Character leaks are quite common in Genshin Impact, and most of them have turned out to be real. The latest alleged leaks for miHoYo's free-to-play RPG point toward a new character named Yae. However, unlike other recently leaked characters, Yae has shown up in official promotional materials before. So, when should Yae actually be playing in Genshin Impact?
Yae first appeared during the Chinese version of the Genshin Impact Version 1.5 livestream - at least, in Chibi form. Viewers were quick to point out how much she looks like Yae Sakura from Honkai Impact 3rd, another miHoYo RPG, although there were many notable differences in her attire and design. Since then, however, rumors have remained rampant that she'll be appearing in Genshin Impact in a future update.
Typically, character leaks for Genshin Impact are fairly accurate, but this is a rare instance of miHoYo showing off a glimpse of Yae long before she's officially confirmed as playable. Reported leaks from alleged datamines have shown off new Genshin Impact characters like Gorou and Kokomi - who have been rendered in 3D by fans. Likewise, 3D renders of Yae have also surfaced online in the past couple of months, based on both an ostensible datamine and the Chibi-style character shown off in the 1.5 livestream. So far, there's no official word on when Yae will become playable, so when should players expect to find her in-game?
Genshin Impact: When Yae Will Likely Be Playable
Already, characters like Yoimiya and Sayu have already been shown off by miHoYo, presumably for Genshin Impact's next update. This means characters like Yae probably won't be playable anytime soon. However, with a growing emphasis on the Inazuma region, Yae may appear as an NPC as early as the next update, similarly to how other characters like Tartaglia have been introduced and then become playable later on.
Adding to the confusion of Yae appearing in-game is that another Genshin Impact character, Guuji Yae, was already shown off by miHoYo in 2019. While the names may be a mere coincidence, and these two characters are different, it's also possible Yae's model is a redesign from the earlier one of Guuji Yae, who's expected to be a part of the Inazuma content.
So far, miHoYo has given no indication of when Yae will be playable in Genshin Impact - or commented on her possible connections to Honkai Impact 3rd or previously shown characters like Guuji Yae. However, based on other characters that have already been officially revealed, it's likely Yae won't be playable in the game anytime soon.