Genshin Impact developer miHoYo has adopted a storytelling method that advances the game's plot each time a region is added. All of the regions of Teyven come with their own rich lore and godlike Archons. Each area is also closely tied to one of the seven elemental powers of Genshin Impact. While players are unable to fully complete the story in its current state, miHoYo has confirmed the coming release of the newest region, Inazuma, which is the city-state that worships the Electro Archon, Baal.
The Inazuma region will come with several different areas, five of which have been given sneak previews in Version 1.5 and 1.6's Special Programs. With the worship of Baal, a figure known to be unforgiving and brutal in her methods, players can expect a unique experience throughout Inazuma's story and territories. The release of another region is likely months away, but with Inazuma now confirmed, some players are likely already wondering what comes next. Given the heavy role of Pyro in Genshin Impact's gameplay and characters, miHoYo should look to Natlan as the new area after Inazuma.
The region of Natlan features a more tribal-like society than Inazuma's isolationist, urban one. Its more rural locations could be a nice change of pace after spending time in Inazuma, which is described as "tense" and "dangerous" by Liyue Harbor NPC Atsuko. Meanwhile, dialogue within the manga and game concerning Natlan has described its inhabitants as warring tribes who worship the Pyro Archon Murata. Iansan, an upcoming character who hails from Natlan, has tanner skin than most other Genshin Impact characters, which is expected to be a common trait for people of the region, and some are expected to sport red hair as a sign of Murata's blessing.
Genshin Impact's Natlan Region Can Introduce Exciting New Characters
Iansan's design mirrors various aspects of Indigenous cultures, featuring colorful fabrics with feather and bead adornments. Iansan's name has origins in the western African Yoruba religion's goddess of winds, lightning, violent storms, rebirth, and death (via Afrodyssée, a Swiss nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of African fashion and visual arts). The name's association with death could explain the skull on Iansan's headband. Not much is known about Iansan herself; her element, moveset, backstory, and how she will compare to other playable characters are all a mystery. With luck, the introduction of Iansan into Genshin Impact will help players learn more about Natlan, perhaps in preparation for the region's addition to the game.
Genshin Impact's Archon Murata is the God of War and Lady of Fire that presides over Natlan, though her appearance has yet to be revealed in game or in the manga. Unlike Inazuma's strict rules, Natlan appears to have settled into more traditional, "survival of the fittest"-type methods. In the manga, Venti (a playable Anemo character) states that, "warriors from every tribe would perform rites of combat and celebrate victories in [Murata's] name." These rituals seem reminiscent of those practiced to worship real-world war gods, such as Ares or Bellona. With this in mind, it can be assumed that Natlan will be a more direct society, one with less political skirmishes and where strength is respected over cunning.
While the Inazuma nation is sure to be an exciting adventure, the region of Natlan could offer a nice change of pace after visiting such a tense setting. Being able to explore new areas with new playable characters always introduces plenty of opportunities to enjoy Genshin Impact, but Natlan's society, inhabitants, and Archon could truly shake up the game's narrative and meta.
Genshin Impact's Inazuma update will be released on July 21, 2021.