Genshin Impact 1.3 is launching as part of a major new update that will bring, among other things, the Xiao Banner to the popular free-to-play game.
This means maintenance and the download of a new patch for all platforms on February 3, 2021.
And the first phase of this rollout will be the official pre-load and test period from developers MiHoYo.
The pre-load of the Genshin Impact 1.3 has a scheduled release date of February 1st, around 3pm GMT.
From what has been shared so far, this option will be available on PC and mobile, with no mention of PlayStation 4 support.
And if you play Genshin Impact on PC, you can still play the game while getting ready for the pre-load, with a few limitations.
A message from MiHoYo explains: “Travelers on PC can still play the game while pre-installing game resources. Pre-installation takes up a certain amount of your network bandwidth, so it is best to ensure a good network connection before starting the pre-installation.
“Travelers on mobile platforms cannot play the game while preinstalling game resources. It is recommended that travelers complete any domains or other challenges they wish to complete before starting the pre-installation process.
“After the pre-installation process is complete, travelers will be able to experience the content of the new version more quickly once the maintenance period for updates has ended.”
And as you would expect, by preloading the new major Genshin Impact update, you will shorten the time the game spends updating sources when you first open version 1.3, even if you don’t have the pre-installation complete completed.
To prepare to preload later in the day, here are the instructions shared by the development team:
PC:
After the pre-installation feature is available, you need to update the Genshin Impact Launcher first. After updating the launcher, a “Game Pre-Installation” button will appear on the left side of the “Launch” button. Click on “Game Pre-Installation” to download the latest game resources.
After the pre-installation is complete and the version update has been released, reopen the launcher and click “Update” to install the game immediately without downloading any further game resources.
If the pre-installation is not completed and you reopen the launcher and click “Update”, the game resources will continue to download from where the pre-installation progress ended.
Mobile (iOS and Android)
Method 1: Travelers can start pre-installing update sources by going to Paimon menu> Settings> Other> Pre-installation resource pack.
Method 2: Travelers can also start pre-installing update sources by tapping the “Pre-Install Resource Package” icon in the lower left corner of the login menu.
According to MiHoYo, travelers on iOS devices should open the App Store and tap Update when the version update is released. Android users can open the game and follow the onscreen instructions (or open Google Play and tap Update).
Another big part of this week’s Genshin Impact update is the release of the Xiao Banner event. This will be available after Genshin Impact 1.3 was released on February 3rd.
Xiao from Genshin Impact will be an anemo-polearm user, joining the likes of Xiangling and Zhongli, making him a bit rarer.
Xiao sounds like a bit of a powerhouse too, with no support character stats promoted by the MiHoYo team.
Instead, the next five-star character in Genshin Impact will deal burst damage at high speeds, which sounds pretty exciting.
This week, the development team revealed Xiao’s backstory as well as his ability list, which can be found below:
Whirlwind Thrust: Performs up to six fast attacks in normal attack, charged attack. Uses stamina to perform an upward thrust.
Lemniscatic Wind Cycling: Performs quick sprints and deals anemo damage to enemies in its path. Can be used in the air and starts with two charges.
Bane of All Evil Elemental Burst: Improves a number of stats, including Xiao’s jumping ability, DMG speeds, which also convert to Anemo.
The effects end when Xiao leaves the field and also causes the character to lose HP in this state.
Genshin Impact is available for free download today on PS4, PC and mobile platforms.