On March 1, Genshin Impact will release its Version 3.5 update, bringing nostalgic events to the world of Teyvat. First and foremost is the Windblume Festival, a classic Mondstadt spring event where people give fresh flowers to their loved ones and Winblume offerings to the Anemo Archon.
For the storyline of this romantic and colorful festival, Collei and fellow Sumera favorites Tighnari and Cyno will travel to Mondstadt. During the Windblume festivities, they will go on an adventure where they decipher a mysterious prophecy and light the Lantern of Utmost Joy.
The Windblume Festival will also include three fun game modes: Floral Pursuit, Ballads of Breeze, and Breezy Snapshots. The first is a timed balloon collection game, the second is a musically-inspired rhythm game with three instrument options, and the third is a picture-taking challenge.
If you play through all Windblume Festival events, you’ll earn event rewards such as the Mailed Flower Claymore, Unfading Silky Grace, Crown of Insight, Primogems, Talent Level-Up Materials, Weapon Ascension materials, Mystic Enhancement Ore, More, and Character EXP Materials.
Version 3.5 will also include adding two previously non-playable characters, Deyha and Mika, as playable heroes.
During the Windblume Festival this year, there are also a handful of other nostalgic events that you can participate in around Teyvat.
Spices from the West: Northerly Search is a cooking game where you create seasonings to add to your favorite dishes, making them Fragrant dishes. You can also use these dishes in your teapot to hopefully bond with your favorite characters.
Fungus Mechanicus is for people who loved the Beast Tamer’s event. At a theater in Port Ormos, you can control little fungi to fight mechanical creatures (mechanici). Clear all mechanici to win. Beast Tamer favorites like Bongo-Head and Twirly Whirly will be there, too.
Vibro-Crystal Verification Challenge takes you back to early Genshin, playing with specific energy crystals and elements to create tremendous effects. To help a Fontaine engineer, you’ll use those Vibro-Crystal effects to buff yourself and damage foes, completing several combat challenges.
There’s even more coming this March with the Version 3.5 update. Ley Line Overflow will be available again to help level up characters. Heated Battle Mode will also come to Genius Invokation TCG, reducing the cost of Elemental Dice. Also, alongside all these fun events will be new event wishes, highlighting Shenhe, Ayaka, and Mika as the main characters.
While this isn’t the theorized expanded Mondstadt update, there’s still hope out there that the various leaks and hints that fans have found could lead to a bigger and better Mondstadt. For example, recently the popular Genshin Impact lore and memes account Teyvat Tabloid tweeted about how the map has changed around Mondstadt.
The new map changes seemingly make a perfect space for a possible new region above Cider Lake. After all, with the new refocus on Mondstadt characters and events like the Windblume Festival and Mika, MiHoYo could be preparing fans to expand this original region like never before.
