Say “au revoir” to Sumeru. As Genshin Impact 4.0 inches closer every day so too does our arrival in the nation of Fontaine. Even if players aren’t able to explore the watery nation just yet, the ability to play some of the characters of the region already means Fontaine will be the next stop in Genshin Impact update 4.0. Here’s everything we know about Fontaine and Genshin Impact 4.0.
When Will Fontaine Come to Genshin Impact?
Genshin Impact will expand to include Fontaine in its 4.0 update. However, the date for the Genshin Impact 4.0 update is still up in the air. We do know that it will be the next major update after 3.8 was released at the beginning of July. The typical length of Genshin patches is roughly six weeks, so if that trend holds we should see the release of 4.0 in late August.
Is There a Genshin Impact 4.0 Trailer?
Yes! At the start of July Hoyoverse released the Overture: Final Feast teaser trailer that gave fans their first in-depth look at what they can expect in 4.0 and the new region of Fontaine. Check it out:
In addition to showing off the watery nation of Fontaine, it also reveals a number of new characters including 4.0’s villain and perhaps the Hydro Archon.
What Country Is Fontaine Based On?
Fontaine seems to be based on France. Its name means “fountain” in French, which fits as the home of the Hydro Archon. Also, numerous NPCs from there have French-sounding names. At this point, it’s unclear how else Fontaine mirrors France.
What Is Fontaine’s Role in the Genshin Impact Story?
At the end of the Teyvat Chapter Storyline Act III, the Traveler decides of their own volition that Fontaine is their next destination. Nahida explains what she knows about the country at the top of her head, including that it operates on a judicial system where a “Chief Justice” judges its people. The Hydro Archon Focalors often shows up to these trials.
As per the Teyvat Chapter Storyline trailer, she lives for the courtroom:
The God of Justice lives for the spectacle of the courtroom, seeking to judge all other gods. But even she knows not to make an enemy of the divine.
Dainsleif’s narration seems to imply that, while Focalors enjoys judging “all other gods” and her own people, she doesn’t have the delusion of wanting to become an all-powerful being.
What Is the Environment Like in Fontaine?
Most of what we know about Fontaine’s environment comes from leaks. The region is mostly defined by a vast amount of water, with map leaks showing the region consists of a collection of Islands. Some Genshin Impact channels think this could even mean underwater exploration like in Tower of Fantasy.
Fontaine is known as the nation of justice, but it’s also a hub for arts and technology. Francis, a traveling merchant, calls Fontaine a country of “true beauty and elegance.” Another NPC named Midori says that all the roads are built in mid-air and that flying wagons can take passengers from one side of town to another. There’s also apparently a “special energy system” in Fontaine that’s declining, so people are trying to find alternative resources to replace it.
Who Are the Genshin Impact Fontaine Characters?
Only a few playable characters from Fontaine have shown up in the Genshin Impact story. Lyney and Lynette were the first two Fontaine characters introduced in the Teyvat Chapter Storyline trailer. These two siblings are dressed in Victorian-style blouses and corsets that reflect Fontaine’s 1900’s French aesthetic. Leakers and aggregate accounts also point to Lyney as the first Fontaine 5-star.
The Final Feast teaser trailer officially revealed a number of characters players will encounter in Fontaine while putting a focus on Arlecchino who appears to be the region's main antagonist. She is one of the Fatui Harbingers, known as “The Knave”.
Here’s a short list of the Fontaine characters we know about at this time:
- Freminet
- Lyney
- Lynette
- Navia
- Wriothesley
- Sigewinne
- Clorinde
- Arlecchino
- Furina
- Neuvillette
Who Is the Hydro Archon in Genshin Impact?
Before the Final Feast teaser trailer, it was believed that Focalors would be the Hydro Archon. This is based on conversations with Nahida. According to Nahida, she acts as the final judge in Fontaine, but won’t personally preside over individual trials even if she still appears at almost every one because she seems to enjoy “that sort of atmosphere.” Plus, there’s the allure of the final say. If she disagrees with a verdict, she has the right to change it as the nation’s Archon.
Nahida also said that Focalors has a “very unique personality,” but her statement doesn’t make it obvious what that exactly means.
In the Final Feast teaser trailer, we get a look at Furina, who appears to fill the same role that Nahida prescribed to Focalors. Nahida has a carefree attitude while she is shown to preside over trials in Fontaine. It is possible Furina and Focalors are one and the same, with fans theorizing that the “unique personality” Nahida mentioned refers to a split personality.
