The free standard 5-star selector has become an anniversary fixture in Genshin Impact, handed out in Version 5.0 and again in 6.0. The version heading into Snezhnaya’s second patch looks different. Beta files show the reward’s internal name has changed, the page around it has been rebuilt, and the character list attached to it no longer matches the eight standard 5-stars players expect.
Quick answer: Nothing is claimable yet. The selector is expected with Version 7.1 alongside the sixth anniversary, and file changes point to a redesigned page tied to six character entries instead of eight, with visual effects built around elements rather than individual characters. The viral claim about a free limited 5-star plus a signature weapon has no support in the files and should be treated as false until the 7.1 Special Program says otherwise.
The three file changes behind the 7.1 selector rumor
Three separate things moved at once, which is why the rumor picked up speed. On their own, any one of them would be routine housekeeping. Together they suggest the reward is being rebuilt rather than copy-pasted from last year.
| Change | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Internal name | The selector’s identifier in the files is no longer the one used for the previous anniversary version. |
| Character count | Only six character assets are associated with it, not the eight standard 5-stars currently in the pool. |
| Visual effects | Effects are organized by element instead of being tied to specific characters, which allows the roster shown to change without rebuilding the presentation. |
The interface itself is also getting reworked. New background art and updated page assets sit alongside the renamed reward, so the claim screen would not look like the 5.0 or 6.0 version. The element-based effects are the most telling piece. A system keyed to elements rather than named characters is easier to expand or swap later, which is what makes the six-slot count worth watching instead of dismissing.
Note: beta files change between builds. A six-entry list can be an incomplete asset drop as easily as a deliberate cut, and neither reading is confirmed until the reward goes live.
The free limited 5-star and signature weapon claim
A widely shared claim says players will be able to pick an older limited 5-star character together with that character’s signature weapon, for free. Nothing in the 7.1 beta data supports it. The renamed reward and the redesigned page are real, but there is no evidence attaching limited characters or limited weapons to them.
The safe assumption is a standard-pool selector in the same shape as before, with a new coat of paint. If that changes, it will change on the 7.1 Special Program broadcast, which is where banners, rewards, and codes are locked in.
Who to pick from the standard 5-star pool
Until the roster is confirmed, plan around the eight standard 5-stars that were selectable last time. Mizuki was the most recent addition, having joined the standard pool for the fifth anniversary.
| Pick | Character | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Best | Jean | Instant burst healing that caps Furina’s damage buff, plus energy refunds that keep her Energy Recharge requirement low. Strong even without Furina. |
| Good to have | Dehya, Tighnari, Mizuki | Fill real roles and remain useful if you lack limited alternatives. |
| Usable | Mona, Diluc, Keqing | Functional, but largely replaced by limited units in the same slots. |
| Last resort | Qiqi | Lowest practical value in current teams. |
If the six-slot reading holds, expect the weakest entries to be the ones missing. That would mostly affect players hunting constellations rather than first copies.
Version 7.1 timing and the anniversary reward package
Beta scheduling data points to Version 7.1 running September 23 to November 4, 2026, a standard 42-day cycle, with the sixth anniversary landing on September 28. The Special Program that confirms all of this typically airs 10 to 14 days ahead of a patch launch, and it has not aired yet.
| Reward | Detail |
|---|---|
| Free standard 5-star selector | Anniversary reward; roster and presentation both being reworked in the beta files. |
| Rainbow’s End: Silvery Flux | Check-in and mail package granting 1,600 Primogems and 10 Intertwined Fates. |
| Free 4-star event sword | 510 Base ATK with a 41.3% ATK substat, granting Elemental Mastery on skill cast, scaling up to 104 EM at R5. |
| Version income | Roughly 11,065 Primogems and 22 Fates across 7.1, which works out to 91 free-to-play pulls, 114 with Welkin, or 123 with the Battle Pass. |
The 7.1 banners themselves are led by Vesna, a 5-star Anemo sword user built as an on-field Stellar Swirl DPS, and Vodyanitsa, a 5-star Hydro catalyst support. The rerun slots are still contested. One reading points to Zibai and Linnea, another to Skirk and Escoffier.
The 7.2 banner rumors: two teams, two directions
Version 7.2 is rumored to split cleanly between two archetypes rather than pushing one meta. Three of the four 5-star slots have names attached; the fourth is unknown.
| Character | Type | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Mitya | 5-star Electro | Crit rate and Elemental Mastery scaling, with damage buffs that grow based on how many Cryo or Electro characters are in the party. Slots into Stellar-Conduct teams. |
| Valeriy | 4-star Electro | Off-field Electro application to keep reactions running, featured on Mitya’s banner. |
| Zibai | 5-star Geo sword | On-field DEF-scaling DPS and the core of Lunar Crystallized. |
| Linnea | 5-star Geo bow | Off-field DEF-scaling support and healer built specifically around Zibai. |
| Fourth slot | Unknown | No name attached. |
Zibai and Linnea appear in both the 7.1 and 7.2 rumor sets, which is a scheduling conflict rather than a contradiction about the characters themselves. Rerun placement is usually one of the last things to settle, so treat their patch as open. Further out, the roadmap names circulating include the Tsaritsa, Dainsleif, Noy, and Enjou, with Danica also mentioned.
Primogem planning across 7.1 and 7.2
The math has not moved. A 5-star is guaranteed within 90 wishes, and if it loses the 50/50, the next one is guaranteed to be the featured character. Worst case for a single limited 5-star from zero pity and no guarantee is 180 wishes, or 28,800 Primogems.
The selector does not affect that budget, since it draws from the standard pool and costs nothing. What matters is that 7.1 asks you to pick a lane. Vesna is the payoff for Stellar Swirl pieces built during 7.0, Vodyanitsa is a support whose numbers are still shifting between beta builds, and the Geo rerun pair only matters if you already run Lunar Crystallized. If the Tsaritsa is the real target, the anniversary rewards are a free top-up on a savings window, not a reason to spend.
Everything about the selector’s new shape sits in beta data until HoYoverse says it out loud. The renamed reward and the rebuilt page are solid; the six-character count and what fills those slots are not. Both will be settled on the 7.1 broadcast, so there is no reason to commit pity or plan a roster around the current file reading before then.
