Nioh 3 Is Killing It on Steam with over Double the Series' Highest Concurrent Player Count

Why It Matters

Introducing Varka deepens Genshin Impact’s character roster and monetization avenues, while the Luna 5 content refresh bolsters player engagement during a competitive mobile‑gaming window.

Key Takeaways

• Varka debut as 5‑Star Anemo Claymore character
• Dual‑wield allows on‑the‑fly elemental switching
• Luna 5 revisits Mondstadt with nostalgia‑driven events
• New challenges span Natlan, Fontaine, and Sumeru regions
• Event Wish phases feature Flins, Skirk, Escoffier

Pulse Analysis

HoYoverse’s Luna 5 update underscores a strategic emphasis on nostalgia to rekindle early‑adopter enthusiasm. By revisiting Mondstadt, the game taps into players’ emotional attachment, a tactic proven to boost daily active users during content drops. This approach aligns with broader industry trends where live‑service titles leverage familiar locales to drive re‑engagement, especially as mobile gaming competition intensifies in Q1 releases.

The centerpiece, Varka, expands Genshin’s meta with a dual‑wield mechanic that converts right‑hand damage to match teammates’ elements. This flexibility encourages novel team builds and incentivizes players to invest in Varka’s 5‑Star banner, potentially increasing revenue from gacha pulls. Moreover, his ability to trigger charged attacks without stamina adds a tactical layer for high‑level content, positioning Varka as a must‑play for both casual and competitive audiences.

From a business perspective, Luna 5’s layered event structure—Echoes of Memory, Gliding challenges, and region‑wide minigames—creates multiple touchpoints for monetization. Event Wish phases spotlight new 5‑Star banners, driving spend while the expanded challenge system extends session length. By continuously refreshing content across diverse in‑game regions, HoYoverse sustains its retention metrics, reinforcing Genshin Impact’s position as a top‑grossing mobile title in a crowded market.

Nioh 3 is killing it on Steam with over double the series' highest concurrent player count

Genshin Impact Luna 5 takes the squad back to Mondstadt, finally makes Varka playable

Genshin Impact's next update will have you reminiscing about the good ol' days of... 2020.

Image credit: HoYoverse.

The latest big content update has been revealed for HoYoverse's breakout game, Genshin Impact. Version Luna 5, which has the unusually long and needlessly layered title — Song of the Welkin Moon: Variation – Homeward, He Who Caught the Wind — is set to arrive February 25.

This one is a bit of a nostalgia play, taking everyone back to Mondstadt, the place where you may remember taking your first steps. And, as with any good return to the ol’ hunting grounds, come familiar characters, too.

The big new arrival is Varka, who joins as a playable character for the first time. Varka, Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, is a character whose debut has been long‑awaited. He is a 5‑Star Anemo Claymore wielder with a dual‑wield combat style, capable of dealing two different types of Elemental damage. His addition means that there's now finally a burly 5‑Star male character of each elemental type… do with that information what you will.

Varka's dual‑wielding combat style allows him to deal two different types of Elemental damage at the same time. The way it works is that his Elemental Skill boosts the damage of his regular attacks, but it also converts the damage type of his right‑hand claymore to match his teammates’ elements (Pyro, Hydro, Electro, or Cryo). The left‑hand claymore always deals Anemo damage.

The more normal attacks you use, the more frequently he can activate a special Elemental Skill, or trigger a Charged Attack that doesn’t consume stamina. He can also rely on the Hexerei effect to trigger more instances of Elemental Skill, as well as Charged Attacks, making him a monster damage‑dealer.

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Varka, of course, has been a staple member of the cast, featuring in both the original story in a small cameo, as well as taking a bigger role in the recent Nod‑Krai chapters. With the return to Mondstadt, his playable debut makes sense. His Story Quest will shed light on his encounter with the Wild Hunt, and the Great Wolf King of the North.

The reruns for this version are going to be Flins — who will be available in the first phase of Event Wishes — as well as Skirk and Escoffier in the second phase. You can also look forward to the return of the Chronicled Wish with Mondstadt characters.

Staying on the theme of reminiscence, the big event in Luna 5 is centered around revisiting memories from the beginning of your time with Genshin Impact, and reuniting with old friends. In Echoes of Memory, you’ll witness familiar scenes that have been changed slightly, and you’ll need to use the Spotter Kamera to detect and record those differences.

Image credit: HoYoverse.

The Knights of Favonius are hosting several other activities for everyone to take part in, including an event that lets you catch up with old friends over drinks which you make for them.

Outside of events, there’s a new set of Gliding and Combat Challenges. And, of course, there are new minigames that you can relax with. The Kamera is being utilised yet again, and this time you can use it to capture sights from your time in spots across Natlan, Fontaine, and Sumeru. There’s also a horde‑mode of a sort, where you fend off waves of enemies.

Catch up on the latest set of Genshin Impact codes before you play, and check out why we think Genshin Impact is one of the best mobile games you can play today.