Valeriy is confirmed as a new playable character arriving in Genshin Impact Version 7.2. He was formally introduced through the update’s drip marketing on September 29, 2026, sharing the reveal with Mitya. Both figures already appeared during the Snezhnaya Archon Quest, so players who progressed through Version 7.1 will recognize Valeriy from his role in Act 2.
Quick answer: Valeriy is an Electro character from Snezhnaya releasing in Version 7.2, with the update expected around November 4, 2026 and a possible second-phase slot on November 24, 2026.
Who Valeriy Is
Valeriy carries the title Fort Fulguration and serves as the Commander of the Special Assignments Battalion. He is a Fatui officer operating within Snezhnaya, responsible for the nation’s military infrastructure. His affiliation ties him directly to the Armory Palace, and his constellation is Ursus Magnus, following a bear-themed motif.
Inside Glupov stands the Armory Palace, an expansive center for research, design, and manufacturing. Snezhnaya’s foremost research body, it has created advanced technologies and supplied the nation’s military with many of its key weapons. To protect the complex and its staff, elite soldiers of the 1st Grenadier Regiment were reorganized as the Special Assignments Battalion; Valeriy now leads them in guarding the institution.
Mitya describes him in the official introduction with a warning that he is far more than a stickler for punctuality:
“Oh, that officer? His duties aren’t limited to trailing after me, calling out the hour, and prodding me back to my job. Put the Armory Palace’s researchers or projects in danger, though, and you’ll see something frightening: ‘a fortress charging forward and crushing whoever stands in its way.’”
Service Record and Character
Valeriy is presented as an officer who excels at both combat and administration. His distinguished record covers a range of operations across Snezhnaya:
- Wiped out six concentrations of monsters linked to Ley Line disturbances.
- Crushed three vicious Volkodlak gangs.
- Eliminated more than eighty percent of the rampaging chimeric monsters west of Snezhnograd.
- The battalion has dealt with more than ninety threats, among them bandits seeking the Armory Palace’s secrets and outlaws trying to kidnap its researchers.
Without an adjutant, he meticulously plans the whole battalion’s schedule every day. His rigorous approach to time has led other characters to call him strict and sometimes terrifying. In recent years, observers have also remarked on his regular visits to the Korolevskiy Theater and the Podvorye Restaurant, but Valeriy refuses to discuss the speculation.
Element and Weapon
Valeriy is an Electro character. His Electro Vision is visible on his left armguard, and unlike some other Snezhnayan characters, he carries a standard Vision rather than a Stellar Linchpin. He first appeared in the Snezhnaya reveal trailer confronting Alyosha with a sword, though his official weapon type has not yet been confirmed.
Voice Cast
| Language | Voice Actor |
|---|---|
| English | Jordan Reynolds |
| Japanese | Furukawa Makoto |
| Chinese | Gan Ziqi |
| Korean | Park No-sik |
Release Window in Version 7.2
Version 7.2 is expected to go live around November 4, 2026. Because Valeriy was revealed after Mitya, he may headline the update’s second phase, though there is also a chance he runs alongside Mitya in the first phase. The two possible phase dates are:
| Phase | Date |
|---|---|
| Phase 1 | November 4, 2026 |
| Phase 2 | November 24, 2026 |
These dates are not yet officially confirmed. The 7.2 Special Program, expected in the latter half of October 2026, should provide a confirmed banner schedule.
Since Valeriy played only a minor role opposite the Travelers in Version 7.1, his move into the playable roster should bring more story details about him as one of the featured characters of the update. Watch for the official broadcast later in October to lock down exactly when his banner arrives.
