Genshin Impact's Next Update Launches You to Space

A fantasy RPG about exploring a continent inspired by real-world cultures is putting you on a spacecraft and sending you to the moon. HoYoverse revealed during the Version Luna VIII Special Program that Genshin Impact's next major update, launching July 1, adds the Frost Moon as a permanent explorable region beyond the skies of Teyvat. Players will board a spacecraft, land on the lunar surface, and explore a space station suspended in orbit where you can look back at Teyvat rotating below you. I did not have "Genshin goes to space" on my 2026 bingo card, and this is a permanent addition rather than a limited event makes it even wilder.

The moon itself sounds like it plays differently from anything in the base game. A "mysterious ancient power" on the surface lets players manipulate local gravity and traverse new terrain types, while ancient ruins tied to the dragon race hide their own storylines. A voiced world quest involving Columbina is also part of the region. Both the moon and Teyvat maps will get a new layered display feature to track which level you're on in real time, which should help with the vertical exploration that Genshin has historically struggled to communicate clearly.

Alongside the new region, Sandrone joins the playable roster as a 5-star Cryo Claymore wielder after her apparent sacrifice during the Nod-Krai storyline. She brings a brand-new Cryo-Electro reaction called Stellar-Conduct, which creates a Polestar Field that buffs Cryo and Electro damage while shredding opponents' Physical resistance. In practice, she commands an autonomous construct called Fagio that deals Stellar-Conduct damage on Charged Attacks and builds up Decoding Power; her Elemental Skill lets her maneuver and fire while preventing Fagio from overloading. Sandrone debuts in Phase 1 banners alongside a Citlali rerun, with Columbina and Raiden Shogun returning in Phase 2. Three Primogem redemption codes from the livestream are active now: Marionette, TotheMoon, and TeaPartyTime.

A flagship summer event, the Fontinalia Film Festival aboard Wriothesley's flying ship Wingalet, rounds out the update with a permanent event story, a free Charlotte, and new outfits for both Charlotte and Citlali. HoYoverse also teased Snezhnaya at the end of the program, confirming English voice actress Lara Korba as the Tsaritsa, Anastasya Feodorovna Snezhnaya. Genshin Impact is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via the official site and Epic Games Store, and mobile devices.