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Genshin Impact update 3.4 will feature the highly anticipated Lantern Rite festival. It will feature some exciting banners and might also be the return of certain characters who have been absent from the game for over a year.
This article provides the exact release date and time for update 3.4 and its first banner in detail. It is important to remember that this date is based on the timeline that update 3.3 is following.
The banner timing might get pushed back if there is a delay due to unforeseen circumstances. However, as of now, there is no such news, and it seems players will get everything on time.
Full details regarding the Genshin Impact 3.4 banner release
Genshin Impact 3.4 banner is set for release around January 18, 2023. This is based on the fact that version update 3.3 will last for six weeks, which is the usual period for Genshin Impact patches in general.
The time for the release of the first banner for every major timezone has also been provided below:
- Pacific Daylight Time: 8:00 PM
- Central Daylight Time: 10:00 PM
- Central European Summer Time: 5:00 AM
- Indian Standard Time: 8:30 AM
- Chinese Standard Time: 11:00 AM
It is important to remember that these timezones are based on the standard release window for every major version update. Usually, the game goes into maintenance around five hours before the time above.
However, there are situations where the maintenance is extended, which changes the release time. In any case, the 3.4 update is still a month away from release, so fans do not have to worry too much about it.
Nevertheless, there are a few things that Genshin Impact players might be interested in regarding version update 3.4. Alhaitham, the highly anticipated Dendro DPS, is finally getting his first official banner.
This will be the first time a non-Liyue character has been featured alongside Lantern Rite, but HoYoverse has decided to switch things up a bit this year. Besides that, Yaoyao, the Dendro 4-star unit, will also be featured in this banner.
Unfortunately, this is where the confirmation regarding the banners comes to an end. Some solid leaks suggest that Hu Tao will return to the game once more, which makes sense, considering she has not had a banner since November 2021.
Apart from that, Ayaka is expected to get a banner as well since she is getting a brand new 5-star skin similar to Diluc. As it happens, this is the second non-Liyue character other than Alhaitham, who will be a part of Lantern Rite.
Lastly, Shenhe is also expected to get a rerun, as she has been missing from the game since her first banner in January 2022. Therefore, it is understandable that she is also being prioritized.
Unfortunately, Yelan will not be getting a rerun in Lantern Rite, despite demand from Genshin Impact players. The presence of non-Liyue characters in Lantern Rite might be an experiment by HoYoverse as they might be testing how those banners sell.
The increased influx of characters has made it hard to do regular reruns despite running four banners each patch. Therefore, it is understandable if the developers want to switch from the strict character rule during events.
