Genshin Impact 7.2 Update: Release Date and What's New
November 9, 2026 · 7 min read
On this page
- Version 7.2 key facts
- Download size and how to update
- Compensation Primogems
- New characters and weapon
- New areas: Novokitezhgrad and Wingspan Peak
- New story quests
- New enemies
- Shooter and system updates
- Spiral Abyss and Imaginarium Theater dates
- Events and quality-of-life changes
- Frequently asked questions
- When did Genshin Impact 7.2 come out?
- What is new in Genshin Impact 7.2?
- How big is the Genshin Impact 7.2 update?
- How many Primogems is the 7.2 compensation?
- Who are the new characters in Genshin Impact 7.2?
- How do I get to Novokitezhgrad?
Last checked: November 9, 2026.
Genshin Impact Version 7.2, "Hour of Ruin," came out on November 4, 2026. It adds two new areas in Snezhnaya, the 5-star Mitya and 4-star Valeriy, two new Archon Quest acts, new shooter content, and a new Spiral Abyss and Imaginarium Theater season. Everything below comes from HoYoverse's official update notes and notices.
Version 7.2 key facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Version name | "Hour of Ruin" |
| Release date | November 4, 2026 |
| Maintenance | Started Nov 4, 06:00 (UTC+8), estimated 5 hours |
| New characters | Mitya (5-star, Electro, Catalyst), Valeriy (4-star, Electro, Sword) |
| New areas | Novokitezhgrad and Wingspan Peak, Snezhnaya |
| New Archon Quests | Chapter VII: Act V "Hour of Ruin" and Act VI "A Yesterday Sent From Beyond" |
| Compensation | 300 + 300 Primogems for Adventure Rank 5+ |
| Phase I banners end | November 24, 2026, 17:59 |
Maintenance at 06:00 (UTC+8) on November 4 was the afternoon of November 3 in the Americas: 5:00 PM EST or 2:00 PM PST.
Download size and how to update
Pre-installation opened before the update. HoYoverse estimated the pre-install download at 8 GB on PC and 3 GB on mobile, based on one voice-over pack. The exact size depends on how many voice packs you have installed.
| Platform | How to update |
|---|---|
| PC | Close the game, open the Genshin Impact Launcher and click Update |
| iOS | Update from the App Store |
| Android | Open the game and follow the on-screen directions |
| PlayStation 5 | Highlight Genshin Impact on the Home screen, press OPTIONS and choose "Check for Update" |
| Xbox Series X/S | My games & apps > Manage > Updates, then update Genshin Impact |
Compensation Primogems
| Compensation | Amount | Who gets it | Claim by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | 300 Primogems (60 per hour of downtime) | Adventure Rank 5+ by Nov 4, 06:00 (UTC+8) | The end of Version 7.2 |
| Issue fix | 300 Primogems | Same group | Nov 7, 06:00 (UTC+8), now closed |
Both arrive by in-game mail, and those mails expire after 30 days.
New characters and weapon
Mitya, "Rules Set at Naught" (5-star, Electro, Catalyst). An Electro DPS who lets the party trigger Stellar-Conduct and deals Stellar-Conduct reaction damage. While he's in the party, the Polestar Field follows your active character in real time.
Valeriy, "Fort Fulguration" (4-star, Electro, Sword). A support who provides Electro-related buffs and shields. He'll join the standard wish in the next version.
Starsealed Edict (5-star Catalyst). The new event-exclusive weapon. It raises CRIT DMG, grants Elemental Mastery through its "Crystal Compounding" and "Law of Combustion" effects, and adds Stellar-Conduct CRIT DMG in the Radiance: Stellar-Conduct state.
See the current Genshin Impact banners for the full Phase I lineup, including the Furina rerun.
New areas: Novokitezhgrad and Wingspan Peak
Version 7.2 opens Novokitezhgrad and Wingspan Peak in Snezhnaya.
- Completing "Gunfire in the Silent Lands" in Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act I automatically unlocks a Teleport Waypoint northeast of Fellfrost Peak. Use it to reach the new areas. You also get its Primogem reward when it unlocks.
- Teleporting there unlocks a new railroad map.
- East of Wingspan Peak there is a Shadow Realm area that uses the third-person shooter gameplay. After you finish the "An Ancient Song of Flowing Crystal and Stone Chests" quest chain, it recedes and you can explore it with your normal party.
- There are new Fishing Points and Radiant Spincrystals in the new areas.
Two new Meeting Points arrive too: Teplo Oasis and Royal Railway Transport Bureau. Both need "Silence Alone is Disfavored" from Chapter VII: Act I. Teplo Oasis then needs the World Quest "A Lovely Oasis Holiday." Royal Railway Transport Bureau needs "To the Kristall City," then "Beneath Dust and Snow."
New story quests
| Quest | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act V "Hour of Ruin" | Adventure Rank 18+, Act IV "A Rekviem for the Underworld" completed |
| Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act VI "A Yesterday Sent From Beyond" | Adventure Rank 18+, Act V completed |
Both support Focused Experience Mode. New World Quests include the "An Ancient Song of Flowing Crystal and Stone Chests" chain, "Dark Clouds in a Wine Bottle" and "Borrowing a Gold Coin From a Portrait." They unlock after "Gunfire in the Silent Lands."
You don't need to finish older Archon Quests to play in Snezhnaya. Any Traveler at Adventure Rank 18 or above who has completed Prologue: Act III can use the automatic Teleport Waypoint and start Chapter VII. Our Snezhnaya guide walks through it.
New enemies
- Wavebinder (Novokitezhgrad): a Volkodlak that drinks a hot beverage to build Courage, then enters a Valiant state with much higher resistances. Electro damage and Stellar Glimmer reactions drain its Courage.
- Icebound Reflection: a snow-and-ice monster that loses its Cryo immunity when hit by Stellar Glimmer.
- Chimeric Skorp and Chimeric Crocohoof: new Aberrant Chimeric Monsters.
Shooter and system updates
- Secret Tsarist Assignment: Part II, with rewards including a wind glider and a recipe.
- Two new shotguns, "Sosruko's Flame" and "Apsat's Mountain Hunt," earned from World Quests.
- Three new Edge of Survival stages: "Hammer and Anvil," "Harbor Under Heavy Guard" and "The Calamity-Torn Old City."
- DualSense adaptive triggers for firearms on PC and PS5 (Settings > Controls).
Spiral Abyss and Imaginarium Theater dates
| Mode | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Spiral Abyss, Phase 1 | November 16 | Floor 11: +60% Electro and +60% Geo DMG Bonus. Floor 12: Lunar-Crystallize DMG +75% (first half), Elemental Mastery +200 (second half). |
| Imaginarium Theater | December 1 | Required elements Pyro, Hydro and Geo. Opening characters: Arlecchino, Bennett, Furina, Xingqiu, Navia and Illuga. Special guests: Chasca, Varesa, Kinich and Iansan. |
| Spiral Abyss, Phase 2 | December 16 | Floor 11: +60% Cryo and +60% Anemo DMG Bonus. Floor 12: Stellar Glimmer DMG +75% (first half), active character's Anemo DMG +75% (second half). |
Events and quality-of-life changes
"The Grand Defense: Defy the Unjust Judgment" runs for all of Version 7.2. Its rewards include Primogems, a Crown of Insight and a 4-star character of your choice.
Useful smaller changes:
- Specialty Tracking: when you track a Local Specialty, the mini-map now prioritizes it if a party character can display regional specialties.
- Prime Ice Constructs: the batch deletion limit goes from 100 to 200, there's a new "Only Friends" permission option, and constructs no longer appear near Statues of The Seven, Adventurers' Guilds, Blacksmiths or Meeting Points.
- Pale Crown Palace station: it now unlocks after "Gunfire in the Silent Lands" and stays on the railroad map.
- Ley Line Outcrops: the map sidebar gets an "Enemy Details" section.
- Guiding Notes: a new region filter.
- Parametric Transformer: it now accepts drops and materials added between Version Luna IV and 7.2.
Also new: a Varka character card for Genius Invokation TCG, and new Miliastra Wonderland cosmetic sets. Under rules protecting minors, the "Current Team" and "Serenitea Pot" chat channels are no longer available to under-13 and minor accounts.
Frequently asked questions
When did Genshin Impact 7.2 come out?
Version 7.2 was released on November 4, 2026. Maintenance began at 06:00 (UTC+8) that day, which was the afternoon of November 3 in the Americas, and was expected to last about 5 hours.
What is new in Genshin Impact 7.2?
The main additions are Mitya and Valeriy, two new Snezhnaya areas (Novokitezhgrad and Wingspan Peak), Archon Quest Chapter VII: Acts V and VI, and new shooter content. There's also a new Spiral Abyss on November 16 and an Imaginarium Theater season on December 1.
How big is the Genshin Impact 7.2 update?
HoYoverse estimated the pre-install download at 8 GB on PC and 3 GB on mobile with one voice-over pack. More voice packs mean a bigger download.
How many Primogems is the 7.2 compensation?
600 in total: 300 for the maintenance and 300 for issue fixes, for players at Adventure Rank 5 or above. The issue fix Primogems had to be claimed by November 7, 06:00 (UTC+8). The maintenance Primogems can be claimed until Version 7.2 ends.
Who are the new characters in Genshin Impact 7.2?
Mitya, a 5-star Electro catalyst DPS built around Stellar-Conduct, and Valeriy, a 4-star Electro sword support who provides buffs and shields.
How do I get to Novokitezhgrad?
Complete "Gunfire in the Silent Lands" in Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act I. That unlocks a Teleport Waypoint northeast of Fellfrost Peak, which you can use to reach Novokitezhgrad and Wingspan Peak.
