The official Genshin Impact account has recently released a video where the new 5-star Hydro character, Columbina, is presented with the name of ‘Welkin Moon’s Homecoming.’ The character will be released on January 14th, as part of the ‘Somnias a Luna’ event character wish, following the Version Luna IV update which will include a significantly increased drop rate. This reveals a very detailed first look at the gameplay of Columbina just before her long-awaited release.
So, the Genshin social media team revealed the whole kit breakdown for Columbina and the reaction was what one would expect, i.e. completely insane in the best way possible. We received the tweet that announced, the stylish video that showed, and all the details regarding her being a Hydro character in the ‘Somnias a Luna’ wish banner. But let’s not fool ourselves, nobody starts with the small print, they just look at the art and scream.
Right away, the responses are a beautiful chaos. Gamers, like @SHAD0WGYU, are amazed, “Oh my god she’s gorgeous,” and it’s hard to disagree with that. Then there is @Lunamoo71330902 who declares, “My wife will be mine,” demonstrating a commitment which is worthy of respect without any hesitation. Another user, @nightlykuutar, confesses they “could sob looking at this, and this is just explaining the basics.” Honestly, the connection with a pixel character feels so real, I can even relate to it.
But it’s not just about simping—though most of the comments are indeed of this type, of course. Gamers are already digging into the details. One user, @sukaikitsuneNr1 is questioning her constellations with “Watch her c1 add heals”. That’s the kind of panic coming from deep thinking that is a hallmark of the pre-release phase. Another user is raising the big meta questions: “Will the current lunar reactions be the only 3 lunar reactions there is?” Dude, the update isn’t even live yet, and we are already worried about the limits for elemental reactions. The dedication is amazing.
And let’s not forget the classic Genshin community drought: collecting the wrong materials. User @recedingrust is rumored to have collected a lot of materials that Columbina will not even use, and @piopietaart chimed in with “f in the chat for everyone who collected this thinking columbina would use it (including me lol).” It has become somewhat of a rite of passage. You really haven’t pre-farmed for a character until you’ve mis-farmed for the wrong thing at least once.
There was an argument about fan service and which characters get it in particular that broke out among the replies. User @Slayerggk pointed out Ayaka, Nilou, Citlali, and Furina as characters who are given fan service, which led to many debating whether being flustered could be seen as fan service. @DeadvidD was arguing it is just natural behavior, while others were saying the opposite. Honestly, who has the time for this?? A character hasn’t even been launched yet, and we are analyzing literature according to her possible interactions. The Genshin fandom is definitely one of a kind.
And the international aspect, can we not mention that, please? The tweet received responses in numerous languages, which proved that the hype was really worldwide. @bad_biiiiitch advised a friend in Indonesian to prepare their Primogems: “siapkan primogems mu kawan, kita ngepull dewi bulan!!!!” which translates to “prepare your primogems, friend, we’re pulling the moon goddess!!!!” Hype is limitless, man.
Then comes the everlasting demand from @ineffacore: “bring back chibis.” Nothing ever changes. Meanwhile, @simiebun beautifully captured the mood: “One more week to go; this is going to be the longest week. But I am so excited to finally get her.” The wait is agonizing, yet the excitement is still there, and it is making us feel it.
What can we conclude from all this madness? The same scenario is repeated every time a new major character is about to be released in the game. The community is amazed, they do extensive theory crafting, there are meme-worthy mix-ups, and they have strong emotional attachment all mixed up together to create the buzz of the new character. Columbina seems to be already winning the hearts and minds of the players so much that they are coming up with strategies to pull and claim ownership in turns. The degree of interest shown is a clear sign of how closely players are connected with the Teyvat world and characters making every new reveal a big community event that is both exciting and hilarious due to the preemptive panic.
