New Genshin Impact character Emilie revealed for update 4.8 – the first Dendro character to come to the RPG in over a year

Genshin Impact Emilie
(Image credit: HoYoverse)

New Genshin Impact character Emilie has been announced for update 4.8, on track to follow update 4.7 ahead of the release of the RPG's next major region, Natlan, which was recently teased. 

Emilie is the first Dendro user we've seen since May 2023 and the release of Kirara, as well as the first Dendro character from the region of Fontaine. This follows a spree of Dendro characters in the 3.X Sumeru patches, with the element now enjoying eight unique characters not including the Dendro Traveler – a larger roster than the long-dormant Geo element prior to the recent release of Geo users Navia and Chiori. 

Where update 4.7 features two new five-star units, Clorinde and Sigewinne, alongside new four-star Sethos, Emilie will be the only new character in update 4.8. This, coupled with the fact that Sethos is on the way and we rarely see new four-stars back-to-back, suggests Emilie will be a five-star Dendro character.

This is the first we've seen of Emilie, who is described through her work: "Fresh, floral, fruity... Such are the scents of Emilie's perfumes, meticulously crafted, exquisitely presented, dazzlingly displayed on the shelves of Fontaine's Quartier Lyonnais," a post from the official Genshin Impact Twitter account reads. 

"If you've never before heard of a 'forensic cleaner,' you might at first struggle to imagine what such a profession entails. But if you're lucky enough to become acquainted with Emilie, feel free to ask her a question or two. She is both an excellent listener and an exemplary respondent, so you'll no doubt receive a satisfactory answer." 

The recent release of an artifact set that grants a damage bonus when fighting Burning-afflicted enemies sparked community speculation that Genshin Impact is due for a Burning-centered Dendro user, as the reaction has gone largely overlooked until now. Emilie's fighting style remains to be seen, but the timing of her release certainly raises an eyebrow. 

In a stunning commitment to playing RPGs your way, Genshin Impact player spends 3 years min-maxing the worst character: "I usually advise others not to build her".

Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.

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