Genshin Impact 2.2 update release date, livestream time, major leaks and more

Genshin Impact will release the 2.2 update in under two weeks, and an upcoming livestream will soon preview the new content.

The 2.2 livestream will be a special broadcast lasting just under an hour. Here, viewers may learn about the upcoming banners, events, and potentially new regions coming to Genshin Impact. There are several major leaks about the next update, and the livestream may very well confirm them.

---

When will Genshin Impact 2.2 be released?

Hu Tao, a character rumored to return in Genshin Impact 2.2 (Image via miHoYo)

Genshin Impact 2.2 will launch on October 13. On this date, after the usual maintenance hours, Genshin Impact will have new playable content and gacha banners.

As always, the Genshin Impact team is keeping its lips sealed, at least until the livestream. For now, the only major thing that's confirmed is that players will get the free 5-star character, Aloy, if they didn't get her in version 2.1.

Though miHoYo has cracked down on leakers, there are still plenty of rumors and leaks surrounding the next update. Most notably, there are rumors of a new island to explore, meaning players will have new chests to hunt and world quests to fulfill.

---

Genshin Impact 2.2 banner leaks

Banner leaks are rather scattered this time around, but many in the Genshin Impact community now expect reruns of Hu Tao and Childe. If not these two banners, Ganyu and Albedo reruns are both still possible.

Regardless, version 2.2 is unlikely to feature a new 5-star character, meaning Yae fans will have to wait a while longer.

Thoma, however, is likely to appear as a new 4-star character under one of the 2.2 banners. Leaks have revealed plenty of Thoma’s gameplay, and he’ll probably perform well in the Genshin Impact meta.

The Fixer should be a Pyro polearm character with great shield support. Thoma’s sub-DPS may also be rather impressive, with an ability that deals Pyro damage in tandem with the active character’s attacks.

Regarding the weapon banners, players can expect a new 5-star bow that will be Childe’s best-in-slot option. This bow, Polar Star, should have a base attack of 609 and a CRIT Rate bonus of 33.1% at level 90.

Moreover, Polar Star’s ability will likely increase Elemental Skill and Burst damage while allowing its user to buff their ATK with various attacks.

To confirm whether any of these leaks and rumors are true, Genshin Impact players can tune in to the upcoming livestream.

---

When is the 2.2 livestream?

As per the official announcement, the 2.2 special livestream will air on October 3 at 8:00 AM (UTC -4).

In other time zones, the livestream will start at times listed below:

• USA: October 3, 8.00 AM EDT
• UK: October 3, 1.00 PM BST
• India: October 3, 5.30 PM IST
• China: October 3, 8.00 PM CST
• Japan: October 3, 9.00 PM JST

Genshin Impact fans can watch the 2.2 livestream on the game’s official Twitch channel. Apart from showcasing the upcoming content, these livestreams are known to give out some free Primogems via redeem codes. The livestream codes usually expire within a day, so viewers should make sure to take advantage of them while they can.