When will the Essex retrofit be released in Azur Lane? How is the Jiaozi (Shangri-La) retrofit in the Azur Lane mobile game?

Azur Lane EN server is celebrating its 7th anniversary, and the event is synchronized with the CN server. Just when everyone thought a new White Eagle ship would be released, it turned out to be a French activity ship along with the retrofit of the White Eagle carrier Essex. So, when exactly will the Essex retrofit be available in Azur Lane? The Essex-class carriers were the main force of the White Eagles in the Pacific theater during World War II. There were many of these carriers, as if they were being churned out like dumplings, hence the nickname "Dumpling Class."

Everyone was looking forward to the retrofit of Enterprise, but instead, the retrofit of Essex came first. Based on the current situation, the Essex retrofit should be implemented after the maintenance update on August 14, 2025.

If following the previous gold-to-color retrofits, there might be a small event to provide the key items for the retrofit. When Essex was first implemented, it was an extremely versatile carrier with excellent anti-air survival and output, and very stable overall performance. Its overall output structure was more specialized towards AOE, making it less effective in single-target boss fights.

Currently, Essex is considered a top-tier (T1) carrier in the main storyline and the large world, which is not bad. However, there are quite a few ships in this tier. The retrofit is expected to enhance its single-target output while also providing a comprehensive boost to its overall performance. The top American aviation team may soon welcome a new member.

Lastly, let's talk about some fun trivia regarding the "dumpling" retrofit in the game. It is said that the ship outfit for the dumpling retrofit was designed by itself. Whether it's for sorties, paperwork, area patrols, or battle plan formulation, the dumpling is ready, just waiting for the commander (player) to give the order.

This concludes the introduction about when the Essex retrofit will be available in Azur Lane. The strength of the retrofit will definitely not disappoint. If there are no unexpected issues, it will be implemented after the maintenance update on August 14. It is likely that the retrofit will require obtaining specific items through an event, making it a limited-time retrofit. In the future, this item may become permanently available for exchange, but it will take a long time before it becomes permanent. Therefore, it is recommended to obtain it as soon as possible and not miss this event.