The Leak: “New Abyss”

• Source: The information originates from a leaker named “Home DG Rat,” not a well-established and consistently accurate source like HomDGCat. This necessitates a degree of skepticism.
• Core Concept: The mode is reportedly inspired by ZZZ's “Deadly Assault” mode.
• Structure: It's suggested to have six floors, requiring the use of three distinct teams.
• Team Restrictions: Characters used in one team cannot be used in the other two.
• Starting Energy: All characters will start with zero Elemental Energy.
• Enemies: All enemies encountered will be World Bosses.

Similarities to Zenless Zone Zero's “Deadly Assault”:

• Multiple Teams: Deadly Assault in ZZZ requires players to build three separate teams to tackle different boss encounters.
• Character Lockout: Once a character is used in a team for a specific boss in Deadly Assault, they cannot be used in subsequent boss fights within the same run.
• Gear Reallocation: In ZZZ, while characters are locked, their weapons and artifacts (W-Engines and Drive Discs) can be freely reassigned between the three boss encounters.
• Damage-Focused Progression: The primary goal in ZZZ's Deadly Assault is to deal as much damage as possible to each boss within a 3-minute time limit. Rewards are based on the total damage dealt across all encounters.

Potential Gameplay in Genshin Impact's “New Abyss”:

• Team Building Challenge: Players would need to strategically build three independent and effective teams from their entire character roster. This would significantly increase the value of having a diverse and well-built collection of characters.
• Gear Management: The potential to reallocate artifacts and weapons between teams after each floor could alleviate the long-standing issue of insufficient high-quality gear for a large number of characters. It would reward players who have invested in leveling multiple artifacts and weapons. For example, if your primary damage dealer on the first floor uses a specific set, you could potentially move those artifacts to another damage dealer on your second or third team.
• Floor Structure: The leak mentions six floors, unlike ZZZ's three bosses. This could imply:
  • Each of the three teams tackles two floors.
  • Some floors might feature elite mobs or mini-bosses leading up to a final World Boss encounter for that team.
• Objective: The objective of “New Abyss” is still unclear:
  • Damage Challenge: Similar to ZZZ, the goal could be to deal maximum damage to the World Bosses within a set time limit. This would be a new concept for permanent endgame content in Genshin Impact, as current challenges focus on defeating enemies. Genshin Impact does not currently feature bosses with infinite HP, so a damage-based mode would require a different approach to encounter design.
  • Traditional Defeat: The objective could still be to defeat the World Bosses, but the challenge would lie in doing so with three separate teams and the zero starting energy condition.

Why This Leak is Plausible:

• Developer Interest: Hoyoverse has previously acknowledged the demand for new endgame content and has posted job listings related to new game mode development.
• ZZZ Precedent: The existence of the “Deadly Assault” mode in ZZZ provides a working template for a challenging, multi-team encounter with gear reallocation. Hoyoverse could be looking to adapt successful mechanics from their other games.
• Addressing Player Needs: A mode like “New Abyss” would address the common player feedback of wanting more challenging content that utilizes their broader character roster and rewards strategic gear management.

Reasons for Caution:

• Unverified Leaker: The primary source of this information is not a known reliable leaker, making the information potentially inaccurate or fabricated.
• Lack of Concrete Evidence: The leak lacks any visual evidence (screenshots, videos) or specific details (enemy names, rewards, release timeline).
• Subject to Change: Even if the information is based on internal testing, the final implementation of any new game mode can differ significantly.

Potential Impact on Genshin Impact:

• Increased Character Value: Players would be incentivized to build and invest in a wider range of characters beyond the current meta favorites.
• Strategic Team Building: The mode would demand careful planning and understanding of character synergies across multiple teams.
• Fresh Endgame Experience: “New Abyss” could provide a much-needed alternative to the Spiral Abyss for players seeking challenging and engaging content.

In Conclusion:

The “New Abyss” leak presents an exciting possibility for Genshin Impact's endgame content, drawing inspiration from Zenless Zone Zero's “Deadly Assault.” The concept of utilizing three separate teams against World Bosses with the ability to share gear could address several long-standing player desires. However, due to the unverified source of the leak, it's crucial to maintain a degree of caution and wait for official announcements from Hoyoverse. If this mode or something similar does come to fruition, it could represent a significant and welcome evolution for Genshin Impact's long-term appeal.