After six years of waiting, it's finally happening. Genshin Impact Version 7.0 drops on August 12, 2026, and it's taking us straight to Snezhnaya☃️, the Tsaritsa's frozen empire, the Fatui's home turf, and the last nation on our Teyvat road trip.
The big question for most players is simple: who's on the banners, and who should you save for? Latest leaks put Odette and Alyosha at the 7.0 opening, with Vodyanitsa, Vesna, and eventually the Tsaritsa arriving across the 7.x cycle. This guide leads with the characters, then covers the reactions, region, and pull planning.
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⚠️ Banner predictions reflect leaks current as of early July 2026 and can still change. Unconfirmed details are marked. We will continuously update this page as new information becomes available.
Version 7.0 Release Schedule
HoYoverse confirmed the Version 7.0 release date during the "To Snezhnaya and the Future" Special Program on April 24, 2026. The date was embedded in a redemption code, Snezhnaya20260812, which also rewarded 200 Primogems. Note that HoYoverse is skipping Version 6.8 entirely, jumping straight from 6.7 to 7.0.
| Milestone | Expected Date |
|---|---|
| Version 6.7 Launch | July 1, 2026 |
| Version 7.0 Launch⭐️ | August 12, 2026⭐️ |
| Version 7.0 Phase 2 Start | Around September 2, 2026 |
| Version 7.0 End | Around September 23, 2026 |
The 7.0 Special Program livestream is expected in late July or early August, roughly 10 to 14 days before launch. That's when official banner order and kits get confirmed.
Expected Characters and Banners
The banner picture shifted in early July. The original post-trailer read had Vodyanitsa opening 7.0, but the newest leaks reorder things: Odette and Alyosha are now the 7.0 opening characters, with V0 kit details for both surfacing on July 1.
Vodyanitsa and Vesna moved to 7.1, and Pantalone, once rumored for a 7.0 slot, has been pushed back. No official banner info has been released, so treat everything below as leaks that can still change.
| Phase | New Character | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 |  Odette | V0 kits for both surfaced on July 1, the strongest current signal for the 7.0 opening banners. Odette is a Cryo Stellar-Reaction support; Alyosha is the accompanying 4-star and a possible native Electro enabler. |
 Alyosha | ||
| Phase 2 | Reruns likely (TBC) | One leaked list names reruns such as Arlecchino, Kinich, and Ineffa, but the leaker flagged it as non-final. Whether a new 5-star lands here is still open. |
| 7.1 | Vodyanitsa (5★ Hydro), Vesna (5★ Anemo) | Vodyanitsa was moved out of the 7.0 opening in the latest leaks. A 7.1 gameplay preview for her has already circulated. |
| 7.3 | Tsaritsa / Anastasya (5★ Cryo) | Expected after the Archon Quest climax. Not in 7.0. Plan savings around this window. |
| Later 7.x | Pantalone, Valeriy, Danica, others | Pantalone was delayed out of the earlier 7.0 rumor and his version is now unclear. The rest of the Sudden Snow cast is expected across the 7.x cycle. |
Odette: The 7.0 Opening Cryo Support
Odette is the character to watch for a day-one 7.0 pull. A dancer built around assassination in the story, she was among the four singled out in the official Character Introduction, and her V0 kit leaked on July 1 alongside Alyosha's.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
Odette 5★ Cryo · 7.0 Phase 1 | |
| Element | Cryo (Confirmed in Sudden Snow trailer) |
| Rarity | ★★★★★ 5-Star (Leaked) |
| Role | Stellar-Reaction support (Superconduct / Swirl) |
| Banner | 7.0 Phase 1 (leaked) |
Early kit leaks compare Odette to the Columbina support template: a strong team-wide DMG bonus plus a large ATK buff, positioned to sit off-field and amplify a Stellar-Reaction carry. Leakers describe big gains at higher constellations and a signature weapon skewed toward pure offense rather than support stats.
All of this is V0 data, so exact numbers will shift before release. What's steady is the direction: Odette is a Cryo enabler for the new Stellar systems, and she's the most concrete 7.0 pull target right now.
Alyosha: The 7.0 Electro 4-Star
Alyosha rides along with Odette at the 7.0 opening. He's a rifleman who summons wolves, shown fighting beside the Traveler in the Snezhnaya Preview Teaser, and his V0 kit surfaced July 1 next to Odette's.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
Alyosha 4★ Electro · 7.0 Phase 1 | |
| Element | Electro (Confirmed in Sudden Snow trailer) |
| Rarity | ★★★★ 4-Star (Leaked) |
| Role | Electro enabler (likely) |
| Banner | 7.0 Phase 1 (leaked) |
His Electro element is the interesting part. Sandrone and the new Stellar-Conduct system need off-field Electro to function, and a 4-star native Electro unit landing right as Snezhnaya opens would give players an accessible enabler without spending 5-star pulls. Treat the exact role as unconfirmed until beta data lands, but the fit is obvious.
Vodyanitsa: The Siren of Snezhnaya
⚠️ Update (early July): The latest leaks move Vodyanitsa out of the 7.0 opening and into 7.1, alongside Vesna. Everything below on her identity and kit direction still stands; only her banner timing changed.
Characters who show up in voice lines eventually become playable (Albedo, Hu Tao, Arlecchino). Vodyanitsa was name-dropped in Linnea's voice lines as a gifted opera singer, and the Sudden Snow trailer placed her as the very first character on screen. That framing first pointed to a 7.0 debut, though the newest leaks now peg her for 7.1.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
 Vodyanitsa 5★ Hydro · 7.1 | |
| Full Title | Prima Soprano of the Korolevskiy Troupe |
| Race | Snowland Fae (Siren subtype) |
| Element | Hydro (Confirmed in Sudden Snow trailer) |
| Rarity | ★★★★★ 5-Star (Expected) |
| Weapon | Polearm (leaked) |
| Banner | 7.1 (leaked) |
HoYoverse highlighted her design during both the Special Program and the trailer: she sings while using her skills, a first for Genshin. Her trailer dialogue carries a rebellious edge, calling "the rules of Teyvat" a set of curses, a direct challenge to the Heavenly Principles.
Her name comes from Slavic mythology (a female water spirit), and the trailer confirmed she's Hydro. Earlier leaks had pegged her as Electro, positioning her as a Stellar-Conduct partner, but her Hydro kit points toward Freeze, Bloom, and Vaporize synergies instead. If you pulled Sandrone in 6.7 and need an Electro partner, the answer is Alyosha, not Vodyanitsa.
Tsaritsa (Anastasya): The Cryo Archon
The Tsaritsa's story has been building since day one. Back in 2020, the Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview teased her chapter as "Everwinter Without Mercy," and six years later the Sudden Snow trailer finally revealed her face.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
 Anastasya (Tsaritsa) 5★ Cryo · Cryo Archon | |
| Full Name | Anastasya Feodorovna Snezhnaya |
| Title | Cryo Archon / The Tsaritsa |
| Element | ❄ Cryo |
| Rarity | ★★★★★ 5-Star (Expected) |
| JP Voice Actor | Haruka Tomatsu |
The trailer gave players their first full look at the Tsaritsa, reminiscing about a child who called her "mother," with strong implications that the Heavenly Principles took the child from her. It ends with her facing off against Ronova and Rhinedottir, two of the Four Shades, and playing chess with Rhinedottir, symbolizing Snezhnaya's direct defiance against Celestia.
Every Archon so far has become playable, and the Tsaritsa won't be the exception. Leaks currently point to Version 7.3 (with 7.2 as an outside chance), after the Archon Quest reaches its climax. As the final Archon and arguably the most anticipated character since launch, she's a likely must-pull.
If she's your target, start budgeting now, you have roughly four versions of savings ahead.
Pantalone: The Regrator
The 9th Fatui Harbinger stayed home while every other Harbinger got sent across Teyvat to collect Gnoses. Pantalone (full name Feofan Sergeyevich Veskel) runs the Northern Kingdom Bank and the Fatui's financial empire, and he's confirmed to have no Vision and no supernatural combat abilities. His power is purely economic and political.
In the trailer, he works with Pulcinella on the mysterious Project "Stuzha," and lore descriptions play up his obsession with "Fair Exchange." How HoYoverse turns a banker with no Vision into a playable combat unit is one of the biggest open questions of the region, a Delusion, a weapon system, or something new entirely.
Early rumors slotted him into a 7.0 slot, but recent leaks pushed him back, and his banner version is now unclear. Don't spend against a fixed Pantalone date until more surfaces.
❄️ Saving up for the Tsaritsa?
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Full Snezhnaya Cast from the Sudden Snow Trailer
On June 26, 2026, HoYoverse dropped the Transcendence Trailer "Sudden Snow," revealing eleven Snezhnaya characters with their voice casts. The official Character Introduction singled out Vodyanitsa, Alyosha, Odette, and Valeriy as the core cast. Here's the full lineup for reference.
| Character | Element | Notable Details | JP Voice Actor |
|---|---|---|---|
Vodyanitsa | Hydro | Prima Soprano of the Korolevskiy Troupe. Snowland Fae (Siren). Leaked for 7.1. | Kanae Itō |
Alyosha | Electro | Rifleman who summons wolves. Leaked as a 7.0 opening 4-star. | Gen Satō |
Odette | Cryo | Assassin dancer. Leaked as the 7.0 opening 5-star Cryo Stellar support. | Sumire Uesaka |
 Valeriy | Unknown | Major at Fatui HQ. Confronts Alyosha in the trailer to stop him from shooting. | Makoto Furukawa |
 Vesna | Anemo | Leader of the Druzhna, a military branch predating the Fatui. Leaked for 7.1. | Aya Hirano |
 Danica | Unknown | Appears in maid attire. Role and affiliations remain unclear. | Yumi Hara |
 Noy | Unknown | Ancient Fae with pointy ears and a neck tattoo resembling Asmoday. | Shin-ichiro Miki |
 Mitya | Unknown | Researcher appearance. Minimal presence in the trailer. | Yūsuke Kobayashi |
 Pulcinella | Unknown | 5th Fatui Harbinger, "The Rooster." Mayor of Snezhnograd. | Cho |
 Pantalone | None (No Vision) | 9th Harbinger, "Regrator." Runs the Northern Kingdom Bank. | Takayuki Hoshino |
Anastasya (Tsaritsa) | Cryo | Cryo Archon. Face revealed. Expected around 7.3. | Haruka Tomatsu |
Stellar Reactions: The Cryo Meta Shift
Snezhnaya's regional mechanic is Stellar Reactions, a set of enhanced Cryo-centric interactions in the same lineage as Fontaine's Arkhe, Natlan's Nightsoul, and Nod-Krai's Lunar Reactions. The short version: Cryo teams finally get a reason to sit near the top of the meta, and Superconduct stops being a dead reaction.
| Reaction | Elements | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Stellar-Conduct | Cryo + Electro | Enhanced Superconduct. Creates a persistent field that boosts Cryo and Electro damage for qualifying units, built to rehabilitate Cryo+Electro comps. |
| Stellar-Swirl | Cryo + Anemo | Enhanced Cryo Swirl with new multipliers. Could open team options for Anemo units like Varka. |
| Unknown | Cryo + Dendro | Name unconfirmed. Likely an "Ice Grass" effect evolving the Rimegrass mechanic from Imaginarium Theater. May not carry the "Stellar" label. |
Two of these matter most for the 7.0 cast. Odette is built to enable them as a Cryo support, and Alyosha's Electro slots into the Cryo+Electro Stellar-Conduct pairing. Sandrone, arriving one version earlier in 6.7, is the first Stellar-Conduct main DPS and needs off-field Electro to function, which is exactly the gap a native Electro unit like Alyosha could fill.
Datamining backs the system up: Diona's C6 was briefly updated in 6.6 to boost Stellar-Conduct, Superconduct, and Cryo Swirl damage before HoYoverse pulled the reference, the same pattern seen before Lunar Reactions were announced.
Cryo Traveler and New Outfits
Version 7.0 brings the Cryo Traveler, the protagonist's seventh elemental form, briefly shown during the Special Program with no kit details yet. HoYoverse also revealed concept art for new Traveler outfits: a dark green suit for Aether and a short sundress for Lumine, both with fur trim and gloves. Acquisition method unknown.
Snezhnaya Region and Story
Dragonspine was a preview. Snezhnaya is the real thing: the Tsaritsa's frozen empire, the Fatui's home base, and the final stop on the Traveler's journey across Teyvat. The devs compared its vibe to Snowpiercer and the Metro series, with heavy Eastern European and Arctic influence. Expect jagged frozen terrain, dense conifer forests, and snow that never melts.
The capital, Snezhnograd, is home to Kresnik's Torch, a giant heating core that keeps the nation from freezing over. Other confirmed towns include Morepesok and Belovodye, both hinting at a coastal, trade-heavy culture. Snezhnaya is also the homeland of the Snowland Fae, the race behind Linnea, Flins, and Vodyanitsa.
On the story side, 7.0 finally answers why the Archons handed over their Gnoses. As of 6.6 the Fatui hold six of seven, with only the Pyro Gnosis left, and community consensus expects 6.7 to wrap that up before the story heads north.
Exploration Mechanics
Snezhnaya is shaping up to be the most ambitious exploration system since Fontaine's underwater world.
Train Network
A full railway system connects Snezhnaya's towns. These aren't just fast-travel points. The devs confirmed theatrical performances inside carriages, outdoor camping at stations, and active gameplay aboard moving trains. Building an entire train system suggests a map closer to Sumeru-scale than Nod-Krai.
Cold, Cryo, and a New Tool
Dragonspine's sheer cold is back but deeper, tied directly into elemental skill usage. You can use Cryo skills to destroy, shatter, and reshape terrain mid-combat. A leaked "Pure Frost" gauge points to a region-specific bar. The Traveler also gets a new exploration tool described as a "Swiss Army knife," using "the powers of the Descended" to reshape the environment in a set zone, with scope the devs hinted could surpass Fontaine's underwater systems.
Improved NPC and Enemy AI
HoYoverse announced an AI overhaul across all of Teyvat. Patrolling guards join active battles based on faction, enemies coordinate with allies and adapt to terrain instead of just chasing you, and defeating certain monsters triggers hidden quests.
Pull Strategy and Primogem Planning
About six weeks until 7.0. Every pull between now and then is a tradeoff. Here's a framework:
| Your Situation | Recommendation | Reasoning |
| Want the 7.0 opening character | Save toward Odette in Phase 1 | Odette is the leaked 7.0 opening 5-star, a Cryo Stellar support with a V0 kit already out. The most concrete 7.0 target right now. |
| Want the Snezhnaya meta on day one | Pull Sandrone (6.7) + Odette | Sandrone is the confirmed Stellar-Conduct DPS; Odette pairs into the same systems. Budget for both if you want a full Stellar core. |
| Saving for the Tsaritsa | Skip 6.7 reruns if possible | She's expected around 7.3. You need 28,800 Primogems minimum for a guarantee. Starting now gives a comfortable buffer. |
| Interested in Vodyanitsa | Save through 7.0, target 7.1 | Leaks now place her in 7.1, not the 7.0 opening. Wait for the 7.0 and 7.1 previews before committing wishes. |
| F2P with limited resources | Pick ONE target and commit | Don't split wishes across multiple characters. Wait for kit reveals to decide which one fits your roster best. |
| No strong preference yet | Wait for the 7.0 livestream | Official kits and banner order drop about 10 days before launch. That's the safest decision point. |
From now through 7.0 launch, a F2P player can stockpile roughly 14,000 Primogems (about 87 pulls): around 2,000 from the final days of 6.6 and around 12,000 across 6.7. With Welkin Moon that rises to roughly 120 pulls, enough to secure one target in most cases. A worst-case guarantee still needs 180 wishes, so keep a buffer if your 50/50 runs cold.
Pre-Farming Checklist
Most Snezhnaya materials won't be farmable until 7.0 launches. Focus on universal resources now:
- Primogems: Target 28,800 minimum (180 wishes for a guarantee)
- Hero's Wit: 420 to level a character from 1 to 90
- Mora: ~8 million per character (ascension + talents)
- Mystic Enhancement Ore: Stockpile for new weapons
- Check Genshin Impact Redeem Codes regularly for free Primogems (latest: LEGEDILJKSGM for 60 Primogems, valid until September 2, 2026)
If you're targeting Odette, start banking Cryo Ascension Gems (Shivada Jade series). For Vodyanitsa, now leaked for 7.1, the pre-farm is Hydro gems (Varunada Lazurite series). Boss materials, talent books, and weapon materials will all be Snezhnaya-specific and unavailable until launch.
Final Thoughts
Version 7.0 isn't just another patch. It's six years of storytelling converging on one update, a brand-new reaction system for Cryo teams, and the most character reveals Genshin has dropped in a single trailer.
On the banner side, the early July leaks reshuffled the lineup: Odette and Alyosha now open 7.0, Vodyanitsa and Vesna slide to 7.1, and the Tsaritsa lands around 7.3.
The play right now: pick your target, commit to saving, and skip 6.7 reruns unless they directly feed your Snezhnaya plans. Every Primogem counts when the final chapter begins.
GamsGo will update this page as new leaks, beta data, and official reveals drop. Bookmark it.
FAQ
Who Are the Expected Genshin 7.0 Characters?
As of early July, leaks point to Odette (5★ Cryo) and Alyosha (4★ Electro) as the 7.0 opening characters, with V0 kits already out. Vodyanitsa (5★ Hydro) and Vesna (5★ Anemo) are now leaked for 7.1. The Tsaritsa (Anastasya) is expected around 7.3, and Pantalone has been pushed out of the earlier 7.0 rumor with no firm version yet.
When Does Genshin Impact 7.0 Launch?
Version 7.0 launches August 12, 2026. HoYoverse confirmed the date through the redemption code Snezhnaya20260812 during the April 24 Special Program. Version 6.8 has been skipped entirely.
Is the Tsaritsa Playable in 7.0?
Not at launch. Based on the Archon release pattern, she's leaked for Version 7.3 (with 7.2 as an outside chance), after the Archon Quest wraps up. Her face, voice cast, and key story details were revealed in the Sudden Snow trailer.
Is Vodyanitsa Electro or Hydro?
Hydro. Earlier leaks suggested Electro, but the Sudden Snow trailer confirmed her Vision as Hydro. This means she is not the dedicated Electro enabler for Sandrone's Stellar-Conduct teams as previously speculated.
What Are Stellar Reactions?
Enhanced Cryo-centric elemental interactions coming with Snezhnaya. Two identified: Stellar-Conduct (Cryo + Electro) and Stellar-Swirl (Cryo + Anemo). A third Cryo + Dendro reaction has been leaked but may not carry the "Stellar" label.
How Many Primogems Do I Need to Guarantee a 7.0 Character?
Worst case: 180 wishes (~28,800 Primogems) for a guaranteed limited 5-star. Add ~80 more wishes if you also want the signature weapon.
Should I Pull in 6.7 or Save for 7.0?
Depends on your targets. Sandrone (6.7) is worth pulling if you plan to build Stellar-Conduct teams. If you're aiming for the 7.0 opening (Odette), the Tsaritsa, or later Snezhnaya 5-stars, consider skipping 6.7 reruns to stack Primogems.
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