Summary
A particularly keenGenshin Impactplayer discovered a clue about the upcoming Natlan region in the recent Special Program Announcement for Version 4.4. Despite initially releasing with just Mondstadt and Liyue, the developers have commendably been open aboutGenshin Impact’s future regions ever since the Travail teaser dropped.Genshin Impactteased Lyney and Lynettein September 2020, and their visual design, as well as their narrative role in Fontaine, endured without change all the way to their official debut in Version 4.0.
Similarly, the Natlan Chapter in the Travail teaser introduced Iansan, a small girl with (presumably) a Pyro vision that many fans suspect to be the younger sibling of Bennett, one of the most popular4-Star characters inGenshin Impact. Though no NPCs from Natlan have made an appearance in-game, places such as the Mare Jivari have already sparked the imagination of players eager to see the Pyro Nation of Teyvat. Iansan’s name is a reference to the Yoruba warrior goddess of fire, storms, death, and rebirth – which certainly fits with the chapter’s name: Incandescent Ode to Resurrection.
Natlan Will Draw Inspiration From Pre-Colonial Latin America in Genshin Impact
However, as suspected byGenshin Impactplayers, Natlan will also draw inspiration from Latin America. These suspicions arose from the leitmotif that accompanied the Natlan introduction in the Travail teaser, and over the years, have only grown stronger. Thanks to the sharp eyes of LuminaRein, the community now has another piece of the puzzle, as the latest Special Program Announcement showed thatGenshin Impact’s developers have been researching An Environmental History of Latin America for the purposes of creating upcoming content. The book, written by Shawn William Miller, focuses on dispelling misconceptions about pre-colonial Latin America, while providing an overview of farming techniques and ecological management developed by its civilizations.
Considering that manyGenshin Impactplayers were worried that HoYoverse would depict Natlan as an “uncivilized” region, this clue should help eliminate some of those doubts. Based on the new Talking Stickweapon fromGenshin Impact’s Battle Passreward track, fans can also expect to see elements from Mesoamerican cultures such as the Aztecs in Natlan. After all, the name itself is inspired by the Nahuatl language. The fact that players spotted similar research material about the Middle East ahead of Sumeru’s debut reinforces the suspicion that the book is related to Natlan.
Though Natlan is expected to come out near the end of Summer 2024, a few leaks have already made their way to theGenshin Impactcommunity. It’s important to take the information with a grain of salt, as not only can ideas change during development, but reliable sources have yet to reveal any concept art like in the Sumeru and Fontaine era of leaks. For now, at least, fans can rest easy knowing that HoYoverse is doing its research forNatlan inGenshin Impact.
