Genshin Impact's Sumeru region and Dendro playable characters could arrive sooner than expected, as leaks allege that Genshin Impact will jump from version 2.8 to 3.0, forgoing a 2.9 update. Genshin Impact's never-ending stream of leaks has long suggested that version 3.0 would bring the arrival of Sumeru, the Dendro region of Teyvat. Currently, there are no playable Dendro characters in Genshin Impact, and Dendro is the only element for which this is the case. Unsurprisingly, excitement for Genshin Impact's Dendro characters has been high, due to their elusive nature.
Genshin Impact launched in September 2020, with regular updates bringing new content every six weeks and expanding the roster of playable characters that can be obtained through the game's gacha Wish system. In between updates, Genshin Impact features multiple limited-time Events, giving players plenty to do while they wait for the upcoming version. Genshin Impact's recently delayed 2.7 update was an exception to the game's regular update schedule, releasing on May 31 rather than its initially anticipated May 11 release date. HoYoverse officially announced that Genshin Impact's next update, version 2.8, will arrive on July 13.
For some time, Genshin Impact leakers on Reddit have advised that datamined game files indicate version 2.8 will be the last update before 3.0, skipping over a 2.9 update entirely. If this is true, Genshin Impact players should have their hands on the Sumeru update by the end of August, which would be six weeks after version 2.8's confirmed mid-July release date. As sign-ups for Genshin Impact's 3.0 beta test are now open until June 13, with the beta test expected to commence shortly after, this appears to confirm that 3.0 will be the next update after the upcoming 2.8 update.
Genshin Impact Could Be Skipping 2.9 Update Entirely
While jumping from version 2.8 to 3.0 might sound unusual, it wouldn't be the first time Genshin Impact has skipped over an update. Genshin Impact's 2.0 update, which introduced the Electro region of Inazuma, followed the game's 1.6 update, skipping over versions 1.7 to 1.9 entirely. Based on this precedent, it appears that HoYoverse reserves updates ending in .0 to denote the most significant changes to the game, such as the addition of one of Teyvat's major regions to Genshin Impact. Currently, only three of the seven major nations have been added to the game, with Dendro nation Sumeru being the fourth.
With Genshin Impact's 3.0 beta test expected to kick off any day now, all signs point to Genshin Impact jumping from version 2.8 straight to 3.0, skipping over a 2.9 update entirely. Genshin Impact's 2.8 update already has an officially confirmed release date of July 13, as well as a confirmed new playable character, Inazuman detective Shikanoin Heizou. Skipping over version 2.9, the following update will be the highly-anticipated 3.0 update, bringing with it the India-inspired nation of Sumeru and, hopefully, Genshin Impact's first Dendro playable characters.
Source: Genshin Impact Leaks/Reddit