Genshin Impact is steering into its endgame, and the run from Version 6.7 into Snezhnaya is shaping up to be one of the busiest stretches the game has ever had. Nod-Krai closes out in 6.7, the game skips 6.8 entirely, and Version 7.0 drops players straight into the Tsaritsa’s frozen homeland on August 12, 2026. Between now and 7.3, a stack of new five-stars is lined up, including two Fatui Harbingers and the Cryo Archon herself.
Quick answer: Sandrone arrives first in 6.7 (around July 1), Vodianitsa and Pantalone headline 7.0 (from August 12), Dottore is pencilled in for 7.1–7.2, and the Tsaritsa is expected in 7.2–7.3. Only Sandrone and the Snezhnaya launch date are locked; everything else is leak-stage and can move.
How reliable each leak is
Not every entry on this roadmap carries the same weight. Some details are pulled straight from the beta client or confirmed through official drip marketing, while others are still in the first-whisper stage. Three tiers help separate what is essentially locked from what is still fuzzy.
| Reliability | What it means |
|---|---|
| High | Confirmed through beta datamining or official preview marketing. The content is coming; only numbers are still being tuned. |
| Medium | Backed by multiple leakers with a track record. The character almost certainly exists, but the exact version can shift. |
| Low | First-report stage. A name or codename has surfaced, but element, weapon, and kit are not locked. |
A “Low” rating does not mean fake. It just means the outline is blurry and the details haven’t firmed up yet.
Version 6.7 to 7.3 character lineup
Here is the full picture of new five-stars expected across this window. Leaker Chugou puts the 7.0–7.3 count at six playable additions, which means at least seven new faces once you fold in Sandrone from 6.7.
| Version | Window | Character | Element | Reliability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.7 | Around July 1, 2026 | Sandrone | Cryo | High |
| 7.0 Phase 1 | August 12, 2026 | Vodianitsa | Electro | Medium |
| 7.0 Phase 2 | From September 2, 2026 | Pantalone | Dendro | Medium |
| 7.1–7.2 | Around fall 2026 | Dottore | Unconfirmed | Low |
| 7.2–7.3 | Around winter 2026 | The Tsaritsa (Anastasya) | Cryo | Medium |
| 7.0–7.3 | Unconfirmed | 3 unrevealed characters | Unconfirmed | Low |
Sandrone (6.7, Cryo claymore main DPS)
Sandrone is the most concrete name on the board. She is Fatui Harbinger No. 7, “Marionette,” a five-star Cryo claymore user built as an on-field main DPS. Her gameplay footage, skill data, ascension materials, and Constellations have all surfaced from the 6.7 beta, which puts her at the High reliability tier and means you can pre-farm her materials before her release.
Her kit is built entirely around the new Stellar Superconduct reaction. A Charged Attack summons her automaton “Fageo” into a computation mode, where it fires sustained Cryo beams in a Neuvillette-style laser while filling a gauge. When that gauge maxes, she shifts into Overload Mode for burst damage, then resets the loop with her Elemental Skill. Her Burst brings down prism resonance cannons for wide-area Cryo damage.
Story-wise, leaks have her making a major sacrifice to protect the Traveler at the climax of the Nod-Krai arc, with Dottore destroying her mechanical core. Her remains are reportedly taken to Fontaine and rebuilt around a Vision left by Alain Guillotin.
Version 7.0: Vodianitsa and Pantalone
Version 7.0 opens Snezhnaya on August 12, 2026, a date HoYoverse confirmed itself through the redemption code Snezhnaya20260812 shared during the April 24 Special Program. Two five-stars are expected across its two phases.
Phase 1: Vodianitsa (Electro support)
Vodianitsa is the Prima Soprano of the Korolevskiy Troupe, an opera singer from the Snowland Fae race who was first name-dropped in Linnea’s voice lines. Current leaks peg her as a five-star Electro off-field support or sub-DPS, and she’s positioned as the dedicated partner for Sandrone’s Stellar-Conduct teams. HoYoverse confirmed during the Special Program that she sings while using her skills, a first for any character in the game.
The banner order tracks cleanly. Sandrone lands in 6.7, and Vodianitsa in 7.0 completes the Cryo-Electro core. If you pull Sandrone but lack a strong off-field Electro enabler, this is the banner to watch.
Phase 2: Pantalone (Dendro, leaked)
Pantalone is the 9th Fatui Harbinger, codenamed “Regrator,” and the financial engine behind the Fatui through the Northern Kingdom Bank. Unlike the other Harbingers who roamed Teyvat, he has stayed in Snezhnaya. His leaked element is Dendro, which would make him an unusual Dendro-Cryo synergy piece in a Snezhnaya context. The Phase 2 slot is still based on community consensus and the “Harbinger rank matches version placement” pattern rather than official confirmation.
Dottore and the Tsaritsa (7.1 to 7.3)
Dottore sits at Low reliability, expected somewhere around 7.1–7.2 with his element, weapon, and kit still unconfirmed. The Tsaritsa is the bigger name here. Anastasya Feodorovna Snezhnaya, the Cryo Archon, is confirmed to be playable, with leaks and community consensus placing her in Version 7.2 or 7.3 once the main Archon Quest hits its peak. That timing lines up with how every previous Archon debuted near their region’s story climax.
If the Archon is your goal, 7.0 doubles as a saving window. You can grab Vodianitsa if she fits your team and bank the rest for the Tsaritsa banner later in the cycle.
Stellar Reactions, the new Snezhnaya combat system
Every major region brings a new combat mechanic, and Snezhnaya’s is Stellar Reactions, a Cryo-focused overhaul that finally makes Superconduct worth building around. The headline reaction for 7.0 is Stellar-Conduct, triggered by Cryo plus Electro.
When it triggers, it creates a persistent field on the battlefield. Characters inside who can deal Stellar Superconduct damage keep that ability, while other Cryo and Electro characters gain a 38% Elemental DMG Bonus. It works as a team-wide amplifier rather than a single-character buff. An early sign showed up when Diona’s C6 was quietly datamined in 6.6 to boost Stellar-Conduct, Superconduct, and Cryo Swirl damage by 20%, then pulled before the public build, mirroring how Neuvillette’s kit was tweaked ahead of Lunar Reactions.
Reruns and Primogem planning
Version 6.7 pairs Sandrone with a Columbina rerun in Phase 1, then offers Citlali and Raiden Shogun reruns in Phase 2. The 6.7 banner runs until roughly August 10, with 7.0 launching just two days later on August 12, so the handoff is tight.
If you’re rolling for Sandrone and also want Vodianitsa at 7.0 launch, budget carefully. A common plan is to skip the 6.7 Phase 2 reruns unless you specifically need Citlali or Raiden, then push everything toward the Snezhnaya lineup.
One name worth noting is Alice, often discussed as a potential 5-star Pyro catalyst. Current leaks say she will not be playable during Snezhnaya, so don’t hold pulls expecting her in this window.
The shape of this roadmap is clear even if the dates aren’t all final: Sandrone is locked, the August 12 Snezhnaya launch is official, and the heavy hitters like Pantalone and the Tsaritsa fall later in the 7.x run. Treat anything below the High tier as subject to change until a beta build or official program confirms it.
