Genshin Impact update 2.7 brings Yelan, more of The Chasm, and a new Archon quest with Xiao

Genshin Impact update 2.7 includes two new characters, original and revamped minigames and events, and a new Archon quest set in Liyue's Chasm and featuring Xiao.

After recently confirming that the delayed update will now launch on May 31, developer Hoyoverse officially unveiled the patch during a showcase that aired earlier today. As always, the show included three limited-time redemption codes collectively worth 300 Primogems and some other materials, so be sure to cash them in via the official site as soon as possible (hit "redeem code" under "more" in the main navigation bar). The 2.7 redemption codes are:

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Genshin Impact 2.7, Hidden Dreams in the Depths, is headlined by a new Archon quest which whisks us back to the Chasm with Yelan, Yanfei, Arataki Itto, Kuki Shinobu, and Xiao. A brief trailer suggests there's a new villain waiting at the bottom of the abyss, and Hoyoverse is teasing new details on the group of Yaksha warriors which Xiao belongs to.

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"As the story progresses, the buried past, including how the people of Liyue fought off monsters 500 years ago, as well as the Yakshas' role in the history, will eventually be revealed to this diverse party," the studio said in a press release.

Yelan and Shinobu were announced months ago, but today's showcase was our first time seeing them in action. Yelan is a five-star Hydro bow user whose damage scales with her max HP. Her elemental skill lets her quickly dash around while invisible, tagging enemies for an explosion that triggers when her skill ends. The lynchpin of her kit seems to be her elemental burst, which launches Hydro arrows whenever your on-field character attacks, much like Xingqui's rain swords. Yelan also provides a stacking damage buff for your current character, so she seems mighty strong at first blush.

Kuki Shinobu, meanwhile, is a more support-oriented, four-star sword user who sacrifices her own health to heal her allies. Her skill summons a pulsing ring of Electro which damages nearby enemies and heals your current character, and her burst summons a damaging field in front of her. Like Liyue's Hu Tao, Shinobu likes to stay at low HP to buff her abilities, which is an interesting gamble for a healer. Oh, and here's a fun fact: Shinobu's English voice actor is Kira Buckland, who you may know as Nier: Automata's 2B.

If you don't have a good bow for Yelan, you're in luck; one of the many events coming in update 2.7 will give out a free four-star bow which can be fully refined. Yelan's also getting a tailor-made five-star weapon in the first weapon banner of the patch. It will roll out alongside dual character banners for Yelan and Xiao, followed by a rerun of Itto with Shinobu as one of the four-star characters.

The broader event lineup includes the Perilous Trail, which will force you to leave some characters behind as you clear rounds of enemies. A Muddy Bizarre Adventure is another Chasm event where you clear out corruption and enemies. There's also the Arataki Drumalong Festival, which improves on Genshin's previous rhythm games with faster notes that can be mapped to your preferred timing, not to mention custom songs you can make and share. Finally, we've got an open-world event called Core of the Apparatus which lets you unlock little robot friends for your Sereniteapot (which will soon be usable again).

Update 2.7 will technically arrive on May 31, but it'll be late in the day on May 30 for much of the world. Hoyoverse still hasn't shared any teasers for the new region expected to arrive later this year, but it has confirmed that the game's release schedule is back on track, with update 2.8 scheduled for July 13.