Snezhnaya, the frozen homeland of the Fatui and the last mainland nation on the Teyvat map, is now open. Version 7.0 pulls the Traveler into the Cryo Archon’s domain with a new region to explore, two new pullable characters, the Traveler’s seventh element, and a Cryo-focused reaction system called Stellar Glimmer. Here is what the update adds and how to claim what is on offer at launch.
Quick answer: Version 7.0 went live on August 12, 2026 at 04:00 UTC. Redeem the launch code Snezhnaya20260812 in-game under Settings > Account > Redeem Now, unlock Cryo by touching Snezhnaya’s Statues of the Seven, and clear Archon Quest Chapter VII to add Alyosha for free.
Release timing and the launch redemption code
Genshin Impact 7.0 released globally on August 12, 2026 at 04:00 UTC, following Version 6.7. HoYoverse skipped 6.8 to move straight into the new nation. North American players received it on the evening of August 11 in their local time because of the time-zone rollover.
The launch code is Snezhnaya20260812. You can enter it in-game through Settings > Account > Redeem Now, or on the official HoYoverse gift code page. Rewards land in your in-game mailbox, and codes like this are time-limited, so cash it in early in the patch before it expires.
What Snezhnaya adds to the map
Snezhnaya breaks from the lush environments of earlier regions. It is built around tundra, snow-buried Slavic architecture, and industrial sprawl, with the city of Snezhnograd and a train network connecting its settlements. You call and ride those trains to cross the frozen landscape.
A new exploration tool, the Eye of Graeae, wards off the cold, calls trains, and builds Prime Ice Constructs for puzzles. There is also a new third-person shooter mode set inside an area called the Shadow Realm, where the Traveler uses three new firearms and weapon attachments. Those weapons interact with the elemental system, so shots can trigger reactions.
New characters: Odette, Alyosha, and the Cryo Traveler
Two new characters join the roster this patch, plus the long-awaited Cryo form for the Traveler.
| Character | Rarity | Element | Weapon | How to get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Odette | 5-star | Cryo | Sword | Phase 1 banner |
| Alyosha | 4-star | Electro | Polearm | Free from Archon Quest Chapter VII |
| Cryo Traveler | — | Cryo | Sword | Statues of the Seven in Snezhnaya |
Odette
Odette is the headline five-star, a Cryo sword user carrying the title “Swirling Snow.” By day she is the Prima Ballerina of the Korolevskiy Troupe, and by night she operates as a Fatui agent. Her kit is built around the new reactions. She converts a team’s Superconduct and Cryo Swirl into Stellar-Conduct and Stellar-Swirl while amplifying Stellar Glimmer damage across the party. Her Elemental Skill summons a dancing double that deals continuous AoE Cryo damage and grants a Stellar Glimmer damage bonus, and her Burst adds waves of Cryo AoE.
Alyosha
Alyosha is your free four-star for the patch, an Electro polearm hunter from Sretomoryzsk who fights alongside his hunting hound, Tugarin. His kit buffs the party’s Stellar-Conduct damage and heals nearby teammates, with Tugarin’s bite attacks adding off-field damage. You earn him simply by progressing through Archon Quest Chapter VII, so no wishes are needed.
Cryo Traveler
After seven regions, the Traveler finally unlocks Cryo. You pick it up by interacting with Snezhnaya’s Statues of the Seven, and it doubles as a free enabler for Stellar Glimmer teams. Doing so also lets you trigger every Stellar Glimmer reaction while that character is in your party.
How Stellar Glimmer reactions work
Stellar Glimmer is the official name for the system, and it is a Cryo-anchored set of reactions rather than a new element. Two reactions sit under the umbrella, and both create fields that buff the whole team instead of only the character who triggers them.
| Reaction | Elements | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Stellar-Conduct | Cryo + Electro | Replaces Superconduct with a Polestar Field that buffs damage and stacks as you land Cryo and Electro hits; unlocks object interactions in the open world. |
| Stellar-Swirl | Cryo + Anemo | New in 7.0. Summons a Stellar Vortex dealing Anemo and Cryo damage; repeat triggers raise its level and amplify its detonation, and it gives a jump-height boost in exploration. |
Odette is the unit that ties both halves together by converting a team’s Superconduct and Cryo Swirl into their Stellar versions. Cryo-heavy teams get the clearest value, and the free Cryo Traveler lets you test the Stellar-Swirl loop without spending a wish.
7.0 banner schedule
The banner rotation runs across two phases over the version’s roughly six-week window.
| Phase | Dates | Featured banners |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Aug 12 – Sept 1 | Odette (new) and Alyosha (new) debut alongside an Arlecchino rerun |
| Phase 2 | Sept 1 – Sept 22 | Flins rerun and Ineffa rerun |
If Odette is your target, the light early competition works in your favor. There is no must-have rerun in Phase 1 forcing you to split your Primogems, so you can commit to her banner without agonizing over what you would skip.
The Archon Quest and the Tsaritsa
The 7.0 Archon Quest is Chapter VII, split into Act I, “Everwinter Without Mercy,” and Act II, “Wraith’s Nocturne.” The first act’s name also serves as the patch title. The story pulls the Traveler into the heart of Snezhnaya, unpacking the tensions between its factions, a catastrophic blizzard, and the energy crisis gripping the nation. A Snezhnaya Adventure Journal tracks your progress and points you toward objectives and rewards.
Clearing the questline within the version rewards up to 560 Primogems along with Odette’s ascension materials, and it is where Alyosha joins your party. The Tsaritsa, whose full name is Anastasya Feodorovna Snezhnaya, is the Cryo Archon and ruler of the nation. She looms over the story, but she is not playable in 7.0 and is not on any banner this patch. Community trackers point to a later version as a possible window for a playable Tsaritsa, but nothing on that has been confirmed officially.
Events and a second free character
Beyond the main story, 7.0 runs a batch of limited-time events. You can race trains across the ice, test yourself at target shooting, take on Domain challenges, and help a Jack Frost reach its destination. Clearing the event challenges gives you a chance to add Diona to your roster for free, so counting Alyosha, that is two no-cost characters this patch.
A summer-themed spooky-tale event also runs in Miliastra Wonderland, handing out its own rewards including a new head accessory.
Should you pull in 7.0?
If you have been banking Primogems, Odette is the obvious Phase 1 target thanks to the light early lineup. Free-to-play players should prioritize finishing the Archon Quest to grab Alyosha and the 560 Primogems, then chase the free Diona through the event. Stellar Glimmer is worth watching, but there is no need to rebuild your whole account on day one. The free Cryo Traveler lets everyone test the system without spending a wish, so existing Cryo carries feel the biggest benefit first.
