Genshin Impact's version 7.0 update is set to launch on 11-12 August, bringing players to the long-awaited region of Snezhnaya and introducing a new cast of characters. The update finally moves the story forward to meet the Tsaritsa, the enigmatic figure who has been collecting the seven gnoses throughout the game's narrative, making it a significant milestone for the years-old title.

Servers will go offline for maintenance at 11pm BST on Tuesday 11 August (times vary by region) for approximately five hours, with 7.0 expected to go live around 4am BST on Wednesday 12 August. New playable characters include the five-star Cryo user Odette and four-star Electro user Alyosha, alongside a snow-appropriate outfit for the Traveller. The patch also reverts to standard numbered versioning and will introduce several limited-time events offering Primogems and upgrade materials, including the "Great Expeditionist Challenge" starting 28 August, which rewards a crown and a copy of the character Diona.