The theme of Genshin Impact’s 5.6 livestream preview is titled “Paradox” — the shortest and most mysterious title in the game’s history. As we know, when the title is brief, something big is definitely coming!
The key visual shows beloved characters from Mondstadt’s early days: Venti, Albedo, Kaeya, and the Grand Master. For veteran players, this is a total nostalgia trip. It’s clear that the story is returning to Mondstadt, with Dragonspine as the backdrop.
Venti, the first Archon introduced into the wish banners, has a deeply rich story. He often serves as a storyteller from the perspective of a god. Kaeya’s background is no less mysterious — despite being the first free 4-star character for all Travelers, he offered players countless unique gameplay experiences, like sneaking across oceans (who else remembers failing a few times while “smuggling” into Inazuma?).
Albedo is even more closely tied to Dragonspine’s lore. Many players, myself included, first truly struggled (and froze to death!) in Dragonspine, creating unforgettable memories. I personally got my first Frostbearer claymore after spending two full hours with a helpful online friend guiding me through the harsh mountains.
Interestingly, the 5.6 teaser poster does not feature any new limited 5-star characters like Arlecchino or Skirk, hinting that this update is heavily focused on progressing the main story rather than introducing a new banner. It’s possible that Venti will lead players to the long-awaited Sea of Quanta map expansion. The background, Dragonspine, could also suggest that Albedo’s story will reveal underground passages connecting to Snezhnaya. From there, characters like Arlecchino and Skirk could naturally be introduced.
Albedo seems to be positioned as the centerpiece of the poster, possibly indicating that the story will “dig deep” into Dragonspine — perhaps even a new underground “layer” like a DLC expansion.
Linking back to earlier events in version 4.8, the story could finally wrap up the loose threads about the Wanderer, Durin, and Albedo’s true nature. Given the lack of new 5-star characters teased, it’s highly likely we’ll also see surprise appearances from hidden groups like the Hexenzirkel (Witch Assembly) from Mondstadt’s lore.
As for the Grand Master, they’re probably going to act as a guide into the new map area, meeting the Traveler partway through the journey — a natural and immersive way to push the story forward.
