Version 7.0, titled Everwinter Without Mercy, opens the door to Snezhnaya, the seventh and final nation of Teyvat. This is the update fans have waited years for, and it pushes the Archon Quest into its endgame chapter set in the Tsaritsa’s frozen homeland. Alongside the new region come fresh characters, two new elemental reactions, a shooter-style combat mode, and a Cryo Traveler.
Quick answer: Genshin Impact 7.0 goes live after maintenance ends at 11:00 AM (UTC+8) on August 12, 2026. Once you are back in, travel to Snezhnaya from Dottore’s research lab, resonate with a Statue of the Seven to unlock the Cryo Traveler, and start Archon Quest Chapter VII to claim the free 4-star Alyosha.
Release time: August 12, 2026 at 11:00 AM (UTC+8)
Release schedule and maintenance
The update ships on the usual six-week cadence. Maintenance starts roughly five hours before launch, and the servers come back online at the same moment worldwide. NA players get access on the evening of August 11 because of the time difference, while everyone else steps into Snezhnaya on August 12.
| Server | Maintenance start | Update live |
|---|---|---|
| North America (PST) | 3:00 PM, Aug 11 | 8:00 PM, Aug 11 |
| Europe (CEST) | 12:00 AM, Aug 12 | 5:00 AM, Aug 12 |
| India (IST) | 3:30 AM, Aug 12 | 8:30 AM, Aug 12 |
| China (CST, UTC+8) | 6:00 AM, Aug 12 | 11:00 AM, Aug 12 |
| Japan / Korea | 7:00 AM, Aug 12 | 12:00 PM, Aug 12 |
Every player at Adventure Rank 5 or above receives 300 Primogems in their in-game mailbox as maintenance compensation. Preload is already available, weighing about 8 GB on PC and 3 GB on mobile.
Snezhnaya and how to reach it
Snezhnaya is the homeland of the Fatui and the Tsaritsa, and it arrives as a snowbound country packed with new enemies, treasure chests, and oculi. It is a large map, notably bigger than the first slice of Nod-Krai, and it blends sub-zero permafrost with an industrial, steampunk look. Key areas include Morepesok, the hometown of Tartaglia, along with Snezhnograd and Glupov.
Once you log in, you travel to Snezhnaya from Dottore’s research lab. If you have not yet unlocked Nod Krai, the game automatically drops a starter Teleport Waypoint in Snezhnaya so you can jump straight in. Any Traveler who has completed the Prologue Act III, “Song of the Dragon and Freedom,” can head there and pick up the new Archon Quests right away.
Like Dragonspine, Snezhnaya adds a cold-weather survival layer called Bitter Cold that forces you to manage the Traveler’s temperature. A new gadget, the Eye of Graeae, stores Kresnik Energy to keep you warm. It also absorbs Prime Ice and converts it into constructs such as a Snowball Launcher, Grappling Gun, Basic Heat Source, and Message Markers. A Snezhnaya Adventure Journal tracks quest progress and lets you fast-travel to objectives or claim exploration rewards.
New characters: Odette, Alyosha, and the Cryo Traveler
Three new playable units arrive with the patch. Odette is the marquee 5-star, a Cryo Sword user and Fatui member who served as a close subordinate of Signora. Her design leans on the duality of the White and Black Swan, and her kit is built around the new Stellar reactions, converting a team’s Superconduct and Cryo Swirl triggers into Stellar-Conduct and Stellar-Swirl while boosting all Stellar reaction damage.
Alyosha is a 4-star Electro Polearm character and a local hunter who fights alongside his companion Tugarian, setting traps and healing teammates. You can add him for free by progressing through Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act I. His exploration talent also marks nearby Snezhnaya local specialties on the map.
The Traveler finally completes their elemental set here. Resonating with the Statues of the Seven in Snezhnaya unlocks the Cryo element and a brand-new ability set that can trigger the Stellar reactions. Progressing through the Archon Quest also hands you a free upgradable sword, the Exaiphanes Blade, which grows stronger each time you unlock another Statue of the Seven.
7.0 banner schedule
The version splits into two phases, each running about three weeks. Odette debuts in the first half, Flins and Ineffa return in the second, and their signature weapons appear on the Epitome Invocation banner at the same time.
| Phase | Dates | Featured 5-stars | Rate-up 4-star |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Aug 12 – Sep 1, 2026 | Odette (new), Arlecchino | Alyosha (new) |
| Phase 2 | Sep 1 – Sep 22, 2026 | Flins, Ineffa (reruns) | — |
Odette’s signature 5-star sword, Whitelake Frostfeather, headlines the Phase 1 weapon banner next to Arlecchino’s weapon.
Stellar reactions: Conduct and Swirl
Snezhnaya centers on two new reactions that fall under the Stellar Glimmer umbrella. You need the Cryo Traveler, or another character with Cryo, to start triggering them after resonating with a Statue of the Seven.
| Reaction | Elements | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Stellar-Conduct | Cryo + Electro | Creates a Starlight Prism and a Polestar Field that raises Stellar-Conduct and Electro damage and lowers enemy Physical RES. |
| Stellar-Swirl | Anemo + Cryo | Summons a Stellar Vortex that grows stronger each time you trigger it again before it explodes for Cryo damage. |
The third-person shooter mode and Shadow Realm
The biggest gameplay departure is a third-person shooter mode. Inside the Shadow Realm, a hidden zone untouched by the gaze of Heavenly Principles, the Traveler equips a gun and takes on shooting challenges. The mode adds cover, slide, and vault animations, and you can switch between three firearms.
| Firearm | Role |
|---|---|
| Cryo Rifle | Built for precision shooting |
| Electro Rifle | Automatic target lock-on |
| Grenade Launcher | Hits multiple enemies with big AoE elemental damage |
You can find firearm accessories while exploring, and a customizable Aim Assist option is available in settings for anyone who struggles with shooter controls. The mode comes with its own Traveler outfit, Night Hunt in Snow. The Traveler also gains a summonable train stocked with facilities like a Crafting Bench and a Commission claimer.
Archon Quest and story content
The main story continues in Archon Quest Chapter VII, split across two acts, “Everwinter Without Mercy” and “Wraith’s Nocturne.” It finally digs into why the Tsaritsa has been gathering Gnoses and why the Fatui have meddled in other nations since the game began. The Tsaritsa, Anastasya Feodorovna Snezhnaya, is the second Cryo Archon of the nation, described as imposing and piercing cold.
Completing the Archon Quest within the version window rewards 560 Primogems plus Odette’s ascension materials. Story Quests for Odette, Alyosha, and Vodyanitsa arrive as well. Odette’s quest lets you set her schedule, which changes her fate in the story, and Alyosha’s quest hands you a Special Access Card that unlocks a hidden location. There are also new World Quests in Flamefeather Valley and White Birch Snowgrave, with an extra 400 Primogems for clearing exploration objectives on time.
New weapons and artifacts
Two 5-star swords lead the weapon list, one for Odette and the Exaiphanes Blade for the Traveler. On top of those, there are five craftable 4-star weapons forgeable in Snezhnaya and five new 4-star Battle Pass weapons, one for each weapon type.
| Type | Craftable (Snezhnaya) | Battle Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Sword | Emberwell | Heretic’s Molten Blade |
| Bow | Covenant of Frost and Snow | Jade Vista |
| Claymore | Blade of Atonement | Forged by the Golden Melody |
| Catalyst | Echoes of the Heart | Clash of Kings |
| Polearm | Song of the Vigil | Frostbreath |
Two artifact sets round out the loot. Heart of the Furnace is a support-focused set that grants ATK and a party-wide Stellar reaction damage buff, while Scarlet Proof suits a Stellar-Swirl main DPS by boosting CRIT Rate and Stellar-Swirl damage. Both are expected to farm from domains in the new region.
Events, bosses, and returning characters
Three events fill out the patch alongside the Overflowing Abundance double-drop window from September 14 to 21. Mutual Aid in Bloom: Into the Frostlands runs August 12 to 24 and lets you build Katheryne statues for your Serenitea Pot. The Great Expeditionist Challenge, an Adventurers’ Guild tournament with train piloting and target practice, runs August 28 to September 14 and gifts a free Diona. Trial of the Bastion, the combat event using player-made firearm challenges in the Shadow Realm, runs September 7 to 17.
Two new boss enemies debut, the Immortal Construct and the Chimeric Winged Lion, along with fresh Fatui foes across the map. The To Temper Thyself and Journey Far free-constellation pool also expands with Lyney, Wriothesley, Navia, Xianyun, Chiori, Sigewinne, Clorinde, Emilie, and Yumemizuki Mizuki.
Everwinter Without Mercy is the largest single update the game has shipped, and it sets up the final stretch of Teyvat’s main story. Log in after maintenance, thaw out in Snezhnaya, and the free Alyosha plus the Cryo Traveler are waiting the moment you clear the first act of the new Archon Quest.
