After nearly six years since its launch, Genshin Impact finally brings players to the land that the community has been waiting for the most since the first lore lines: Snezhnaya, home of Fatui and the Ice Queen. Version 7.0 titled "Everwinter Without Mercy" officially opens from August 12, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and mobile, marking one of the biggest milestones in HoYoverse's game history.
Snezhnaya: industrial land covered with permafrost
Unlike the previous states of Teyvat, Snezhnaya is described as one The industrial land is engulfed in constant snowstorms and are facing an energy crisis. Upon arriving here, players will receive the "Eye of Graeae," a versatile tool that helps them withstand the harsh cold, allows them to summon trains for travel, and craft Prime Ice Constructs to solve puzzles or interact with other players.
Odette and Alyosha: two new faces of Snezhnaya
Odette, a 5-star Cryo-type character wielding a sword, is a Fatui agent who served under Signora, with assassination skills second only to her ballet dancing talent. In terms of gameplay, Odette transforms Superconduct and Cryo Swirl reactions into new Stellar reactions (Stellar-Conduct, Stellar Swirl), while also amplifying Stellar Glimmer damage for the entire team. Accompanying her is... Alyosha, Electro-type spear hunter Snezhnaya, a 4-star character that can be obtained for free through the Archon Quest mission with his companion, the dog Tugarin.
For the first time there is a shooting mode in Genshin
The most notable change of version 7.0 is that activating Goggles will unlock it Third-person shooter (TPS) mode, a completely new gameplay style compared to the familiar real-time combat of the past 6 years. Three new types of guns and many weapon attachments will be scattered throughout Snezhnaya, allowing players to participate in gunfights that require tactical adaptability. This is also the first time HoYoverse has experimented with gun-based gameplay on the Genshin platform, although other games from the company such as Honkai: Star Rail or Zenless Zone Zero have had similar and different combat mechanics.
- Launch date: 12/8/2026
- Version name: 7.0, "Everwinter Without Mercy"
- New character: Odette (5★ Cryo, sword), Alyosha (4★ Electro, spear, free)
- New mechanism: Eye of Graeae, mobile train, third person shooting mode
- Banner Wish: Phase 1, Odette, Alyosha, Arlecchino rerun; Phase 2, Flins, Ineffa
- Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, mobile
Meaningful for long-time players
For those who have followed Genshin Impact from the beginning, the official opening of Snezhnaya is not just a regular content update; it's the solution to one of the game's longest-awaited storyline mysteries. Combined with a brand-new shooting mode, version 7.0 shows that HoYoverse still has many surprises in store, even after six years of operation.