Genshin Impact Leak Teases Upcoming Natlan Character

Summary

A Genshin Impact leak potentially reveals that Xbalanque, a highly anticipated character from Natlan, will feature the boy model type.
Xbalanque, a Pyro Polearm character, is expected to offer new off-field Pyro options for team-building in Spiral Abyss.
In addition, fans eagerly anticipate how Arlecchino will shake up the meta in Version 4.6 of the game.

While Genshin Impact is approaching the latter half of its Fontaine updates, a recent leak has confirmed information relating to Xbalanque, a highly anticipated character from Natlan. The main appeal of Genshin Impact has always been twofold: its addictive open-world exploration, and its memorable cast of characters. Though the game started with only Mondstadt and Liyue, each subsequent year has given Genshin Impact players a whole new region of Teyvat to explore, complemented by a steady stream of characters belonging to that region (with a few wildcards sprinkled in).

Genshin Impact characters such as Neuvillette have become a mainstay, and fans eagerly await to see how Arlecchino will shake up the meta in Version 4.6. While HoYoverse doesn't favor the concept of power creep in Genshin Impact, the developers have still managed to create new characters that provide unique gameplay or expand upon an underrepresented niche (such as Xianyun enabling plunge teams).

The recent leak posted on the Genshin Impact Leaks subreddit, in what many fans consider to be a period of drought, concerns the Natlan character of Xbalanque. Second only to the Pyro Archon in terms of player excitement, Team Mew claims that Xbalanque has the boy model template in his concept art. The medium male body type – as it is alternatively known – has been used by many iconic Genshin Impact characters, such as Cyno, Wanderer, and Venti.

Who Is Xbalanque in Genshin Impact?

Though no current concept art of Xbalanque exists, Natlan in Genshin Impact is expected to draw from Latin American, Mesoamerican, and West African influences – both colonial and pre-colonial. Earlier leaks have described Xbalanque as a darker-skinned Bennett, which certainly lines up with the latest information. Considering the inspiration behind his name, it's safe to assume that Xbalanque will most likely be a Pyro character, if not the Pyro Sovereign himself.

As a Pyro Polearm, Arlecchino in Genshin Impact is expected to be an on-field character with a focus on Overload. However, there are many underutilized aspects of the Pyro element that Xbalanque could contribute to. Outside Xiangling, and to a lesser extent, Thoma and Dehya, there are few off-field Pyro options when it comes to team-building. Having an alternative to Xiangling would open up more versatile Spiral Abyss builds, similar to how Xingqiu and Yelan inhabit the same role within the same team. Ultimately, it may be some time until Genshin Impact players receive their first official glimpse of Xbalanque, but with Version 4.5 releasing on March 12, 2024, the nation of Natlan isn't too far away.

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Genshin Impact

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8 /10

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Released: September 28, 2020

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Step into Teyvat, a vast world teeming with life and flowing with elemental energy.

You and your sibling arrived here from another world. Separated by an unknown god, stripped of your powers, and cast into a deep slumber, you now awake to a world very different from when you first arrived.

Thus begins your journey across Teyvat to seek answers from The Seven — the gods of each element. Along the way, prepare to explore every inch of this wondrous world, join forces with a diverse range of characters, and unravel the countless mysteries that Teyvat holds...

MASSIVE OPEN WORLD
Climb any mountain, swim across any river, and glide over the world below, taking in the jaw-dropping scenery each step of the way. And if you stop to investigate a wandering Seelie or strange mechanism, who knows what you might discover?

ELEMENTAL COMBAT SYSTEM
Harness the seven elements to unleash elemental reactions. Anemo, Electro, Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, Dendro, and Geo interact in all sorts of ways, and Vision wielders have the power to turn this to their advantage.

Will you vaporize Hydro with Pyro, electro-charge it with Electro, or freeze it with Cryo? Your mastery of the elements will give you the upper hand in battle and exploration.

BEAUTIFUL VISUALS
Feast your eyes on the world around you, with a stunning art style, real-time rendering, and finely tuned character animations delivering you a truly immersive visual experience. Lighting and weather all change naturally over time, bringing every detail of this world to life.

SOOTHING SOUNDTRACK
Let the beautiful sounds of Teyvat draw you in as you explore the expansive world around you. Performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the soundtrack changes seamlessly with the time and gameplay to match the mood.

BUILD YOUR DREAM TEAM
Team up with a diverse cast of characters in Teyvat, each with their own unique personalities, stories, and abilities. Discover your favorite party combinations and level up your characters to help you conquer even the most daunting of enemies and domains.

JOURNEY WITH FRIENDS
Team up with friends across various platforms to trigger more elemental action, tackle tricky boss fights, and conquer challenging domains together to reap rich rewards.

As you stand atop the peaks of Jueyun Karst and take in the rolling clouds and vast terrain stretching out before you, you may wish to stay in Teyvat a little longer... But until you are reunited with your lost sibling, how can you rest? Go forth, Traveler, and begin your adventure!