Lantern Rite is something that is dearest to Genshin Impact, as it's the game's way of celebrating the Lunar New Year. The in-game event has always coincided with the new year and brings events that are packed with rewards.
Once it arrives, all lights will shine on Liyue, and you'll get to meet the colorful cast from the region with plenty of mini-games to check out. All of which bring a grander festival-type atmosphere than other similar events in Genshin Impact.
So, if you're looking forward to the next ones, here are the expected dates.
Lantern Rite 2025 Expected Schedule
While HoYoverse has not confirmed any dates, if we go by the past schedule, Lantern Rite in Genshin Impact is expected to start sometime around mid-to-late January and will be part of version 5.3.
Keep in mind this is just a guess based on past patterns, which suggests Lantern Rite starts before the Lunar New Year but not too early. Here is the past schedule compared with Lunar New Year:
Year (Game Version) | Lantern Rite Start Date | Lunar New Year Date | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
2021 (1.3) | February 10 | February 12 | 2 days |
2022 (2.4) | January 25 | February 1 | 7 days |
2023 (3.4) | January 19 | January 22 | 3 days |
2024 (4.4) | February 5 | February 10 | 5 days |
In 2025, the Lunar Year will be on January 29, so it is reasonable to assume Lantern Rite will arrive before it.
Because they always conclude within one version and have a runtime of 20-plus days, anything later than that will collide with the version 5.4 release schedule of February 12, 2025.
One more thing to consider is that 5.3 is confirmed to feature the final Archon Quest for Natlan, which will start with the release of the version on January 1, 2025.
Since both of them are spotlight-worthy events, Lantern Rite starting in the latter half of January makes perfect sense. So, putting all that into the picture, it's likely that Lantern Rite will be scheduled for the last two weeks of January.
Keep in mind that these predictions are if everything goes smoothly as is, any unexpected delay or circumstance may cause a change in dates.
What to expect in Genshin Impact Lantern Rite 2025?
No official confirmation has been made about Lantern Rite 2025 but there have been several leaks.
Here's what has been alleged about the event:
- Madam Ping will be playable, and her signature weapon will be a Polearm that suits Xiao.
- A new skin for Yelan.
- A new 4-star character for Liyue, Layan. Leaked to be Anemo, a girl, and have a short height.
These are all leaks and nothing is confirmed until HoYoverse reveals it themselves.
Outside of these, you can expect all the usual content Lantern Rite has brought in the past. One leak does highlight that there will be no new region in version 5.3.
Keep an eye out on our Genshin Impact coverage, and we'll confirm things as they're revealed.