Outside the fans causing a frenzy, this cryptic sort of teaser for Genshin Impact 5.8 seems to be somewhat Bennett-centric. The silhouetted spread of “past dream” in the official tweet, along with the link to detail information, caused the entire fandom to speculate.

Bennett, the concoction of misfortune and pleasant adventure, is cast with two shadowy figures, deemed by players to be the latter’s parents. The backstory of this much-loved 4-star could be told for the very first time since its initial launch all these years ago. Judging by all the responses, maybe the players are not emotionally ready for what miHoYo is trying to dish out.

One player screamed, “BENNET MY BABY BOY” while another exclaimed, “benny my beloved child is finally getting his proper character development.” The hype is huge, with some saying, “I can feel it. This event is going to have me sobbing,” and others saying the picture has to be made an official wallpaper.

A few eagle-eyed fans managed to spot something curious about the teaser’s very own format. “Wait, did we ever have a countdown version before?” asked one almost perplexed player, in regard to the unorthodox presentation style. Meanwhile, another group is diving into gameplay predictions, hoping this might “mean a 5 stars skin that can trigger Nightsoul Blessing.”

Theories keep flying with some speculating this ties into deeper lore about dreams and memories (a major topic found within Genshin’s lore); others are just ecstatic to see their main get some spotlight: “My main since the day I got him! Finally, his backstory!” exclaimed one longtime Bennett lover.

But, with Genshin Impact, nothing is ever so straightforward. The phrase “silhouette of a past dream” has probably put players onto analyzing every single pixel for any kind of clue. Could it be linked somehow to the Hexenzirkel? To the Abyss Order? Or is it just the heartfelt character story of the unlucky adventurer everyone loves?

The timing is also pretty interesting: summer events are usually supposed to be lighthearted, and yet the replies go on about how this might pack an emotional punch. “THE COUNT DOWN IS GONNA MAKE ME CRY I CANAY DO THIS” yelled one flustered fan-everyone feels the same.

As of now, relatively few details are given besides full reveal. What feels relatively certain is the long-awaited Bennet mains finally feast. Spoiled with decades of unlucky jokes, maybe their boy finally flourishes with some narrative respect. Whether it spills into gameplay mechanics or lore drops or character development, no one knows; all Genshin community’s onward for what will surely be a devastatingly emotional ride.

Honestly, since we’ve had all the heavy optics augmented by the Fontaine arc, a cathartic tear from and for our kind of underdog pyro boy would really enrich this narrative. The full details can’t come soon enough for players who have waited since 1.0 to find out what really makes Bennett tick beside bad luck. You can only hope that the adventure is worth the hype.