HoYoverse has confirmed that Genshin Impact version 7.1 is officially underway, with the long-anticipated patch set to launch on Tuesday, September 22, or Wednesday, September 23, depending on the player’s time zone. The update marks the game’s Sixth Anniversary and carries the story forward in Snezhnaya, the frozen northern region that has become central to the game’s ongoing narrative. In addition to the anniversary festivities, the patch introduces two new playable characters and a fresh battle pass, with players able to claim two free five-star characters simply by logging in. The maintenance window is expected to last approximately five hours, and HoYoverse has published detailed timing across eight global regions to help players plan their downtime.
The maintenance schedule reflects the developer’s usual commitment to coordinating a global rollout, with servers going dark at staggered times to accommodate players worldwide. Those who wish to conserve resources are being advised to burn their resin before the servers close, though the studio has also cautioned that a new battle pass will go live alongside the patch, meaning some players may want to hold back on spending. The developer has noted that while extended maintenance is rare, servers occasionally return early, so the published times should be treated as approximate rather than absolute.
When the Servers Go Dark and Come Back
The maintenance window opens at 3 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, September 22, for the west coast of North America, and runs through the evening and into the following morning across the rest of the globe. Players on the east coast of North America will experience downtime starting at 6 p.m. EDT, while those in Brazil, the U.K., western Europe, Japan, and the east coast of Australia will see their servers close at progressively later hours, culminating in the 8 a.m. AEST shutdown on Wednesday, September 23.
Once maintenance concludes, the 7.1 update is scheduled to go live at 8 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, September 22, for the west coast of North America, with subsequent regions coming online at staggered intervals through Wednesday, September 23. The developer has emphasized that these times are approximate, as server availability can shift slightly depending on how smoothly the maintenance proceeds, though HoYoverse has a strong track record of adhering closely to its published schedule.
The 7.1 patch is coming soon, continuing the story in Snezhnaya. Notably, this patch is the big anniversary update, so there’s a lot of rewards you can snag for just logging into the game.
Genshin Impact
Among the most eagerly awaited additions is the pair of new five-star characters debuting in this update. Vesna, an Anemo sword-user, and Vodyanitsa, a Hydro catalyst-user, will expand the roster of playable heroes and offer fresh gameplay options for players navigating the Snezhnaya arc. Their introduction coincides with the anniversary celebration, which is expected to draw both returning veterans and newcomers to the title.
The anniversary component of the patch is arguably the most generous element of the update. Players will be able to claim two five-star characters for free—one pulled from the standard banner and one from a curated list of specific limited characters—alongside a range of other login rewards. This kind of milestone treatment has become a hallmark of HoYoverse’s approach to long-running titles, and it is likely to generate significant excitement within the community as the release date approaches.
Looking Ahead
As version 7.1 nears its launch, the focus for players will be on timing their resin usage and preparing for the new battle pass that accompanies the update. The developer has reassured the community that extended maintenance is uncommon, and that the studio generally returns servers on schedule or even ahead of plan. With the story continuing in Snezhnaya and a pair of new five-star characters set to join the roster, version 7.1 promises to be one of the most substantial updates in the game’s ongoing cycle, blending narrative progression with the celebratory spirit of the game’s sixth year.
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