Genshin Impact Update 2.3: Release date, characters, and everything new

Geo characters will headline this latest update.

Genshin Impact Update 2.3, "Shadows Amidst Snowstorms," is set to release on Nov. 24, 2021. While it may be an incremental update this time around, it's still adding new characters and events to one of the best Android games out there. From the mountainous Dragonspine area to Inazuma, players will have plenty of content to get through. Just be sure you brace for the unrelenting cold.

As always, Update 2.3 will be free for all players across all platforms. With that said, let's dive in and check out everything you can expect when it launches.

Genshin Impact Update 2.3: Adventures in Dragonspine

The snowy mountain of Dragonspine will soon be home to new challenges that await players in Update 2.3. Taking its name from the title of the update, Shadows Amidst Snowstorms is the primary event and focus of this upcoming update. It may not be a massive update, but it is aptly themed around the cold holiday season.

Agility Training: See how fast you really are and sprint across race tracks strewn with various buffs and obstacles.
Tracker Training: Those with a keen eye will be tasked with finding certain Ice Crystal Piles to melt and collect Snowman Components.
Combat Training: Enemies circling around special Lures will be buffed, providing a greater challenge. Sheer Cold will also accumulate faster, so pay close attention to it.

Genshin Impact Update 2.3: Arataki Itto and Gorou headline a new banner

Arataki Itto and Gorou make their debut as playable characters in Update 2.3, though their banner event will come a couple of weeks after the update releases.

Arataki Itto: Itto is a five-star Geo claymore wielder, and a powerful Oni. Gaining stacks of Superlative Superstrength through his Normal attacks and Elemental Skill, he can unleash a deadly Charged Attack, the Arataki Kesagiri. His Elemental Burst, Royal Descent: Behold, turns him into a beastly Oni King with boosted attack stats.
Gorou: Gorou is a four-star Geo bow user and general of the Watasumi Island resistance in Inazuma. His Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst work to buff your party and deal excessive AoE Geo damage.

Genshin Impact Update 2.3: Albedo and Eula are up for a banner rerun

While Update 2.3 is adding a couple of new characters, its first banner event will be a rerun. Five-star characters Albedo and Eula will headline two simultaneous wish events. These events will share the same cumulative pull count towards a guaranteed five-star drop. Details regarding these mechanics can be found over at miHoYo's website.

Albedo: One of the few Geo characters, Albedo is the Chief Alchemist and Captain of the Investigation Team of the Knights of Favonius in Mondstadt.
Eula: Hailing from the Lawrence Clan of Mondstadt, Eula is a Cyro user and Captain of the Reconnaissance Company in the Knights of Favonius.

Genshin Impact Update 2.3: New weapons, monsters, and events

Fewer weapons and enemies are being added this time around than usual, but there will be a heap of events to play, including new challenges across Dragonspine and Inazuma. On top of that, Paimon will be able to be invited into your Serenitea Pot.

Events

Shadows Amidst Snowstorms: Players will be challenged around Dragonspine in a series of agility, tracking, and combat training mini-games. Players will also be able to build a puffy snowman. Because 'tis the season.
Bantan Sango Case Files: The Warrior Dog: The Bantan Sango Detective Agency teams up with the Adventurer's Guild in Inazuma to investigate the mysterious disappearance of small animals all around the region. As a reward, players will be able to obtain a gadget that can replicate some of these animals in the Serenitea Pot.
Misty Dungeon: Realm of Light: Enter a new domain described as a "place of profound secrets."
Energy Amplifier Fruition: Hosseini makes a reappearance with a new Energy Amplifier that can alter and buff your abilities in battle.
Marvelous Merchandise: A new merchant has come to Mondstadt with limited-time deals on items.
Hangouts: Hangouts for Beidou and Gorou have been added.

Weapons and artifacts

Redhorn Stonethresher (five-star claymore)
Cinnabar Spindle (four-star sword)
Ocean Head Clam (five-star artifact)
Husk of Opulent Dreams (five-star artifact)

Monsters

Update 2.3 won't add new enemy types, but players will be able to take on a new boss on Tsurumi Island, the Golden Wolflord. One of its nastier abilities is applying the Corrosion status, meaning all characters in a party will continually lose HP. It also becomes less resistant to Geo attacks in later stages of the fight, so plan accordingly.