In the 1.6 update of Genshin Impact, players have a brand new area to explore in the form of the Golden Apple Archipelago. While the region may not be as large as Dragonspine, or the upcoming Inazuma, in the Golden Apple Archipelago there are several islands for Genshin Impact players to explore and earn a variety of rewards throughout.
One of the first things that players should notice about the Golden Apple Archipelago after downloading the update, is that the area does not appear on the Genshin Impact world map. In order to unlock the area, players must first complete the "Mysterious Islands: Journey to the Unknown" story quest.
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Throughout the quest, players will learn about the mysterious new region, and will eventually travel to the new area via Dvalin with Klee, Barbara, and Jean. After arriving at the Golden Apple Archipelago, players will be tasked with lighting and unlocking three waypoints in the region in order to unveil the entirety of the map in the first area.
It is important that players unlock these waypoints prior to leaving the Golden Apple Archipelago, as it will save considerable time traveling when players decide to return to complete the events that will be routinely added throughout the 1.6 update.
While it may appear confusing at first, entering and exiting the Golden Apple Archipelago is extremely simple, and operates similarly to the recently added housing system.
In order to enter or exit the new region, open the map and select the Golden Apple Archipelago icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Next to the icon, players should notice the name of the region they are currently in, and if they are in Genshin's main world, they will also see their region's current exploration progress.
After selecting the icon, players will have three options to select: Teyvat, Serenitea Pot, and Golden Apple Archipelago. For players new to the game, Teyvat is Genshin Impact's primary world which includes the main regions of Mondstadt, Liyue, and Dragonspine. The Serenitea Pot is the player's housing world, while the Golden Apple Archipelago is the newly added 1.6 region.
When using the system, players can travel between any waypoint they have unlocked in the Golden Apple Archipelago and Teyvat almost seamlessly. Players should note, that unlike the regions of Teyvat, the Golden Apple Archipelago is only available for a limited time. After the 1.6 update has concluded, players will no longer be able to access the area. As a result, it is in the player's best interest to complete all available events so as not to miss out on any available primogems.
Genshin Impact is available for Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5, with a Switch version in development.