Genshin Impact 4.0 is off to a strong start, bringing players to the newest region, Fontaine. The land of the Hydro element and Archon, Fontaine, is a land that follows rigid laws. With a whimsical atmosphere and beautiful environments, Fontaine is a ton of fun to explore. However, when looking at the Genshin Impact 4.0’s world map, it’s very apparent that the region suffers from a glaring issue. Comparing Fontaine to other nations, it’s easy to see that the domain of the Hydro Archon is a good deal smaller than other areas. Despite the difference in size, the region holds many new additions that prove that Genshin Impact’s Fontaine is just the right size.
When releasing each new zone, Genshin Impact often takes a segmented approach. This means that regions don’t release all at once. Instead, HoYoverse drip-feeds players new maps and content to explore every few patches. In the beginning, this started a bit slower, with a few additional areas coming to Mondstadt and Liyue. However, once Sumeru came around, by the end of Genshin Impact 3.0’s runtime, the map more than doubled in size. Based on this release schedule and the current size of Fontaine, it seems that Genshin Impact 4.0’s new map will follow a similar pattern. Hopefully, as new patches release, we will see additions that expand the Fontaine region to a much bigger size.
Genshin Impact’s Fontaine Only Seems Small On The Surface
This isn’t the only reason that proves that Fontaine is the right size, however. Similar to Sumeru, Fontaine isn’t just what appears on the surface. Instead, players can dive underwater and explore a whole new world beneath the waves. This takes what seems to be Genshin Impact’s smallest map and dramatically expands the amount of discoverable space it has. Though, instead of focusing on a wider surface area, the map has more verticality. Since this style of exploration is new to the game, it’s easy to overlook how much content is hiding under Fontaine’s surface.
Fontaine’s Smaller Map Is Easier To Navigate Than Genshin’s Other Regions
Additionally, despite Genshin Impact’s Fontaine being a bit smaller than usual, there are some benefits to the change in size. While Sumeru can be a chore to navigate, Fontaine’s content is all packed together in a much smaller area. For example, players must walk for extended periods when crossing Sumeru’s desert without finding something to do. Fontaine, on the other hand, always has a chest, quest, or enemy to fight within arms reach. There are plenty of times when Sumeru is too big for its own good. Having a smaller region may seem like a bad thing at first since it’s a sign of less content. However, in this case, Genshin Impact’s new map size is a blessing in disguise.
Fontaine’s Map Size Prevents All Maps From Being Cookie Cutter
Finally, from a lore standpoint, having every region as a giant sprawling landscape wouldn’t make sense. By including both larger and smaller nations, it adds some variety to Genshin Impact’s world-building. In a way, this is reminiscent of Inazuma’s design, which took a departure from the more standard lands of Liyue and Mondstadt. From a gameplay standpoint, Inazuma being a series of islands, is a bit detrimental to both exploration and map size. However, it still set the region apart, making for a unique experience, unlike anything Genshin players had seen. Fontaine is similar, though the map size doesn’t affect gameplay nearly as much.
Ultimately, Fontaine should receive some map updates later in Genshin Impact 4.0’s runtime. By the first update, the map should start to at least rival Mondstadt in size. By the end of Version 4.0, Fontaine will likely be much larger. However, being smaller isn’t always a bad thing. A smaller map area lets HoYoverse focus on different things. This includes the verticality of underwater exploration and the region’s beautiful environments. Plus, the new Genshin Impact 4.0 map is a lot easier to explore than previous areas. Players can access content much faster in a more condensed space. When it comes to regions in Genshin Impact, Fontaine manages to strike a strong balance between size and accessibility. Though some may indeed find the map a bit too small, in many ways, Fontaine is just right.
