If you’ve been anywhere near the Genshin Impact community lately, you’ve probably heard about the absolute blowout between Xilonen and Chiori in Version 5.1. It’s pretty hard to miss when you see the numbers—Xilonen is pulling in a massive 62% of the revenue, leaving Chiori (7.3%) with just a small slice of the pie. So, what’s going on here? Is Xilonen really that much better, or is there more to the story? Let’s break it down.
Xilonen: The Star of the Show
To start with, Xilonen is the only brand-new character in this patch, and that’s a huge deal. Whenever a new character gets released, players naturally tend to go all-in, especially in a game like Genshin Impact where new characters are often a big part of the fun. With HoYoverse’s double banner system, players can pull from two different 5-star banners, but they share the same pity system—90 wishes guarantee a 5-star, but it’s a 50/50 whether you’ll get the character from the current limited-time banner or a standard banner character.
Because Xilonen is new and exciting, she’s naturally pulling way more attention. Most players aren’t saving their Primogems for the second banner cycle when someone as powerful as Xilonen is on the table. And honestly? It’s easy to see why people are excited about her. But what makes her so special?
Xilonen’s Versatility Makes Her a Top Pick
Here’s the thing: Xilonen isn’t just another pretty face in Genshin Impact’s ever-growing roster. She’s an absolute powerhouse when it comes to team support, and she’s brought some abilities that players are finding incredibly useful across all kinds of teams.
First off, her kit offers a team-wide damage buff—and we’re not talking small numbers here. She can ramp up your entire squad’s damage output, which makes her invaluable in harder content where every bit of extra damage counts. On top of that, she also comes with a resistance shred ability, meaning she can reduce enemies’ resistance to certain types of damage, allowing your DPS characters to hit even harder.
But that’s not all. Unlike a lot of other support characters, Xilonen has healing built into her kit. It’s not her main focus, but it’s enough to make sure your team stays healthy, especially in longer battles where sustain is key. This makes her a versatile pick—you’re not just getting a damage buffer; you’re getting a character who can help keep your team alive while they dish out heavy hits.
What’s surprising is how well she’s fared as a Geo character. Traditionally, Geo characters have been seen as somewhat niche compared to other elements like Anemo or Hydro. But Xilonen’s flexibility and adaptability make her stand out even among the best support characters. She can fit into a wide range of team comps, and that’s a big part of why she’s being hailed as an S-tier support. Some players are even saying she might be better than Kaedehara Kazuha, who’s long been considered one of the best neutral supports in the game. That’s high praise!
Chiori: A Solid Sub-DPS, But…
Now, let’s not completely overlook Chiori. She’s a solid choice for those looking for a sub-DPS or even a secondary support character. Her damage output is respectable, and she can hold her own in a variety of teams. But compared to Xilonen? Well, it’s tough. Xilonen just outshines her, especially when you’re talking about off-field power and overall utility.
Chiori’s definitely good, but in a game where each character release brings something new and powerful to the table, it’s hard to compete with someone like Xilonen, who checks so many boxes for both casual and hardcore players. A lot of the community seems to be on the same page with this, which might explain the big sales gap.
What’s Next for Version 5.1?
For those of you who aren’t as hyped about Xilonen—or maybe just prefer to hold out for characters you already know and love—don’t worry. The second half of Version 5.1 is bringing back some fan-favorite characters: Dendro Archon Nahida and the Pyro powerhouse Hu Tao. If you’re a fan of those two, it’s definitely worth considering saving your Primogems, because both of them bring unique and powerful kits to the table, and they’ve proven themselves in the meta time and again.
But for now, it’s clear that Xilonen is the queen of this patch, and if the sales numbers are anything to go by, she’s likely to remain on top until the next major update.