Genshin Impact 7.1: Vesna, Vodyanitsa, and a Crowded Rerun Field

1. Version window and how firm this is

Genshin Impact 7.1 is expected to launch around September 23, 2026, based on the standard ~42-day cycle after 7.0's September 22 phase-2 end. That date is Leaked/expected — an estimate from the cycle, not a HoYoverse announcement. The 7.1 Special Program is expected to air around September 11, 2026, and that broadcast is where the banner order, rerun list, and weapon banners get confirmed. Until then, treat the character names as the solid part and the schedule as provisional. This page was cross-checked on 2026-09-05; leaks are subject to change before official release.

2. New characters: Vesna and Vodyanitsa

The two debut units are the one piece of 7.1 the community treats as settled. HoYoverse's drip marketing and the Transcendence trailer both showed Vesna and Vodyanitsa, so their addition to the roster is Confirmed by official teaser. Their kits, elements, and weapon types come from beta datamines and are Leaked/expected until the premiere demonstrates them.

Vesna — five-star Anemo Sword, Stellar Swirl DPS

Vesna is the commander of the Druzhna, the group serving the Tsaritsa, and her role was set up at the end of Chapter VII, Act II. She carries a Stellar Linchpin, which means her kit can trigger Stellar Glimmer reactions, and beta testing frames her as a Stellar Swirl main DPS on an Anemo sword. If that holds, she would be the first limited five-star Stellar Swirl carry of the Snezhnaya arc, which makes her a natural pairing target for Vodyanitsa's buffs. Leaked gameplay also points to unique flight mechanics. Leaked/expected for the kit; the debut itself is Confirmed.

Vodyanitsa — five-star Hydro, support

Vodyanitsa is the Prima Soprano of the Korolevskiy Troupe, friends with Odette and Alyosha, and one of the most requested new units after her 7.0 Archon Quest role. Leaks describe her as a Hydro support who shreds enemy Hydro and Cryo resistance and provides healing plus interruption resistance. Later beta builds report her weapon type as Catalyst, though earlier leaks left it open, so the weapon is Leaked/expected. She uses a standard Vision rather than a Stellar Linchpin, so she enables Stellar teams without setting off the reactions herself. Confirmed as a debut; kit and weapon are Leaked/expected.

3. Leaked rerun banners — and why they disagree

This is where the sources split, and the split is the story. One well-tracked leaker (Kuroo) points to Skirk and Escoffier, both Cryo, returning in 7.1. That lines up with the Spiral Abyss and Imaginarium Theater element allowances for the version, which lean Cryo and Hydro. A separate 7.1 beta build lists the reruns as Zibai (Geo sword DPS) and Linnea (Geo bow support) instead. Both readings come from beta datamines, and rerun slots shift more than debut slots, so every rerun name here is Leaked/expected with low confidence.

Reading the conflict

The safe play is to prepare for Vesna and Vodyanitsa as the confirmed new arrivals and keep Cryo reruns (Skirk, Escoffier) in mind as the more likely return, while noting that Geo reruns (Zibai, Linnea) also surfaced in a build. Do not bank Primogems on a rerun until the Special Program confirms it. If you want Skirk or Escoffier, the 7.1 window is plausible but unproven; if you would rather not gamble, wait for the premiere. Veterans who remember Version 2.4 will note that two new five-stars sharing a phase is unusual, and 7.1 may repeat that pattern with Vesna and Vodyanitsa.

4. Phase order is not locked

The exact placement of each character across the two phases has not been leaked or confirmed. One reading puts Vesna and Vodyanitsa together in Phase 1 as a dual debut, which would echo 2.4's joint banner. Another puts Vesna in Phase 1 and Vodyanitsa in Phase 2. The reruns would then slot into whichever half has room. Because phase order drives how you budget, this is the single most important unknown, and it stays Leaked/expected until the Event Wishes go live. Plan for a full two-character guarantee — up to 180 wishes, roughly 28,800 Primogems — if you intend to pull both new units regardless of phase.

5. Endgame and system updates

The leaked endgame picture for 7.1 is more stable than the banners because it rides on recurring systems. Imaginarium Theater is expected to reset on October 1 and November 1, 2026. October allows Cryo, Hydro, and Anemo, with opening characters including Neuvillette, Barbara, Citlali, Kaeya, Wanderer, and Prune, plus special guests Yae Miko, Ineffa, Thoma, and Chiori. November allows Geo, Hydro, and Electro. Leaked/expected from beta calendars.

Spiral Abyss and Stygian Onslaught

The Spiral Abyss reset is expected around October 16, 2026, with Floor 12 buffs of 75 percent Stellar-Glimmer reaction damage in the first half and 75 percent Cryo damage in the second. Those buffs tell you HoYoverse expects Stellar teams to matter by then, which backs the Vesna plus Vodyanitsa synergy. Stygian Onslaught is expected to start about a week after launch, near November 1. Leaked/expected. A new world boss, Churin, is reported for Snezhnaya and is said to be weak to Cryo reactions. Leaked/expected. None of this is final until the patch notes post.

6. Region and story direction

Version 7.1 continues the Snezhnaya chapter rather than opening new map. The debut characters both hail from the region, and the leaked Abyss and Theater lineups keep the cast Snezhnaya-heavy. If the Stellar system is the mechanical hook of this arc, 7.1 is where it gets its first limited DPS in Vesna, so the version reads as a consolidation of 7.0's setup more than a fresh expansion. Leaked/expected for the direction; the debut characters are Confirmed.

What to do before the premiere

Save now if you want either new unit, since a same-version double debut can drain a stash fast. Check the Banners & Events page after September 11 for the confirmed order, and use the Leaks hub to re-read how beta confidence tiers work. The 7.0 page covers the Stellar foundation these kits build on. Until the Special Program, every name past Vesna and Vodyanitsa is a rumor with a paper trail, not a promise.