Yaoyao is expected to become Genshin Impact’s highly-anticipated Dendro region, Sumeru. Sumeru, one of the seven nations of Teyvat, is inspired by India and is expected to be released in Summer 2022 as part of Genshin Impact’s version 3.0, but this has yet to be officially confirmed by miHoYo. A proficient chef who previously worked under the same master chef as Xiangling, Yaoyao now works as an assistant for Ganyu, the secretary of the Liyue Qixing. Ningguang, Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, describes Yaoyao as a child Ganyu took under her wing, who has since formed strong connections with the Adepti.
Although Yaoyao has yet to be released as a playable character in Genshin Impact, a fair amount is known about her thanks to the voice lines of other playable characters. Genshin Impact's Beidou, Ganyu, Ningguang, Qiqi, and Xiangling all have voice lines about Yaoyao. Multiple characters mention that Yaoyao, like other children in Liyue Harbor, loves to play aboard the Crux, Captain Beidou’s fleet, when it’s docked in the harbor. Yaoyao is described fondly by every character with a voice line about her, so she seems to be well-liked by everyone who knows her.
Qiqi’s describes Yaoyao in a voice line as “Cute. Like a nice little finch.” Although, Qiqi and Yaoyao appear to be similar in stature and height. An unexpected first reveal of Yaoyao’s character model was shared as part of official Genshin Impact art featuring Qiqi and Paimon in late 2021, hinting that Yaoyao's arrival in Genshin Impact may take place relatively soon. Yaoyao won’t be the first child to be a playable character in Genshin Impact, as adorable fan-favorite character Klee, Diona, and Qiqi are all estimated to be between 8-12 years old. However, Qiqi is undead, so it’s unclear how long the zombie character has been 8-12 years old. Diona is estimated to be 10-12 years old, despite working as a bartender at the Cat's Tail tavern in Mondstadt.
Genshin Impact: Yaoyao's Dendro Element & Weapon Type
Yaoyao’s elemental affinity is rumored to be Dendro, based on her appearance, and what appears to be a Dendro vision on her character model. Currently, there are no playable Dendro characters in Genshin Impact, which would make Yaoyao the first playable character to wield the Dendro element. Dendro enemies have been present in Genshin Impact since launch; however, Dendro playable characters have yet to be added. Genshin Impact character Baizhu, the owner of Bubu Pharmacy, also has a Dendro vision and is expected to become playable in Genshin Impact in the near future, coinciding with the Sumeru storyline.
It’s widely agreed that Yaoyao will arrive before Sumeru, and will play a role in guiding the Traveler to Sumeru, the new Dendro region expected to arrive in Genshin Impact’s version 3.0. In the 2.5 livestream, Genshin Impact confirmed The Chasm would be arriving in the game’s 2.6 update and, as the Chasm is known to border Sumeru, Genshin Impact fans are hoping that Yaoyao may arrive as soon as the Chasm does. According to leaks shared by renowned Genshin Impact leaker, Hangout Event in Genshin Impact. However, Ubatcha emphasizes that the leaks are unverified, so they should be taken with a grain of salt.
There is some disagreement online regarding Yaoyao’s weapon type, which has also yet to be confirmed by miHoYo. While some fans theorize that Yaoyao will be a Polearm , like her mentor Xiangling, others think Yaoyao will be a Catalyst . However, there's no indication so far that Xiangling and Yaoyao trained to fight together, rather they learned to cook under the same master chef. Based on Yaoyao’s character model’s similarities to Klee, as seen in leaked gameplay footage from dataminers on Genshin Impact adding many Polearm s. Qiqi wields a sword, Diona uses a bow, and Sayu (not a child but of a similar height to these characters) uses a Claymore. As such, it seems unlikely for a Polearm to be wielded by a character as small as Yaoyao.
When Will Yaoyao Be Playable In Genshin Impact?
As Sumeru is all but confirmed to arrive in Genshin Impact’s 3.0 update, and the Chasm is officially confirmed for 2.6, it’s likely Yaoyao will be released at some point between versions 2.6 and 3.0. Yaoyao is expected to be the first Dendro playable character, although others like Baizhu, are likely to follow suit soon after when the Dendro region, Sumeru, is released. However, if Yaoyao’s release does coincide with 2.6 and the release of the Chasm, it may be overshadowed by the highly-anticipated arrival of Kamisato Ayato, who finally got a character reveal after months of speculation around his appearance. Ayato is the older brother of Kamisato Ayaka, who was added as a playable character in Genshin Impact's 2.0 update.
With the Chasm being released in Genshin Impact’s 2.6 update at the end of March, it shouldn’t be too much longer until Yaoyao is added as a playable character in Genshin Impact, due to her rumored role in the storyline of the Chasm and Sumeru. For the first time since the game launched in September 2020, players will finally be able to play as a Dendro character once Yaoyao becomes playable in Genshin Impact. Yaoyao will likely be the first of many Dendro playable characters, including Baizhu and possibly even Genshin Impact's Dendro Archon, as the Geo, Anemo, and Electro Archons are all playable characters. From the glowing praise and sweet anecdotes about Yaoyao in the voice lines of other characters, it’s likely she will be a lovable and cute new playable character, sure to win the hearts of many Genshin Impact fans.
