Genshin Impact 7.0: Banners, New Characters, Map and Quests to Expect

Six years after the Traveler first landed in Mondstadt, the story is finally heading to the last nation on the list. This guide breaks down the genshin impact 7.0 banners, the new roster, the Snezhnaya map, and what kind of quests are likely waiting once the update goes live on August 12, 2026. Fair warning, since the patch has not launched yet, a chunk of this is leak territory rather than confirmed fact, and different leakers do not always agree with each other.

New Characters Coming in 7.0

Most leak sources point to Odette and Alyosha as the two headline additions for genshin impact 7.0 new characters, alongside the free Cryo Traveler completing the protagonist's elemental set. A separate wave of reports also names Vodianitsa and Pantalone as candidates for the same patch window, so treat the exact lineup as unsettled until the official livestream. What almost everyone agrees on is that Snezhnaya's Archon Quest itself will feature a much larger cast, including familiar Fatui Harbingers like Sandrone, Pulcinella, and Pierro alongside brand new faces.

odette genshin impact leaks describe her as a dancer and assassin who buffs the party with resistance shred, elemental damage, and Elemental Mastery before switching out. alyosha genshin impact reports paint him as a rifleman who summons a hunting hound during his burst, applies Electro off field, and might even carry shielding utility on top of healing, which would make him a genuinely strong free unit rather than a filler.

The Tsaritsa: Not Yet, But Soon

The Cryo Archon is not expected to join the roster in 7.0 itself. Most tsaritsa genshin impact leaks place her playable debut around version 7.2 or 7.3, following the pattern every previous Archon has set by arriving near the climax of their own regional story rather than at the start. If she is your target, 7.0 becomes a saving window rather than a pulling window.

Pity carries over between versions. If you lose the 50/50 on an early Snezhnaya banner, your next limited pull is guaranteed, so it can make sense to spend now on a character you actually want rather than hoarding everything blindly for a banner that is still two or three patches away.

Banner Structure

Exact order for the genshin impact 7.0 banners will not be locked until the pre patch livestream, expected in late July, but the general shape follows the usual two phase pattern. New characters headline phase one, reruns typically fill out phase two, and rumored candidates for a Snezhnaya launch rerun include Zhongli, following his history of rerunning early in new nation releases, along with Shenhe and Yae Miko given the new Cryo and Electro focused meta.

• Phase 1: Odette as the featured 5 star, Alyosha as featured 4 star
• Phase 2: rumored second new character, exact name unconfirmed
• Likely reruns: Zhongli, Shenhe, Yae Miko
• Weapon banner: new signature swords tied to the phase 1 and phase 2 characters

The snezhnaya map genshin impact leaks describe a region sitting northwest of Nod Krai, noticeably larger than Sumeru's forest area and easily bigger than Nod Krai's own launch map. Two major cities anchor the geography, a northern capital believed to be Snezhnograd with a palace structure that may be Zapolyarny Palace, and a southern city yet to be identified. A green pocket breaks up the snow on the northwest side, a frozen port town sits to its east, and train tracks connect settlements across the whole nation, matching the train imagery already shown in trailers.

The region will not connect by land to Fontaine or Mondstadt at launch, and this is only the opening slice of Snezhnaya. Future patches are expected to expand the nation further with additional zones, so 7.0's map is a starting point rather than the whole picture.

Stellar Reactions and Combat

Every region gets its own combat gimmick, and Snezhnaya's is stellar reactions genshin impact players have been waiting on since Sandrone's kit hinted at it back in 6.6. The headline reaction is Stellar Conduct, triggered by Cryo plus Electro, built to finally make Superconduct and related interactions worth constructing a team around instead of avoiding by accident.

Archon Quest and Likely Story Beats

The genshin impact 7.0 archon quest is expected to open with a summit where the Tsaritsa gathers representatives from every nation, setting up the direct bridge from Nod Krai's ending into Snezhnaya's opening chapter. From there the story is expected to dig into why the Fatui have been collecting Gnoses for years, with speculation ranging from opening a path to Celestia to reviving someone from the Tsaritsa's past. HoYoverse has stated the story will reach its conclusion naturally rather than being stretched out, and Khaenri'ah and Celestia content is already confirmed to follow after Snezhnaya wraps up.

Types of Quests to Expect

Based on how every previous region launched, genshin impact 7.0 quests should follow a familiar shape even before official details drop.

• A multi chapter Archon Quest introducing the region's politics and the Tsaritsa's motives

• Character introduction quests for Odette, Alyosha, and other new faces

• World quest chains tied to exploring Snezhnograd and the surrounding towns

• Reputation quests unlocking waypoints, local specialties, and region specific rewards

• Puzzle and domain content built around the new Stellar Reaction mechanics

Preparing for Launch

Since region specific materials will not be farmable until Snezhnaya actually opens, the smart move is stacking universal resources now, Hero's Wit, Mora, and generic ascension materials that carry over regardless of which characters you end up pulling. Combine that with a clear idea of whether you are chasing Odette, Alyosha, or holding everything for the Tsaritsa two or three patches down the line, since that decision affects how aggressively you should spend versus save between now and August 12.