Genshin Impact Version 7.0 Adds Odette and Snezhnaya

Version 7.0 adds Teyvat's seventh nation, Snezhnaya, reachable immediately after the update via a Teleport Waypoint that unlocks automatically southwest of the Volkodlak Tundra — provided the Traveler has completed Archon Quest Prologue: Act III. Five new named areas make up the initial map: Volkodlak Tundra, White Birch Snowgrave, Everfrozen Earth, Flamefeather Valley, and Fellfrost Peak.

A new tool called the Eye of Graeae unlocks early in the Archon Quest and serves as the central gadget for Snezhnayan exploration. It lets players call a train to travel between cities, craft items or collect Daily Commission rewards while aboard, and create Prime Ice Constructs throughout the open world. Prime Ice Constructs placed by one player can appear in other players' worlds and provide assistance, while other Travelers' constructs may appear in your world as well.

Snezhnaya also adds a new Meeting Points system. Using Cryo Sigils collected during exploration, players can construct and level up three Meeting Points — Huntsman's Cabin, Tidesong Cavern, and The Korolevskiy Theater — at various locations after meeting story prerequisites. Raising Meeting Point Levels earns supplies. Daily Commissions, new Fishing Points, new wildlife, and a Snezhnaya Fishing Association for item exchanges round out the exploration content.

The main story update spans two new Archon Quest acts, both permanently available after the update.

• Chapter VII: Act I — Everwinter Without Mercy: Requires Adventure Rank 18 and completion of Archon Quest Prologue: Act III. A Focused Experience Mode is available for this quest.
• Chapter VII: Act II — Wraith's Nocturne: Requires completion of Act I. Also Adventure Rank 18, with Focused Experience Mode available.

A large number of new World Quest chains also unlock as players progress through Act I, including "Hesperides of Love and Hate," "In the Dwelling of Life," "Her Palace Collapses Into the Blizzard," and others tied to Snezhnayan factions and the landscape.

Odette (5-Star, Cryo, Sword)

Odette is a famed Snezhnayan ballerina and a support character. Her kit lets her deal Stellar Glimmer damage from off-field while providing consistent Cryo application and increasing the party's Stellar Glimmer damage output. She enables the party to trigger both the Stellar-Conduct and Stellar Swirl reactions. Her event wish weapon is the 5-Star Sword Whitelake Frostfeather, which boosts ATK and Stellar Glimmer CRIT DMG while restoring Elemental Energy. Her Phase 1 banner runs alongside a rerun of Arlecchino, with Flins and Ineffa reruns scheduled for Phase 2.

Alyosha (4-Star, Electro, Polearm)

Alyosha is a Snezhnayan hunter and a support character who heals party members while continuously dealing Electro damage. He is featured on Odette's banner as a rate-up 4-Star.

Cryo Traveler

As the Traveler progresses through the Archon Quest in Snezhnaya, they resonate with Cryo and gain access to the Cryo element. The Cryo Traveler can deal damage from off-field, function in quick-swap rotations, or serve as an on-field DPS while in the "Radiance: Stellar-Conduct" state. Progressing through the story in Snezhnaya also rewards the Exaiphanes Blade, a free 5-Star Sword that can be enhanced by connecting to Statues of The Seven in the region.

Stellar Swirl is a new Stellar Glimmer reaction triggered by Anemo meeting Cryo under the conditions introduced in Version 7.0. It deals one instance of Anemo damage, then places a Stellar Vortex at the target's location. The vortex detonates after a short delay for AoE Cryo damage, and triggering additional Stellar Swirl reactions nearby raises the vortex's level, expanding its blast radius and increasing damage. Triggering Stellar Swirl also briefly grants nearby characters an enhanced jump. Certain characters can deal Stellar Swirl damage directly through their Talents, and this damage can trigger CRIT Hits.

A new optional combat mode unlocks through Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act I, letting the Traveler use firearms and equipment to fight enemies inside the Shadow Realm using Elemental Reactions. Once unlocked, a weekly training activity called "Special Recruitment Project: Cycle Training" becomes available, where players accept quests from an NPC named Yarovaya and clear specified Shadow Realms for rewards. A separate challenge mode called "Edge of Survival" opens later through Act II progression, featuring a simulated Shadow Realm with leaderboards for solo times and a Friends' Records tab.

Version 7.0 adds the following weapons:

• Whitelake Frostfeather (5-Star Sword) — event wish, boosts ATK and Stellar Glimmer CRIT DMG
• Exaiphanes Blade (5-Star Sword) — free, earned through Archon Quest progress
• Five new 4-Star forgeable weapons covering Sword, Claymore, Polearm, Catalyst, and Bow — blueprints exchanged from NPC Kuzmichev in Snezhnograd
• Five new 4-Star Battle Pass weapons added to the BP Bounty pool

Two new 5-Star artifact sets are farmable in the new Domain of Blessing: Inverted Glacier in Everfrozen Earth:

• Scarlet Proof — 2-piece: ATK +18%. 4-piece: increases CRIT Rate by 16% and Stellar Swirl reaction damage by 40% for 10s after triggering Stellar Swirl.
• Heart of the Furnace — 2-piece: ATK +18%. 4-piece: increases ATK by 12% for 12s when triggering or dealing Stellar Glimmer reaction damage, and increases Stellar Glimmer reaction damage for all nearby party members by 50%. Effects apply even when the equipping character is off-field.

The Stygian Onslaught endgame mode opens today, August 19, 2026, with the Version 7.0 cycle running through September 22, 2026. The Disturbance Outbreak phase runs August 19 through August 29.

The Spiral Abyss Phase 1 updated on August 16, 2026. New Ley Line Disorders for Floors 9 through 12 revolve around Stellar Swirl, Stellar-Conduct, and Cryo damage bonuses. Phase 2 updates on September 16, 2026. Artifact drops from Ley Line Domains on Floors 9 through 12 now give Scarlet Proof and Heart of the Furnace sets instead of previous sets.

A new season of Imaginarium Theater opens on September 1, 2026, requiring Hydro, Electro, and Dendro elemental types, with Odette and Sandrone as Special Guest Stars.