type. Further rumors suggest Nilou is a Hydro Sword character, although at the very least we know she will be involved in the initial storyline for the 3.0 update. Nilou is also named in the Sumeru 3 preview trailer.

Nilou is rumored as one of the few characters that will be playable in patch 3.1 and 3.2. This is according to rumors.

Cyno

Cyno was revealed for the first time in the Teyvat chapter storyline preview video – we know he’s a Polearm wielder from Sumeru, and rumors suggest he will be an Electro character and five-star. While his banner will not drop in patch 3.1 or 3.0, we know he will participate in the initial 3.0 storyline through the third Sumeru Preview Video. In this he is referred to as the “General Mahamatra, Cyno” where he’s seen looking over some of Sumeru’s desert-themed locations.

Alhaitham

In June 2022, rumors of another brand new character surfaced, originally using the name “Su-like”, although more recent leaks suggest his name might be Alhaitham. Genshin leaker UBatcha posted a summary of what they believed to be the situation, along with the source of the rumor, which is essentially two very grainy cut-outs from hitherto unseen character art. In the third Sumeru preview video, he was officially revealed as being involved in the initial 3.0 storyline – apparently you meet him “by chance” in Port Ormos, and he’s from the ruling body in Sumeru, the Akademiya.

Deyha

Although rumors about Deyha are highly speculative at the moment, we know that she will be part of the initial Sumeru storyline in the 3.0 update. Deyha is “desertfolk”, and a mercenary working for the Eremites, a new faction coming to Genshin Impact who are descended from an ancient desert-dwelling civilization.

Kusanali / Nahida

This name is thought to be that of the Sumeru Dendro Archon, who, like Venti or Raiden Shogun, will one day become a playable character. Rumors surrounding this character first appeared towards the end of last year, with the current thinking placing her in either update 3.1 or 3.2. In the third Sumeru preview, we see a shot of someone called ‘Nahida’ who is a “mysterious girl” that the Traveler will meet during the 3.0 storyline. The rumor mill believes this to be Kusanali, but no other details are available.

Scaramouche

Scaramouche is Number 6 of the Fatui’s Eleven Harbingers; he introduces himself as a ‘vagrant from Inazuma’ who attempts to betray and kill the Traveler during the Unreconciled Stars event: Star of Destiny. He is a potential playable character for players. Current speculation suggests he may appear in patch 3.2.