Genshin Impact's version 7.1 update, subtitled "A Rekviem for the Underworld," goes live September 23, and HoYoverse is pairing it with the game's sixth anniversary — meaning free rewards land in every player's mailbox the same week as two new playable characters. Here's what's actually in the update, not just what's in the trailer.
Two new 5-star characters headline Phase 1
Phase 1 of the update, running September 23 through October 13, introduces Vesna and Vodyanitsa as debut 5-star characters. Vesna is an Anemo sword user and Commander of the Druzhna, built as a main damage dealer around Stellar-Swirl reactions. Vodyanitsa is a Hydro catalyst support — the Prima Donna of the Korolevskiy Troupe — focused on healing and enabling off-field damage rather than dealing it herself. Phase 2, starting October 13, swaps in reruns for Skirk and Escoffier instead of new units.
What is Genshin Impact 7.1? It's HoYoverse's September 23, 2026 content update for Genshin Impact, titled "A Rekviem for the Underworld," which adds two new playable 5-star characters (Vesna and Vodyanitsa), continues the Snezhnaya story arc with three new Archon Quests, and coincides with the game's sixth anniversary celebration and its associated free rewards.
Story continues in Snezhnaya, plus anniversary rewards
The update carries forward three Archon Quests set in Snezhnaya, centered on a confrontation between Dainsleif and Ronova, the Ruler of Death — who also appears as a new weekly boss encounter alongside a separate world boss, the Guardian Blade of Drifting Snow. Players take on a new role as the Tsaritsa's special consultant as the story develops.
Because 7.1 lines up with Genshin's sixth anniversary on September 28, HoYoverse is mailing every player 10 Intertwined Fates and 1,600 Primogems, plus a free standard 5-star character selector and a separate selector covering six specific 5-star units. Three limited-time redemption codes — Rekviem, Vesna0923, and PrimaDonna — add roughly 300 more Primogems combined, though HoYoverse hasn't said how long the codes stay active. New to the game entirely? Our Genshin Impact free-to-play breakdown covers what to expect before diving into a six-year-old gacha RPG's current story arc.
Should you save or pull?
With two brand-new kits arriving in Phase 1 and a full character-selector as an anniversary freebie, 7.1 is a heavier-than-usual pull decision window. Players sitting on saved Primogems from the pre-anniversary farming push have a genuine reason to spend this patch rather than wait for Phase 2's reruns, especially if Vesna's Stellar-Swirl DPS role or Vodyanitsa's healing support fills a gap in an existing team.
Sources: Notebookcheck, Gematsu
