With the major update 1.6, Genshin Impact brings several new features and events to the game. This includes a new area, a new character, and improvements to housing. MeinMMO presents the 5 biggest highlights of the patch and what to expect.
What it’s about: Update 1.6 celebrates its release today, on June 9th. In addition to numerous events starting now or coming later, there are also extensive changes and actions.
We have selected some of the most important innovations for you and chosen 5 highlights:
- The big “Summer! Sun! Adventure!” event
- A new area that allows you to explore new islands
- Innovations and improvements for the housing system
- A free skin for Barbara
- Kazuha comes as a new character
We will start with a major event that will run over the next few weeks.
1. Island Event: “Summer! Sun! Adventure!”
What to expect: In this event, you can set off to a group of new islands with the wave rider boat. The event is divided into four acts, each of which unlocks when you complete the previous one.
How long does the event run? The event runs until June 28th, giving you about two and a half weeks to complete the four acts.
- In Act 1, you need to destroy monster camps at sea with the boat.
- Act 2 lets you complete time challenges.
- In the third act, you will face a new, dangerous enemy: “Mangu Kenki,” a powerful samurai.
- Act 3 will take you to the islands. You can create new bombs and must use them to crush land-based monster camps.
By completing the acts, you will collect not only primogems and other rewards but also special items that you can exchange at a special event merchant. There, you can obtain a Crown of Wisdom.
Whether the event is worth it, we have already explained in another article where we also discuss the event and its acts in detail: Genshin Impact launches the new Island Event – Is it worth it?
2. Explore the new islands in the archipelago, but don’t wait too long
What to expect: You can visit the new islands not only as part of the big event. You can also travel the islands and the surrounding sea outside of the acts and discover new places.
There are many dangers and secrets lurking on the islands, so you definitely should check them out.
What to pay attention to: The islands will only be available until the end of 1.6. You have until the release of the next update to explore them.
When is the next update coming? Usually, there are about 6 weeks between releases. The islands should therefore remain in the game at least until mid-July.
3. New features for the housing system
What’s new? With 1.6, the entire second floor of the mansion “Kettle of Transience” is opened. You can now decorate it as well.
One of the biggest innovations is that you can now invite companions to your Kettle of Transience. If you want, they can even stay in your house.
- If you invite companions to your house, your connection to them improves and they continuously earn friendship XP.
- If your companions stay in your house for a longer period, they can possibly be induced by specific decorations to give you gifts. The patch notes do not specify what those gifts are.
- To allow companions to visit you, you must complete the quest “Chit-Chat in the Kettle.”
- Additionally, thanks to an increase in the limit, you can now place more outdoor decorations.
- The interaction with the Kettle Spirit has also been optimized.
How the housing system works can be found in our appropriate guide to Genshin Impact: How to unlock the new housing and decorations
4. New event “Echoes of the Sound” brings a free skin for Barbara
What kind of skin is this? With Update 1.6, character skins or outfits are introduced to Genshin Impact for the first time. These are cosmetic items that change the appearance of the respective characters.
For now, there are skins for two characters: Barbara and Jean. While Jean’s outfit is only available for real money in the form of creation crystals in the shop, you can unlock Barbara’s skin “Brilliant Performance” for free through an event.
How to get the skin: In the event “Echoes of the Sound,” you must collect echo snails scattered all over the new islands. You will receive not only the skin but also coins, primogems, and other useful rewards.
To obtain the outfit, you need to collect a total of 24 snails. Here’s a reminder: The islands will disappear after June 28th. After that, you will no longer be able to collect the snails and thus obtain the skin.
If you miss the event and do not unlock the skin, you can later purchase the skin for creation crystals in the shop.
5. New character: Kaedehara Kazuha
What kind of character is this? Kazuha is a 5-star character and is the first playable character from Inazuma. Kazuha and his banner have already been revealed in some leaks.
He is not only a powerful fighter but will also play an important role in finding the way to Inazuma. This is the next big chapter and a new region in the main story of Genshin Impact.
Here is the official description:
- Divine Eye: Anemo
- Weapon: Sword
- A wandering samurai from Inazuma currently traveling with the Crux of Liyue. A gentle and carefree soul, burdened by many great burdens from the past.
- Kaedehara Kazuha can use his elemental skill “Chihayaburu” to lift enemies and objects into the air before performing his unique plunge attack “Midare Ranzan,” which deals Anemo damage and creates a wind tunnel that pulls enemies in.
- “Chihayaburu” has a press mode and a hold mode. The former can be performed mid-air, while the latter expands the range of the ability and increases damage.
- Kaedehara Kazuha’s special ability, the Kazuha Slash, leaves a field known as the swirling autumn field that deals Anemo damage to enemies at set intervals.
- *The character “Chasing Wild Waves in Deep Red Leaves – Kaedehara Kazuha (Anemo)” will appear in later event wishes.
When does his banner come? The banner for Kazuha will presumably appear sometime in mid-June, after the current banner featuring Klee ends.
What is a banner? Banners are the gacha element of Genshin Impact. You draw “prayers” and have to hope to pull the desired character from the prayer (banner).
In theory, you might have to spend up to 440 euros to get a character in the worst-case scenario. More information can be found in our FAQ about the gacha system in Genshin Impact – How pay-to-win is it really?
What else does 1.6 bring? In addition to the highlighted features, as with every update, various weapons come to the game. There are also numerous other improvements and optimizations for the game’s various mechanics.
For those of you who want to know what else is included in the patch, we link here to the complete patch notes from the developers for you: genshin.mihoyo.com.
What do you think of Update 1.6? Does it meet your expectations? What are your personal highlights? Discuss with us in the comments.
With the new update, there are also new promo codes to redeem, which will give you primogems and other bonuses. Here are the 5 new promo codes that you can redeem now for Patch 1.6.
