Genshin Impact's Sequel-Sized Natlan Expansion Is Out Now on PS5, PS4

If gacha game Genshin Impact wasn’t a live service, it’d be on its fourth or fifth sequel by now. Of course, HoYoverse has instead opted for an ever-expanding open world, which is up there with the biggest you’ll find on PS5 and PS4 these days. And today it’s got even bigger, with the release of the Pyro region, Natlan.

This massive v5.0 update brings with it all kinds of new content, including the continuation of the main story Archon quests, a bunch of unique characters, and fresh gameplay. Traversal is a big part of this update, as HoYoverse is playing with the release’s locomotion, adding heroes which transform the way moment-to-moment movement works.

This update is also launching alongside a ton of general gameplay improvements: there’s a new World Level, for example, which increases the overall difficulty – but also the rewards you’ll receive. You’ll finally be able to track and mark regional materials on your map, making it easier to ascend characters. And for newcomers, there’ll be ways to rapidly expedite your progress.

This author is, unfortunately, still wrapping up the story on Fontaine, so won’t be making the long journey to Natlan just yet. It’s exciting to see Genshin Impact continue to expand, though, and if you haven’t played the title since it launched in 2020, well, you’ve got some catching up to do – approximately 1,000 hours of catching up, to be precise.