Version 7.1 of Genshin Impact, “A Rekviem for the Underworld,” is locked in. HoYoverse labels the launch day September 23, but because update maintenance is a single global moment rather than a staggered regional rollout, players in the Americas and Europe will be downloading the patch on the evening of September 22.
Quick answer: Status is confirmed. Maintenance begins 22:00 UTC on September 22, 2026 (06:00 on September 23 on the Asia server) and is expected to run about five hours, putting servers back around 03:00 UTC.
Release time: September 22, 2026 at 22:00 UTC (06:00 on September 23, UTC+8)
Genshin Impact 7.1 maintenance times by time zone
Every server drops at the same instant. The five-hour estimate comes from the length of the previous version’s maintenance, so treat the second column as the expected reopening rather than a guarantee.
| Time zone | Maintenance starts | Servers expected back |
|---|---|---|
| PT (UTC-7) | Sep 22, 3:00 PM | Sep 22, 8:00 PM |
| CT (UTC-5) | Sep 22, 5:00 PM | Sep 22, 10:00 PM |
| ET (UTC-4) | Sep 22, 6:00 PM | Sep 22, 11:00 PM |
| UTC | Sep 22, 10:00 PM | Sep 23, 3:00 AM |
| BST (UTC+1) | Sep 22, 11:00 PM | Sep 23, 4:00 AM |
| CEST (UTC+2) | Sep 23, 12:00 AM | Sep 23, 5:00 AM |
| IST (UTC+5:30) | Sep 23, 3:30 AM | Sep 23, 8:30 AM |
| Asia server (UTC+8) | Sep 23, 6:00 AM | Sep 23, 11:00 AM |
| JST (UTC+9) | Sep 23, 7:00 AM | Sep 23, 12:00 PM |
The America server runs on a fixed UTC-5 and does not shift for daylight saving. In late September the in-game clock will read 5:00 PM while a phone set to Eastern time reads 6:00 PM. The in-game countdown is the one to trust.
Preload and maintenance compensation
Pre-installation typically opens shortly before a major version update and cuts down how much you have to download once servers reopen. It does not let you into 7.1 early. If the option has appeared on your platform, grab it from the client or the official Genshin Impact site before the window starts, and clear enough storage first.
Scheduled downtime pays out Primogems by mail after servers return. The baseline rate is 60 Primogems per expected maintenance hour, which works out to 300 for a standard five-hour window, for accounts at Adventure Rank 5 or above when maintenance began. Compensation mail expires 30 days after it is sent, which is where most players lose it.
Version 7.1 banner schedule
Both new five-stars arrive together in Phase 1 instead of being split across the version, so there are only three weeks to pull Vesna and Vodyanitsa before they leave. Vesna is an Anemo sword user who converts Cryo Swirl into Stellar Swirl reactions; Vodyanitsa is a Hydro catalyst user who heals, shreds Hydro and Cryo resistance, and boosts Stellar Swirl damage while in her Water Imp form.
| Phase | Featured 5-stars | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Vesna, Vodyanitsa | Sep 23 – Oct 13 |
| Phase 2 | Skirk, Escoffier | Oct 13 – Nov 3 |
The Phase 1 four-star rate-ups are shared across both character banners:
- Diona (Cryo, Bow)
- Chongyun (Cryo, Claymore)
- Faruzan (Anemo, Bow)
Epitome Invocation runs alongside each phase. Phase 1 features the new five-star weapons Beyond the Chrysalis and Hymn of the Maelstrom, with new four-stars Breezeborne Refrain, Winter’s Heavy Heart, and New Bough in the pool. Phase 2 brings back Symphonist of Scents and Azurelight for Escoffier and Skirk.
Sixth anniversary rewards in Version 7.1
Genshin Impact turns six on September 28, and the anniversary package is tied to the version rather than a single day. Finishing the new Archon Quest unlocks a free event-exclusive five-star of your choice at any point during 7.1, picked from Baizhu, Nilou, Varesa, Tartaglia, Chiori, and Clorinde. A separate selector hands out a free standard five-star.
Alongside the two characters, the anniversary grants Primogems ×1,600, Intertwined Fate ×10, and restores the Genesis Crystal first top-up bonus. Completing the Archon Quest grants an additional Primogems ×620.
What lands with the update
The Archon Quest continues the Snezhnaya storyline through Chapter 7 Acts 3 and 4, bringing a face-to-face meeting with the Tsaritsa and a confrontation with Ronova, the Ruler of Death, who also becomes a new Weekly Boss. A new set of assignments from the Tsaritsa’s Confidential Secretary opens up as well.
Liyue gets the Moonchase Festival back after five years, hosted at Yilong Wharf with three new mini-games and a free four-star sword, Silver Light, among the rewards. Snezhnaya hosts a snowball event, Natlan runs a tournament prediction event across 16 teams, and Miliastra Wonderland picks up an autumn lobby refresh plus client-side scripting and collaborative editing tools in its editor.
Finish these before servers go down
Version 7.0 Phase 2 Event Wishes and the last of the version’s time-limited content close ahead of maintenance, and unclaimed event currency becomes unreachable once the changeover happens. Spend enough Original Resin before the window opens so you are not sitting at cap through the downtime, especially if you are prefarming Vesna or Vodyanitsa materials.
The two Character Event Wishes use the same guarantee counter, letting pity transfer between them; however, their featured characters are removed when the phase ends. To obtain a 7.0 banner character, you must wish before the deadline.
How to confirm 7.1 is live on your account
Once HoYoverse announces that service has resumed, launch the client and let it finish downloading the update in full before doing anything else. You are on Version 7.1 when you can log in and the Vesna and Vodyanitsa Event Wishes appear in the wish menu alongside the anniversary reward prompts.
If servers are still officially under maintenance, reinstalling the client will not help and only costs you download time. Troubleshoot a connection problem only after the servers are confirmed open and the patch has fully applied.
Version 7.1 runs until November 3, when Phase 2 closes and the next version’s maintenance window takes over. That gives six weeks to clear the Archon Quest, claim both free five-stars, and work through the Moonchase Festival before anything expires.
