Genshin Impact 1.3 update release date and details

The mystery is over, miHoYo has revealed the much awaited Genshin Impact 1.3 update release date, along with the juicy details. Called All That Glitters, it isn't going to bring the new Inazuma region, but there are many other interesting things to experience. The Lantern Rite event, for example, is only held once a year, but those who have enjoyed it during the closed beta were mesmerized by the fantastic atmosphere, myself included.

Before we dive into the meat of the update, the big news: the Genshin Impact 1.3 update release date is February 3, 2021 on PC, PS4, PS5, Android, and iOS.

We'll start with Xiao, the brand new character that is bound to make many players excited. Xiao, the Vigilant Yaksha, is a 5-star character that fights using a polearm as a weapon and Anemo is his element. His elemental burst is devastating but comes with a dangerous twist – the increased damage that it provides comes at the cost of a continuous health drain, so use it with extreme care.

Xiao will be your company during the Lantern Rite event, Liyue's age-old tradition that will require you to assist various locals as you prepare for the celebration. One of the most curious additions is the tower defense strategy game Theater Mechanicus. You know what that means – this is another activity that will test your skills and become another major time sink.

When the update releases, you get to claim 10 free Intertwined Fates via a daily login event, and there are over 1,600 Primogems waiting for those who complete the other festive events. But there's more, and quite an exciting surprise: you get to choose one free 4-star character from Liyue to join your team. Will you choose Beidou, Xiangling, Ningguang, Xingqiu, Chongyun, or Xinyan?

It seems that Ley Lines will reward you with extra items for the duration of the event, and you can count of new and useful features, from customization to optimization. For one, there's the new gadget called Parametric Transformer that you can use to turn surplus resources into something useful – whatever that may be -, and now you can showcase up to eight characters via the Profile screen.

While the Genshin Impact 1.3 update, All That Glitters, doesn't seem to bring a new region, it is filled to the brim with new features, some of them clearly based on player feedback. Personally, we can't wait for February 3.