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Genshin Impact 4.4 Banner and event details

The full schedule for Vibrant Harriers Aloft in Spring Breeze.

Official artowrk for version 4.4 and Lantern Rite 2024.
Image credit: HoYoverse

The Genshin Impact 4.4 Banner and event details have been officially announced for the latest patch, titled Vibrant Harriers Aloft in Spring Breeze.

As always, there are two Banner phases and new time-limited events in the latest update, with Genshin Impact version 4.4 featuring one new 5-Star character, one new 4-Star character, three 5-Star Banner reruns, and the return of Lantern Rite festivities and its free 4-Star character selection!

Below, you can find out the 4.4 release date and time, who the returning characters are, and what the 4.4 Banners and events schedule is for the upcoming patch.

Be sure to also check out our Genshin Impact codes page to get free Primogems that can be used towards unlocking new characters and weapons.

On this page:

Genshin Impact 4.4 Banners

The version 4.4 Banners debut new 5-Star character Xianyun (Cloud Retainer) and new 4-Star character Gaming.

Phase 1 of the 4.4 Banner schedule begins with new Anemo 5-Star Xianyun, featured in her The Crane Soars Skyward Banner, and returning Dendro 5-Star Nahida featured in her The Moongrass' Enlightenment Banner. New Pyro 4-Star Gaming also debuts in both Xianyun and Nahida's Banners. Gaming is also one of the free Liyue characters you can claim for free during Lantern Rite in version 4.4.

As usual, the 4.4 Phase 1 Banners run alongside each other, and should be available from Wednesday 31st January until Wednesday 21st February.

Xianyun, Nahida and Gaming shown as on the Phase 1 Banners of version 4.4.
Image credit: HoYoverse

In Phase 2 of the 4.4 Banner schedule we have returning Anemo 5-Star Xiao's Invitation to Mundane Life Banner and returning Electro 5-Star Yae Miko's Everbloom Violet Banner.

These Phase 2 Banners should run from Wednesday 21st February until Tuesday 12th March - the day before the expected release date of the 4.5 update.

Xiao and Yae Miko shown as the Phase 2 Banners in version 4.4.
Image credit: HoYoverse

In summary, all of the new characters and returning 5-Star characters you can Wish on during 4.4 in Genshin Impact are:

  • Xianyun (The Crane Soars Skyward Banner - Phase 1): New 5-Star Anemo character who uses a catalyst.
  • Nahida (The Moongrass' Enlightment Banner - Phase 1): Returning 5-Star Dendro character who uses a catalyst.
  • Gaming (The Crane Soars Skyward and The Moongrass' Enlightenment Banners - Phase 1): New 4-Star Pyro character who uses a claymore.
  • Xiao (Invitation to Mundane Life Banner - Phase 2): Returning 5-Star Anemo character who uses a polearm.
  • Yae Miko (Everbloom Violet Banner - Phase 2): Returning 5-Star Electro character who uses a catalyst.

There will also be a new weapon in Phase 1 of the version 4.4 weapon Banner: the 5-Star Crane's Echoing Call catalyst, Xianyun's signature.

Xianyun's new signature weapon in version 4.4, the five star Crane's Echoing Call catalyst.
Image credit: HoYoverse

To keep up to date with who the boosted 4-Star characters and weapons will be, and all other Banner changes, check out our regularly updated Banner schedule page.


Version 5.2 with Chasca and Ororon is here! So don't forget to redeem new codes for Primogems to help pull them, and check out our regularly updated tier list. You need luck from the Pity and 50/50 systems to Wish with Fate for characters on Banners, and you always need the right Adventure Rank for events. Elsewhere, we have tips and tricks for beginners.


Genshin Impact 4.4 events

The Genshin Impact 4.4 update includes:

  • Xianyun's first Story Quest
  • Free 4-Star Liyue character (including Gaming)
  • New Liyue area, Chenyu Vale
  • New outfits for Shenhe and Ganyu (discounted until 11th March)
  • Free Xingqiu outfit (for completing Lantern Rite tasks)
  • Login event including 10 Intertwined Fates (ends 18th February)
  • Three Intertwined Fates in the mailbox for free, and other rewards (February 24th - 28th)
  • New Boss - Solitary Suanni
  • Genius Invokation TCG updates
  • Fast equip and custom loadout Artifact features
  • Overflowing Mastery event (4th - 11th March)
New liyue area town added in version 4.4.
Artwork and description of the new version 4.4 Liyue boss, Solitary Suanni.
New black outfit for Shenhe added in version 4.4.
New deep blue outfit for Ganyu added in version 4.4.
Image credit: HoYoverse

In addition to this content, we're getting the usual four events during 4.4, including the return of Lantern Rite! Here's everything we know about every time-limited event in Genshin Impact 4.4:

Lantern Rite 2024 (Vibrant Harriers Aloft in Spring Breeze)

Lantern Rite 2024 starts on Monday 5th February and ends on Monday 26th February, and you need to be at least Adventure Rank 20, and have completed the Prologue Act 3 'Song of the Dragon and Freedom' Archon Quest in order to take part.

Although not required, to fully understand the story it's also recommended to complete the Chapter 1, Act 3 'A New Star Approaches' Archon Quest, and Xianyun's first story quest. For the extra 'Hustle and Bustle' event quest, it's also recommended to complete Furina's first story quest.

It's Lantern Rite time again! This time in 2024 the theme is kites, as traditional Liyue kites combine with a new Fontaine invention that lets it float with no wind. As for mini-games, we've got three to play: Paper-Shadows A-Forging, Joyful Beasts and Their Auspices, and Iridescent Cloud-Striding.

In Paper-Shadows A-Forging you control Gouba and Yuegi from a top-down perspective to move them in a limited amount of steps towards the puzzle's goal. Sometimes you'll be taking control of both characters at once.

Top down view of a chibi minigame controlling Guoba in Lantern Rite 2024.
Image credit: HoYoverse

Joyful Beasts and Their Auspices is played across three stages in co-op, and sees you compete in a variety of mini-games like coin collecting and staying inside safe zones. You can also score more points if you bump into other players and send them flying. Finally, in Iridescent Cloud-Striding you use a 'Golden Carp's Leap' to fly through the air and collect as many Jade Lotus Lanterns as possible.

Collecting coins in a Lantern Rite 2024 challenge.
Travelling through the night sky as an orb in a Lantern Rite 2024 mini-game.
Image credit: HoYoverse

Once again the main reward of Lantern Rite is your choice of a free 4-Star Liyue character, including the new character Gaming. Complete enough mini-games and you can also earn a free skin for Xingqiu.

All of the activities for the Lantern Rite 2024 event shown with mini decriptions and pictures.
Showing all the Four Star Liyue characters you can get from free during the 2024 Lantern Rite event.
Image credit: HoYoverse

Triumphant Frenzy

Triumphant Frenzy starts on Thursday 15th February and ends on Monday 26th February and you need to be at least Adventure Rank 20 to take part.

Triumphant Frenzy is a combat event where you have to take on each challenge across four rounds. There are Normal, Advanced, and Pro variations of each challenge. There are lots of trial characters to pick from, so don't worry if you don't currently have great teams

However, do keep in mind that each character starts with two stacks of Resolve, and they each lose one stack every time they're used in a round. Resolve creates special effects that vary depending on how much Resolve your entire team has.

Artwork and decription of the Trumphant Frenzy event.
Image credit: HoYoverse

Receiver of Friends From Afar

Receiver of Friends From Afar starts on Wednesday 21st February and ends on Monday 4th March and you need to be at least Adventure Rank 28 and have completed the Chapter 1, Act 3 'A New Star Approaches' Archon Quest to take part.

Familiar faces from across all nations of Teyvat appear in Receiver of Friends From Afar, a cooking mini-game that tests our plating skills as well as cooking prowess. You have to make the dishes to each guest's liking to unlock all of the rewards.

Aether cutting something while cooking for the Receiver of Friends From Afar event.
Artwork and description of the Receiver of Friends From Afar event.
Image credit: HoYoverse

Journey Through Hilinigmatic Terrain

Journey Through Hilinigmatic Terrain starts on Thursday 29th February and ends on Monday 11th March and you need to be at least Adventure Rank 20 and have completed the Prologue Act 3 'Song of the Dragon and Freedom' Archon Quest in order to take part..

Journey Through Hilinigmatic Terrain takes place in Mondstadt where mysterious statues have started to appear in Ddaupa Gorge, causing the nearby Hilichurl tribes to behave strangely. The Traveler and Paimon take on the investigation by using a special device to transfer control between Hilichurls and Slimes to infiltrate their camps and find the statues.

Taking control of a Hilichurl in a camp in Journey Through Hillinigmatic Terrain event.
Image credit: HoYoverse

After all of the statues have been investigated, a Domain containing an "unusually large" Samachurl and other enemies will appear, and you have to use environmental help like wind currents to help defeat it.

Artwork of a special Hilichurl and description for the Journey Through Hillinigmatic Terrain event.
Image credit: HoYoverse

Genshin Impact 4.4 release date and time

Genshin Impact 4.4 will release on Wednesday 31st January. It follows the usual maintenance schedule for new updates, with 4.4 releasing at 3am (GMT). Due to time zone differences, 4.4 releases in the United States on Tuesday 30th January at 7pm (PT).

For other time zones, the Genshin Impact 4.4 release date and time is:

  • East Coast US: Tuesday 30th January, 10pm (ET)
  • Central US: Tuesday 30th January, 9pm (CT)
  • West Coast US: Tuesday 30th January, 7pm (PT)
  • Australia: Wednesday 31st January, 2pm (AET)
  • Japan: Wednesday 31st January, 12pm (JST)
  • Europe: Wednesday 31st January, 4am (CET)
  • UK: Wednesday 31st January, 3am (GMT)

As this is only an approximate time for how long the servers are down, you might be able to play the 4.4 patch a little before or after the times above - although previous update estimates have been fairly accurate.

Ganyu, Shenhe, Aether, Gaming, and Yayoyao talking in a Liyue field.
Image credit: HoYoverse

Hope you have fun during version 4.4!

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