Genshin Impact 7.0: Everwinter Without Mercy Release Date and Details

Genshin Impact 7.0 launches August 12, 2026, opening Snezhnaya, the long-awaited seventh nation, alongside two new playable characters and a fresh Archon Quest chapter. HoYoverse confirmed the update, subtitled “Everwinter Without Mercy,” during its most recent livestream, skipping a version 6.8 entirely to move straight from 6.7 into 7.0.

Servers go down for maintenance at 6:00 AM UTC+8 on August 12, with the update expected live around five hours later at 11:00 AM UTC+8. That translates to roughly 8:00 PM PST on August 11 for North American players.

Genshin Impact 7.0 – Key Facts

• Release date: August 12, 2026, at 11:00 AM UTC+8 (maintenance begins 6:00 AM UTC+8)
• Version title: Everwinter Without Mercy
• New region: Snezhnaya, the seventh explorable nation on Teyvat
• New playable characters: Odette (5-star Cryo Sword) and Alyosha (4-star Electro Polearm)
• Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and mobile

What’s New in Genshin Impact Version 7.0

Snezhnaya has been teased since the game’s earliest story beats, and version 7.0 finally opens the frozen nation to players. The region centers on the capital city of Snezhnograd, connected to outlying settlements by train lines, and its Archon Quest pushes the main story toward long-building tensions between Teyvat’s factions.

Odette arrives as a 5-star Cryo character wielding a sword, and her kit is built around a new Stellar elemental reaction system introduced alongside her. Alyosha, a 4-star Electro polearm user, becomes available for free through the new Archon Quest, alongside a matching 5-star sword called the Exaiphanes Blade.

The first phase of banners pairs Odette with Alyosha, followed by a second Phase I banner featuring returning 5-star character Arlecchino alongside Alyosha. Phase II brings back Flins and Ineffa on their own banners. None of those three are new to the roster, but their reappearance means 7.0 offers pulls across a wider mix of returning and debut units than a typical patch opener.

HoYoverse also confirmed a new Traveler Cryo element will become available with the update, giving players another elemental option for the customizable protagonist. A July 31 trailer showed off multiple new snow-covered areas players can expect to explore once the region unlocks.

Why This Update Matters for Players

Snezhnaya has functioned as an endgame narrative promise since Genshin Impact’s 1.0 launch, and its arrival closes a gap players have anticipated for years. HoYoverse had previously been expected to open the region right after the Natlan storyline wrapped, but the studio instead built an entire patch cycle around Nod-Krai first, pushing Snezhnaya back roughly a year.

For free-to-play players, the free Alyosha and Exaiphanes Blade tied to Archon Quest completion make version 7.0 worth prioritizing story progress early. Players chasing Primogems should also note the limited-time Archon Quest and exploration rewards attached to the update, both of which carry deadlines after 7.0 goes live.

What to Watch For After Launch

HoYoverse typically follows its version reveal livestreams with a follow-up program detailing the next patch roughly halfway through the current one, so a version 7.1 preview should surface in the coming weeks. Players should also expect the standard six-week patch cycle to continue, with Phase II banners and additional Snezhnaya content likely landing around three weeks after the initial 7.0 launch.

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