Yelan, a favorite Hydro character from Genshin Impact’s Liyue region, hasn’t been featured on a banner for over 720 days, leaving many fans puzzled. The game’s rich cast of 90 unique characters, each with its own backstory and style, is a major draw for players, making her absence especially puzzling given her massive popularity. Notably, Yelan’s double banner with Hu Tao holds the game’s overall revenue record, which only adds to the confusion surrounding her extended absence.
As it stands, the current Version 5.3 has introduced an exciting array of new characters, including two 5-stars, Mavuika and Citlali, in the first banner cycle, and a 4-star, Lan Yan, available during the Lantern Rite event. Players can even get a free copy of Lan Yan by finishing a few quests exclusive to this update.
With each update expanding the roster, integrating all the characters into the ongoing storyline has become quite the challenge for HoYoverse. A observant Reddit user, under the moniker bakedrefriedbeans, pointed out Yelan’s lengthy absence, which is surprising considering her popularity. Her last appearance was during version 3.4’s Lantern Rite Festival. Many players were hoping for another appearance this year, especially with her ties to Liyue.
Naturally, Yelan’s fans are expressing their frustrations over her prolonged absence. Interestingly, some fans have noted that her mysterious, secretive nature seems fitting for this extended absence. Within the game, Yelan is a self-proclaimed employee of Liyue’s Ministry of Civil Affairs, who is frequently away pursuing undisclosed missions. A segment of the Genshin community has suggested that HoYoverse could enhance player engagement by enabling more interactions with other playable characters throughout Teyvat, thus minimizing the feelings of neglect regarding certain characters.
Implementing simple dialogue interactions for special occasions, such as character birthdays, could be an easy way to give Teyvat a sense of constant activity, even in the Traveler’s absence. Comparatively, another character with a long absence is Kaedehara Kazuha, who hasn’t had a storyline involvement since June 2023.
Speculation is swirling that Kazuha might return in an upcoming update, with HoYoverse confirming explorations beginning again in the Electro nation in Version 5.4. Players are also anticipating potential updates for Yelan, given her last substantial involvement was in Update 4.8. As for upcoming characters, Furina and Sigewinne from Version 4.7 have already secured spots in the Limited Character banner of the next Version 5.4, keeping fans eagerly awaiting each update.
