Genshin Impact usually released a new character along with a new game version, and considering the delay of Genshin Impact version 2.7, the fanbase wasn't expecting a new name to be announced so soon. There's currently still no update for when Genshin Impact 2.7 is going to be playable, but HoYoverse decided to keep the hype alive by dropping a new drip marketing for Shikanoin Heizou.

In a new Tweet, Shikanoin Heizou has been officially confirmed as Genshin Impact's next playable character, releasing after Yelan and Kuki Shinobu. Since Yelan and Kuki Shinobu were announced for version 2.7, players can expect Shikanoin Heizou in Genshin Impact 2.8, one version after.

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Shikanoin Heizou in Genshin Impact is going to be an Anemo character. There's currently no official information on his rarity, but many players assumed Shikanoin Heizou will be a 4-star character due to the simplicity of his design. Typically, a 5-star character in Genshin Impact usually has a grand design, so it's interesting that Heizou doesn't fit this particular criteria. The character's weapon is also still a mystery, but from the official image, players can expect him to wield a Sword or other melee weapons.

Before this official announcement, the fanbase's image of Shikanoin Heizou was far different from the actual one. This was thanks to a fake leak that circulated among the community, showcasing Heizou as an Electro character that wields a Catalyst. Even though they likely won't wield a Genshin Impact Catalyst, fans can expect this information to be around for a while. If Shikanoin Heizou ended up being a Catalyst user, though, this will mark him as the first male character that wields this weapon.

In the game, the existence of Shikanoin Heizou has been teased in several characters’ voice-overs, like Kamisato Ayaka, Kujou Sara, Sangonomiya Kokomi, Thoma, and Gorou. It appeared that Heizou is a prominent detective that works for the Tenryou Commission as he was described as the number one detective for his employer, never failing to deliver a result from his investigation. However, it’s said that he can be a handful, where Shikanoin Heizou is known to have “his own method” of handling things. Even a great general like Genshin Impact Kujou Sara is often unable to comprehend Heizou’s actions. Alas, the result of his work never disappoints, so Sara can only go along with it.

After the release of several bad news that revolved around Genshin Impact like the version 2.7 delay and the never-ending Serenitea Pot maintenance, the announcement for Shikanoin Heizou was like a breath of fresh air for the community. Hopefully, this isn’t going to be the only thing HoYoverse planned to publicize in the near future.

Genshin Impact is now available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Switch version is in development.

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