The world of Teyvat within Genshin Impact is always steadily filled with new content for players to delve into. However, Genshin players are always eager to know what comes next with many already wondering what leaks for the Hydro region of Fontaine have been uncovered and what it will bring when it releases.
Genshin’s updates arrive on a regular basis but are split into two types. There are the sub-version updates, which expand upon the update they are a part of, and the massive landmark updates, which only come with each Version change and introduce an entirely new region to Teyvat.
Teyvat started by granting players access to the Anemo region of Mondstadt, then the Geo region of Liyue, then the Electro region of Inazuma, and now the Dendro region of Sumeru.
Now that the primary storyline of Sumeru has come to a close, players only have a short time left in Sumeru before they will then set off to Fontaine, which is the Hydro region of Teyvat home to the Hydro Archon.
All Fontaine leaks in Genshin Impact
Based on the official Genshin roadmap, Fontaine will arrive in the Version 4.0 update and will be the next major landmark expansion. If everything stays on schedule, this update is quickly approaching and can be expected to debut sometime in the summer of 2023.
Since the release date isn’t that far off anymore, leaks for the Hydro region of Teyvat have already surfaced with even more sure to come as the next massive regional expansion update draws closer.
Fontaine character leaks in Genshin Impact
Each new region that expands upon Teyvat brings many new playable recruits with it. Here are all of the known leaked characters for Fontaine so far and the leaked details about their skillsets.
- Hydro Archon (Focalors)
- Rarity: Five-star
- Element: Hydro
- Weapon: Sword
- Lyney
- Rarity: Five-star
- Element: Pyro
- Weapon: Bow
- Lynette
- Rarity: Four-star
- Element: Anemo
- Weapon: Sword
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- Wriothesley
- Rarity: Five-star
- Element: Cryo
- Weapon: Claymore (rumored)
- Neuvillette
- Rarity: Five-star
- Element: Hydro
- Weapon: Claymore (rumored)
- Charlotte
- Rarity: Four-star
- Element: Cryo
- Weapon: Catalyst
Of all the characters expected to arrive with Fontaine, the arrival of another playable Archon is most anticipated among the community. Archons are the gods of Teyvat and each one that has been released so far is generally ranked among Genshin’s best recruits.
Although Fontaine was originally speculated to feature the first-ever arrival of a two-in-one style character with Lyney and Lynette, this was later disproven and both characters are now believed to function normally as all other playable units do. MiHoYo first teased these two a long time ago in the “Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview: Travail” video which was released on Sept. 27, 2020.
Wriothesley and Neuvillette are rumored to be integral forces in Fontaine’s dedicated justice system. Neuvillette has been officially confirmed as the chief justice for the Hydro region by miHoYo while leaks have suggested Wriothesley is a prison warden.
The last fully named and known character is Charlotte who players met during the “Duel! The Summoners’ Summit!” Genius Invokation TCG event that ran in Version 3.7. She works for The Steambird, which is Fontaine’s newspaper.
Outside of these recruits, there’s also a massive number of unnamed characters who seem to be tied to Fontaine. All of these characters surfaced in one of the biggest Genshin leaks yet where concept art surfaced for both Fontaine characters and Fatui Harbingers.
Hydro Archon leaks in Genshin Impact
Fontaine is ruled over by the God of Justice, who is also known as Focalors and the Hydro Archon. She places importance on the ideal of justice and the Hydro Archon is said to live “for the spectacle of the courtroom.”
Not much is known about her personality or demeanor outside of this, but based on how people talk about her and her love of the courtroom, she seems to perhaps be a bit merciless and tough. The people of Fontaine don’t seem to have issues with her as the people of Inazuma did with the Electro Archon.
Current leaks for the Hydro Archon speculate her real name is Furina and she is a sword character.
Fontaine’s ideals, setting, and culture in Genshin Impact
Because the Hydro Archon places immense emphasis on justice, this is an ideal that all of Fontaine centers around. This regional expansion is even called “Masquerade of the Guilty” in the “Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview: Travail” teaser outlining the future of Genshin.
The Hydro region is regarded as the most developed and technological region in all of Teyvat. But due to their immense progression, Fontaine has also suffered massive pollution which now plagues the Hydro nation.
In addition to its technologically advanced reputation, Fontaine is also known for its very lively environment rich with culture. Fontaine runs a newspaper called The Steambird, for which five-star Hydro Catalyst character Mona from Mondtsadt has said she writes, which indicates it is likely contributed to by writers from all across Teyvat.
The Hydro region runs on an unknown unique power source, but with the issues Fontaine is facing, their primary power source is experiencing issues leading to residents seeking alternative sources of power. Overall, Fontaine was previously regarded as a highly functional and advanced place but has recently become a place of unrest and danger according to Liben from the recurring Marvelous Merchandise event.
Fontaine map expansion in Genshin Impact
The Hydro region update will expand Teyvat’s massive map yet again to include Fontaine. Where exactly Fontaine will be added to the map of Teyvat is still up for debate, but most within the leak community believe it will lie to the west of Mondstadt and north of Liyue.
A reliable video of a character soaring over a steampunk city was shared by one member of the Genshin leak community. While nothing directly confirms this is Fontaine, the overall aesthetic of Lyney and Lynette plus the focus on technology Fontaine is known for strongly suggests this is a very early first look at the Hydro region.
One Reddit user commented under this post to point out it looks like Fontaine might sit within a waterfall and be sticking out from the middle of it. Players have long been wondering how exactly the Hydro region based around the element of water would work into gameplay, so this idea makes sense.
What is Fontaine based on in Genshin Impact?
Just as every other region in Genshin is inspired by real parts of the world, so too is Fontaine thought to have drawn inspiration from somewhere players may be familiar with. Based on what is known about the Hydro region and the aesthetic of the leaked characters tied to it, Fontaine is believed to be based on France.
New gameplay mechanics for Fontaine in Genshin Impact
Because Fontaine is a Hydro region and is based around the element of water, miHoYo may develop a new kind of region unlike anything seen far and introduce new gameplay aspects to accompany it.
Most within the Genshin community strongly believe Fontaine will at least have a few underwater features or even be mostly underwater to represent the Hydro element.
Parts of Fontaine existing underwater would mean players need some way to traverse underwater as this is not a current gameplay mechanic. Because of this, the Genshin leak community believes a new diving mechanic may be added which allows players to fully swim underwater to accompany this.
Some leaks have lightly hinted at this, but the primary reason players think underwater exploration will officially be added is due to a Sumeru NPC named Vasco mentioning diving certificates in Fontaine. If underwater exploration is added, it will likely be accompanied by some sort of oxygen meter which functions similarly to the regular stamina meter players always deal with or the special sheer cold meter that is active in extremely cold environments like Dragonspine or specific Domains.
MiHoYo seemed to hint swimming underwater will become a feature when they ended the special program livestream for the Version 3.7 update with a clip of the Traveler swimming underwater. This could just be a cutscene from the main storyline but it certainly seems like the developers are confirming what players have been speculating about for a while.
Leaks also suggest Fontaine may feature the arrival of new kinds of boats for players to operate. If they are quicker than the only boat players have ever been able to use, which is the Waverider, then they will also probably come with new mechanics.
Fontaine release date in Genshin Impact
No release date for the Fontaine update of Genshin has been shared by miHoYo just yet, but based on usual patterns, the Hydro region of Fontaine will be released during the very first wave of the Version 4.0 updates and then continuously added to with further Version 4.0 updates following afterward.
If everything stays on schedule as it usually does, then the Version 4.0 update with Fontaine should arrive on Aug. 16, 2023. The live stream teasing all the updates will include should air on Aug. 4 which means players can expect to see big announcements arriving over the next few months as this expansion draws closer.
