Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn will join Genshin Impact as a free character

Big developments are in store for Genshin Impact players. Yesterday, we saw the version 2.0 update go live. The gigantic Inazuma region is now available and there’s a lot of content to take in. There’s a lengthy Archon Quest that has you exploring the islands, a quest chain that leads to the purifying of corrupted shrines, the 5-star Cryo character Ayaka, and more. Speaking of 5-star Cryo characters, we’re bound to see another one in a few months. That’s because Genshin Impact will see Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn join its roster as a free character.

The announcement was made by miHoYo recently, and it’s been quite a surprise indeed. Horizon Zero Dawn, an action game set in a post-apocalyptic world, was originally a PlayStation 4 exclusive before a PC version released last year. You can even check out our official review and technical review for the game.

Genshin Impact x Horizon Zero Dawn – Obtaining Aloy as a free 5-star character

As for Aloy’s involvement in Genshin Impact, it looks like she will be a playable 5-star character, a bow-wielder who uses the power of Cryo. She even has her own moniker, “Savior From Another World,” and it seems that her constellation will be called “Nora Fortis.”

So, how exactly can you obtain her? Well, it looks like you’ll need to reach Adventure Rank 20 and wait for the version 2.1 update. From this point until the maintenance that leads to version 2.2 (October 13), players who log into Genshin Impact on PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 will receive Aloy directly via their in-game mail. This is just the first phase of the event. For the next phase, which occurs once version 2.2 goes live until version 2.3 (November 24), she can be acquired by those who log on via other platforms (including PC).

We’ve also confirmed this with miHoYo, but it’s possible to use Genshin Impact‘s cross-save function. Just link your existing miHoYo account to your PSN account. Once version 2.1 is live, log on with that account on a PS4 or PS5 to claim the in-game mail. Then, you can just switch back to the platform that you normally use (i.e., PC) to use Aloy while you’re gaming.

Mind you, this is just one of the crossovers showcasing Aloy in other titles. For instance, there was a limited-time crossover between Fortnite and Horizon Zero Dawn where players were able to gain access to her gear. There’s a good chance that we’re seeing this as a tie-in to the release of Horizon Forbidden West later this year. Likewise, knowing how Aloy tends to be the bane of giant robots in Horizon Zero Dawn, we can only expect that Ruin Hunters and the Perpetual Mechanical Array in Genshin Impact are quaking in fear.

In any case, you can see the announcement tweet below. Lastly, don’t forget to check out our Genshin Impact guides and features hub, as well as our overview for the version 2.0 update.

"Everything I do is in the service of life, not death. That's why I'm here with you."#Aloy
Savior From Another World
Nora Huntress
Cryo
Nora Fortis

Travelers, let's welcome Aloy – "Savior From Another World!"#GenshinImpact pic.twitter.com/6D00O9NfkM

— Genshin Impact (@GenshinImpact) July 22, 2021