Genshin Impact 4.8 release date, 4.8 Banners and events
The full schedule for Summertide Scales and Tales.
The Genshin Impact 4.8 Banner and event details have been officially announced for the latest patch, titled Summertide Scales and Tales.
As always, there are two Banner phases and new time-limited events in the latest update, with Genshin Impact version 4.8 featuring one new 5-Star character, and three 5-Star Banner reruns. We also got more details about the new Summer map, and a Natlan tease!
Below, you can find out the 4.8 release date and time, who the new and returning characters are, and what the 4.8 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 4.8 release date and time
Genshin Impact 4.8 will release on Wednesday 17th July. It should follow the usual maintenance schedule for new updates, with 4.8 releasing at 4am (BST). Due to time zone differences, 4.8 releases in the United States on Tuesday 16th July at 8pm (PT).
For other time zones, the Genshin Impact 4.8 release date and time is:
- East Coast US: Tuesday 16th July, 11pm (ET)
- Central US: Tuesday 16th July, 10pm (CT)
- West Coast US: Tuesday 16th July, 8pm (PT)
- Australia: Wednesday 17th July, 1pm (AET)
- Japan: Wednesday 17th July, 12pm (JST)
- Europe: Wednesday 17th July, 5am (CEST)
- UK: Wednesday 17th July, 4am (BST)
As this is only an approximate time for how long the servers are down, you might be able to play the 4.8 patch a little before or after the times above - although previous update estimates have been fairly accurate.
Genshin Impact 4.8 Banners
The version 4.8 Banners debuts a new 5-Star character, Emilie, but there are no new 4-Stars.
Phase 1 of the 4.8 Banner schedule begins with returning Geo 5-Star Navia, featured on her In the Name of the Rosula Banner, and returning Hydro 5-Star Nilou featured in her Twirling Lotus Banner.
As usual, the 4.8 Phase 1 Banners run alongside each other, and should be available from Wednesday 17th July until Tuesday 6th August.
Then in Phase 2 of the 4.8 Banner schedule we have new Dendro 5-Star Emilie, featured on her Ambrosial Essence Banner and returning Hydro 5-Star Yelan on her Discerner of Enigmas Banner.
These Phase 2 Banners should run from Tuesday 6th August until Tuesday 27th August - the day before the expected release date of Natlan in the big 5.0 update.
In summary, all of the new characters and returning 5-Star characters you can Wish on during 4.8 in Genshin Impact are:
- Navia (In the Name of the Rosula Banner - Phase 1): Returning 5-Star Geo character who uses a claymore.
- Nilou (Twirling Lotus Banner - Phase 1): Returning 5-Star Hydro character who uses a sword.
- Emilie (Ambrosial Essence Banner - Phase 2): New 5-Star Dendro character who uses a polearm.
- Yelan (Discerner of Enigmas Banner - Phase 2): Returning 5-Star Hydro character who uses a bow.
There will also be a new weapon in the version 4.8 weapon Banners: the 5-Star Lumidouce Elegy polearm in Phase 2, Emilie's signature.
To keep up to date with who all of the boosted 4-Star characters and weapons will be, and all other Banner changes, check out our regularly updated Banner schedule page.
Version 4.8 with Emilie is coming soon! But for now, in version 4.7, we have Sigewinne, and Furina. You can 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 4.8 events
The Genshin Impact 4.8 update includes:
- New Summer map - Simulanka.
- Emilie Story Quest.
- New outfits for Nilou and Kirara.
- Envisaged Echoes Imaginarium Theater update - Can earn 'Echo' trails for characters.
- Encounter Point system change - Long Term Encounter Points now available.
- World Boss respawn cooldown time now just 10 seconds.
- Hide UI feature.
- Dialogue review log.
- Option to turn off dialogue box in conversations.
- Domains in Mondstadt and Liyue adjusted to make them easier.
- Ability to lower World Level 3 to World Level 2.
- Option to make some quests easier, like Anti-Raiden Shogun Training.
- Genius Invokation TCG Update - Including new cards.
- Overflowing Mastery event.
In addition to this content, including the debut of Envisaged Echoes, we're getting five events during 4.8:
Summertide Scales and Tales
Summertide Scales and Tales is the main event in version 4.8. It takes place in the new Summer area of Simulanka, a world inside a magical storybook. The event is split into four parts: a gliding challenge, claw-machine-like games, combat challenges, and a figurine collection mini-game.
Boreal Flurry is the gliding challenge where you have to destroy targets while gliding to earn points, Flying Hatter's Trick is the claw-machine-like mini-game where you use a flying hat to pick up figures and score points, Metropole Trials are a series of combat challenges played with two teams, and Figurine Fabrication lets you insert coins earned across the previous three event types to earn keepsake figurines that can be displayed in your Serenitea Pot and around Simulanka.
These figurines can be gifted and traded with friends, and once you've got enough keepsake figurines in Figurine Fabrication, you'll get a free Kirara character! You can also get Kirara's new outfit for free after you collect enough Jubilant Feathers and open Fairytale Troves to accumulate enough Excerpts of Bliss during your open-world exploration in Simulanka.
Envisaged Echoes
This is a permanent new event type that takes place in the Imaginarium Theater, but its rewards change with every update.
Envisaged Echoes are new challenges that require special keys to start. Two keys will be given the first time you check out Envisaged Echoes, but more can be earned by completing Act 6 of the Imaginarium Theater each season.
These Echoes are unique trailing effects for characters that appear when they're running, and in version 4.8, you can obtain the Echoes for Diluc, Qiqi, Kirara, Jean, and Ningguang.
Keep in mind that you can only complete a character's Envisaged Echoes challenge by using that character, who must be Level 90 and have a friendship level of at least eight. Better start farming those level-up materials now...
Bing-Bang Finchball
Bing-Bang Finchball returns! You still have to launch balls into the target zones to score points, but this time there are Rival Finchballs that make it harder to score points. Additionally, Bing-Bang Finchball now has a co-op mode, so you can use those Rival Finchballs against your friends.
Outside the Canvas, Inside the Lens: Dew-Kissed Chapter
Dew-Kissed Chapter is the next evolution of the returning Outside the Canvas, Inside the Lens Kamera event. However, this time you can complete the photo commissions by simply taking photos of your favourite characters. An Interval Timer mode is also new, which you can use to capture the perfect photo.
Energy Amplifier: Lemma
Another returning character, Akadeymia researcher Hosseini, returns in 4.8 with the Energy Amplifier: Lemma event. This is a combat event where you have to test out Hosseini's new Fontainian Amplifier creation. You have to form three parties during each stage of the event for three rounds of combat tests.
You can use the same character across multiple teams, but you need to ensure the characters have enough Motive Points across all teams so your leyline buffs apply.
Hope you have fun during version 4.8!