In 30 seconds
- The open world that defined the genre: you explore Teyvat, a continent of seven nations, each with its own look, music and gods.
- The last nation is finally open: Snezhnaya, a frozen land of icefields and railways, arrived with version 7.0 in August 2026.
- Real-time combat built on elemental reactions: freeze, burn, electrify, combine.
- Free to play, with a gacha for characters and weapons — and no PvP, so spending never lets anyone beat you.
What's new in 2026: Snezhnaya
Version 7.0, "Everwinter Without Mercy" (August 12, 2026), opened Snezhnaya for the first time. Its capital, Snezhnograd, is the home of the Fatui; outside the city you cross icefields, snowbound villages and frozen lakes.
- A train network links the settlements, and you can call a train to travel between them.
- The Eye of Graeae, which you receive on arrival, protects you from the cold and creates ice constructs for puzzles.
- A new reaction, Stellar Swirl (Anemo + Cryo), summons a vortex in combat — and boosts your jumps while exploring.
- New characters: Odette (5★ Cryo sword) and Alyosha (4★ Electro polearm), who joins for free through the main story quest.
Version 7.1, "A Rekviem for the Underworld" (September 23), added Vesna and Vodyanitsa and the sixth-anniversary event. Version 7.2, "Hour of Ruin", is announced for November 4, with Mitya and Valeriy and a new area in eastern Snezhnaya.
Where you'll explore
Teyvat is split into nations, each a different mood: windswept Mondstadt, the stone peaks of Liyue, the islands of Inazuma, the rainforest and desert of Sumeru, the waterways of Fontaine, the volcanic lands of Natlan, the moonlit lands of Nod-Krai — and now the snow of Snezhnaya.
You don't have to rush there. New players start in Mondstadt, and the story walks you nation by nation; each region opens with its own quests, puzzles and secrets. Gliding off a cliff into a new region is still one of the best feelings in the genre.
Combat: elements first
You switch between four characters in real time and combine their elements. Water then lightning, fire then ice: reactions are the heart of every fight and of every team you build.
That is what keeps the game fresh for years: each new character changes which reactions your team can trigger. Version 7.0's Stellar Swirl is the latest example, and Snezhnaya also added a third-person shooting mode with firearms, unlocked with special goggles.
Can my PC run it?
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 / 11 64-bit |
| CPU | Intel Core i5 (6th gen) or Ryzen equivalent | Intel Core i7 (7th gen) or Ryzen 5000 series |
| GPU | GTX 1050 (or Intel Iris Xe integrated) | GTX 1060 6 GB or better |
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage | 110 GB | 110 GB |
Official figures (HoYoverse, version 7.0 requirements); storage grows with updates. Settings to change first and what each graphics card can expect: Genshin Impact PC requirements & best settings.
Can my PC run Genshin?
Rig Check
Your PC is ready.
Play Genshin freeEstimate based on public GPU benchmarks and the official requirements; RAM (16 GB) and an SSD matter too.
Is it pay-to-win?
Genshin is a gacha game, so here is the honest picture:
- There is no PvP: spending never lets another player beat you.
- On character banners, a 5★ is guaranteed within 90 pulls. If that 5★ isn't the featured character, the next one is guaranteed to be.
- Every 10 pulls guarantees at least a 4★.
- The story, the world and co-op are free. Free characters keep coming too: Alyosha joins through the Snezhnaya story quest.
- Spending speeds up collecting specific characters and weapons; it doesn't lock the main content.
Banner rules change; we check them at each update.
Is it for you?
You'll love it if you want the biggest, most polished open world in the free-to-play space.
Not for you if…
- You want competitive PvP.
- You dislike daily routines and timed events.
- Your SSD is nearly full.
Want something close but different? See our 5 free games like Genshin Impact on PC, or compare it head to head with Wuthering Waves and Zenless Zone Zero.
FAQ
Is Genshin Impact free? Yes.
Is it too late to start in 2026? No. The early story is streamlined and there is more content than ever. You start in Mondstadt and reach Snezhnaya through the story.
Do I need to play the old regions first? The main story goes nation by nation, so yes, you meet Snezhnaya after the earlier arcs — that's where most of the hours are.
What's next? Version 7.2, "Hour of Ruin", is announced for November 4, 2026.
Does it have co-op? Yes, up to 4 players in the open world.
