Excitement continues to build in the Genshin Impact community as version 5.8 approaches, bringing new characters that could potentially reshape the meta. With the current version focusing on Natlan's storyline, players are eagerly anticipating what HoYoverse has planned for the final update before the game transitions to version 6.0 and a new region.
New Characters Coming in Version 5.8
According to recent leaks and community discussions, Genshin Impact version 5.8 is expected to introduce at least two new characters to the roster. While official confirmations from HoYoverse are still pending, reliable sources suggest we'll see a new Electro character and potentially a Hydro character that could complement existing team compositions.
The most discussed upcoming character is a new 5-star Electro unit who, according to leaks, might function as a support character with debuffing capabilities. This character is rumored to be a significant upgrade over previous Electro supports like Chevreuse and Lan Yan, potentially revolutionizing Overvape team compositions with improved grouping mechanics and shielding capabilities.
Hydro Support Speculation
Another intriguing development for version 5.8 is the rumored Hydro character who is reportedly designed to work exceptionally well with Skirk, the mysterious abyssal swordswoman who trained Childe in his Foul Legacy technique. This character is generating significant buzz in the Skirk mains community.
According to discussions in the community: "If the leaks are true, this new Hydro support might potentially powercreep Dahlia, although Dahlia is currently already decent in Skirk teams by 4-star standards." This suggests that HoYoverse continues its trend of creating synergistic character pairings that encourage players to pull for complementary units.
The Expanding Meta Landscape
What's particularly interesting about these version 5.8 character leaks is how they fit into the evolving meta of Genshin Impact. We're currently in what some players call the "Stygian Onslaught era," where higher difficulty content is exposing vulnerabilities in older team compositions.
One community member noted: "Every single 5.x Limited 5-star support was meta defining to such an extent they took a gigantic dump over the previous meta and made a mockery of it." This pattern suggests that the new 5.8 characters will likely continue this trend of power escalation, particularly as the game prepares to transition to version 6.0.
Looking Beyond to Version 6.0
While the excitement for version 5.8 characters is palpable, many players are also looking ahead to what version 6.0 might bring. Leaks suggest that the 6.x meta will center around hydro reactions again, with the region's archon-like equivalent potentially functioning as "a Furina for shielders."
There's also speculation about a pyro character named Escoffier who could buff melt teams, particularly cryo ones, as well as other team archetypes like mono pyro.
Community Predictions
The Genshin Impact community remains divided on whether certain anticipated characters like Capitano will appear in version 5.8. As one player put it: "If there is a 5.8, I believe it'll be a filler and not our Capitano. With Nod-Krai coming real soon, there's less room for Capitano. It's gonna get iffy soon."
Others speculate that version 5.8 might feature Dahlia (likely a 4-star) alongside Skirk, with characters like Ifa and Effie appearing in versions 5.6 and 5.7 respectively.
Conclusion
As with all leaks and predictions, players should approach this information with caution until official announcements from HoYoverse. However, the consistent pattern of powerful supports in version 5.x updates suggests that the new Genshin Impact characters coming in version 5.8 will be worth saving primogems for, especially for players looking to tackle the game's increasingly challenging content.
Whether you're saving for the rumored Electro support, the Hydro character with Skirk synergy, or holding out for version 6.0's new faces, Genshin Impact's character roster continues to expand in exciting ways that keep the gameplay fresh and engaging for veterans and newcomers alike.