Tsaritsa Genshin: Release Date, Kit Leaks & Banner

Official story news plus leaked Version 7.3 beta data (Nov 4, 2026)

Anastasya Feodorovna Snezhnaya, the Cryo Archon Tsaritsa, in her official character introduction art · Source: Genshin Impact official X, Jun 26, 2026

Tsaritsa Genshin fans can expect her banner on December 16, 2026 with Version 7.3, with the 7.3 livestream around December 4. The 7.3 beta lists her as a 5★ Cryo Bow user with a spear stance and a Stellar-reaction support kit. Start saving now and you can reach 53–85 pulls by launch day.

Tsaritsa Genshin at a Glance

A quick word on labels before we dive in. Anything tagged official comes straight from HoYoverse, while leaked means it comes from the 7.3 beta and can still change. The December dates are expected, worked out from the version cycle and an official quest deadline.

Tsaritsa Genshin Release Date (Expected)

The Tsaritsa is expected to become playable on Wednesday, December 16, 2026 (UTC+8), when Version 7.3 goes live. HoYoverse hasn't announced the date yet, but two solid clues point to it.

• The 42-day cycle: 7.0 launched Aug 12, 7.1 on Sep 23 and 7.2 on Nov 4. Each step is exactly 42 days, and Nov 4 + 42 days lands on Dec 16.
• The official quest deadline: HoYoLAB's Nov 2 notice says the 7.2 Archon Quest reward window closes on 2026/12/15 14:59. Windows like this usually end the day before the next version arrives.

The livestream should follow the 7.2 pattern. The 7.2 Special Program aired 12 days before launch, so the 7.3 program is expected around Friday, December 4, which is also when the Long Night web event starts. Expect around 300 primogems in livestream codes.

Tsaritsa milestones from her reveal to the expected 7.3 banner; December dates are expected · Source: BitTopup, from HoYoverse announcements

Want the story so far? Our Tsaritsa reveal guide covers who Anastasya is and what the June trailer showed.

Version 7.2 "Hour of Ruin" key art: the Traveler meets the Tsaritsa before her expected 7.3 debut · Source: Genshin Impact Version 7.2 Trailer (official)

Tsaritsa Element, Weapon and Rarity (Leaks)

The Tsaritsa's playable element is Cryo, which fits her official title as the Cryo Archon. The 7.3 beta lists her as a 5★ Bow character. Both rarity and weapon are leaked until HoYoverse posts her official drip marketing.

Bow or polearm? Why the leaks flip-flopped

This is the question every Tsaritsa thread keeps asking, and most guides still give a stale answer. Here's how the rumor moved over time.

So both camps were partly right. She's a bow user on the character screen, but her on-field stance swings the spear from the trailer. Genshin has done this before: Tartaglia is a bow user who fights with hydro blades, and Raiden draws a sword while using a polearm.

The Tsaritsa up close in the official cutscene "Triumphant Return" · Source: Genshin Impact official cutscene animation

Her English voice actor, Lara Korba, is confirmed in the official cutscene credits. If you want to hear her before the banner, the "Triumphant Return" cutscene is the best place to start.

Official cutscene "Triumphant Return": the Tsaritsa enters her throne hall at 0:44 and sits between Vesna and Danica at 1:04 · Source: Genshin Impact official YouTube

Tsaritsa Kit Leaks

Everything in this section comes from the 7.3 beta (Nov 4, 2026). Numbers and names usually shift between beta builds, so read it as direction, not final values.

You might also see the skill called "Judgement of the Pole Star." That's just a different translation of the same beta skill, not a second ability.

The Tsaritsa's ice throne hall, as seen in "Triumphant Return" · Source: Genshin Impact official cutscene animation

How strong is she expected to be?

Early beta impressions are very positive. The common read is that she supports every Stellar team at C0, while C2 is where she becomes a real main damage dealer.

The main community gripe is that she plays like a "Stellar Archon" more than a classic Cryo unit. One top comment put it as "❌ Cryo Archon ✅ Stellar Archon. I'm still pulling though." If you mostly play Freeze or Melt, wait for the final kit after the livestream.

The Tsaritsa's entrance in her throne hall (0:44) · Source: Genshin Impact official cutscene "Triumphant Return"

Who Else Comes With Tsaritsa: Danica and the 7.3 Banners

Danica is officially the Tsaritsa's head housemaid at the palace, voiced in English by Natalie Van Sistine. In the 7.2 Meeting Point quests she runs a clandestine cleanup job for the Tsaritsa in Novokitezhgrad.

Danica's official character introduction art · Source: Genshin Impact official X, Jun 26, 2026

The 7.3 beta lists Danica as a leaked 5★ Electro Claymore user with the signature "Torrents of Spring." She turns Superconduct into Stellar-Conduct and adds Cryo and Electro RES shred, a shield and a team ATK buff, so she pairs naturally with the Tsaritsa.

• Leaked 7.3 lineup: Tsaritsa and Danica as the new 5★ characters.
• Rumored reruns: Sandrone and Lohen.
• Phase order: leaks disagree on whether Danica shares Phase 1 with the Tsaritsa or comes in Phase 2.

We'll cover the full 7.3 banner schedule and reruns in a separate guide once the livestream confirms the phases.

The Tsaritsa takes her throne with Vesna and Danica at her side (1:04) · Source: Genshin Impact official cutscene "Triumphant Return"

Should You Save for Tsaritsa?

Yes, if you play Stellar teams or want the Archon for your collection. She's the centerpiece of the Snezhnaya story, and the leaked kit lifts whole teams instead of just one damage dealer.

Should you skip Mitya?

Mitya's Phase I banner runs until 2026/11/24 17:59, so you have to decide before the 7.3 numbers are final. Most savers in the Tsaritsa community are taking one of these three routes:

1. Skip fully: keep every pull for the Tsaritsa and Danica. This is the best pick if you're under 100 pulls.
2. Snipe Valeriy only: spend 10–30 pulls on the 4★ Valeriy, a popular Stellar-Conduct teammate, and stop there.
3. Pull Mitya: only if you'll still have 160+ pulls on Dec 16 for the Tsaritsa plus a shot at Danica.

Version 7.2 Phase I banners: Mitya and Furina, the wishes many players are skipping for the Tsaritsa · Source: Genshin Impact official X, Nov 2, 2026

Want the full Mitya breakdown? Check our Genshin 7.2 banners guide before you decide.

How many pulls do you need?

• 90 pulls (14,400 primogems) is hard pity. Rates climb sharply from around pull 74, based on community data.
• 180 pulls guarantees the Tsaritsa, even if you lose the 50/50 first.
• Capturing Radiance can turn a lost 50/50 into the featured character, and it's guaranteed to trigger after three losses in a row.
• Tsaritsa + Danica: plan on 180 pulls if you win both 50/50s, or 360 in the worst case.
• Tsaritsa + Silverdawn: around 340 pulls in the worst case (180 + 160).

The Tsaritsa in the final act of "Sudden Snow" · Source: Genshin Impact Transcendence Trailer "Sudden Snow" (official)

If you're still on the fence, the lore makes a strong case. This creator deep dive explains why the Tsaritsa is the endgame of the Snezhnaya arc.

Minsleif's Tsaritsa lore video (242K+ views): her motivation at 10:22 and Project Stuzha at 11:58 · Source: Minsleif on YouTube

How Many Primogems Can You Save Before 7.3

From Thursday, Nov 5 to the expected Dec 16 launch, a F2P player can save 8,550 primogems (53 pulls). Welkin Moon raises that to 12,330 (77 pulls), and Welkin plus the Gnostic Hymn reaches 13,650 (85 pulls).

Primogems you can save from Nov 5 to the expected 7.3 launch, with Fates counted at 160 each · Source: BitTopup analysis of the official 7.2 event calendar

Tip: Clear the new Spiral Abyss on launch morning before you wish. Those 800 primogems can be the five pulls that push a Welkin player to full hard pity.

The table leaves out one-time content on purpose. Unclaimed current cycles (the Oct 16 Abyss, the November Theater and November Stardust Fates) add up to 2,600 more. Novokitezhgrad exploration and the 560-primogem Archon Quest can push a fresh 7.2 player to roughly 96 pulls.

"The Grand Defense" is worth 920 primogems before 7.3 · Source: Genshin Impact official X, Nov 1, 2026

For the full list of income sources and how to squeeze out every pull, see our primogem guide. F2P savers who start from zero will need about 16–21 saved pulls on top of this window to reach soft pity.

The official Version 7.2 event calendar wallpaper, home to most primogems before the Tsaritsa · Source: Genshin Impact official X, Oct 27, 2026

Tsaritsa Materials to Prefarm

These are the leaked 7.3 beta materials for Level 90 plus three talents at Level 10. Gems, local specialties and common drops are already in the game, so you can start farming today.

Snezhnaya's palace city from the "Sudden Snow" trailer, home of Fairy Wormwood · Source: Genshin Impact Transcendence Trailer "Sudden Snow" (official)

Fairy Wormwood is the slowest item, so farm it on every respawn. Spend spare Resin on Chimeric drops, which cover both ascension and talents.

A rare softer look at the Tsaritsa in "Sudden Snow" (3:44) · Source: Genshin Impact Transcendence Trailer (official)

How to Top Up Genshin Impact on BitTopup

BitTopup delivers Genesis Crystals fast, takes multiple payment methods and has support ready to help, so you're set before the Tsaritsa's banner opens.

1. Open the Genshin Impact Genesis Crystals page on BitTopup.
2. Enter your UID and server exactly as shown on your in-game profile.
3. Pick a Genesis Crystal pack or Welkin Moon and your payment method.
4. Pay, check your email for the order confirmation, and keep the order record until the crystals arrive.

Top Up Genesis Crystals on BitTopup

Tsaritsa Genshin FAQ

When is Tsaritsa coming out in Genshin?

She's expected on December 16, 2026 (UTC+8) with Version 7.3. The official 7.2 Archon Quest reward window ends on December 15 at 14:59, and the 7.3 livestream is expected around December 4.

Is Tsaritsa a bow or polearm user?

She's a bow user in the 7.3 beta (leaked). Her Hold Skill summons the spear from the trailer for an on-field Cryo combo, which explains the old polearm rumors.

Is Tsaritsa 5-star?

Yes, the 7.3 beta lists her as a 5★ Cryo character with the signature bow Silverdawn. HoYoverse will confirm her rarity in the official drip marketing.

Should I skip Mitya for Tsaritsa?

If you're under 100 pulls, skip him or snipe only Valeriy. Mitya's banner ends November 24 at 17:59, so you need to decide before the final 7.3 kit is out.

How many pulls can I save by 7.3?

From Nov 5 to Dec 16: about 53 pulls F2P, 77 with Welkin Moon and 85 with Welkin plus Battle Pass. Clearing the launch-day Abyss adds 5 more.

Who is Danica in Genshin?

Danica is the Tsaritsa's head housemaid and part of her inner circle in the 7.2 story. She's leaked as a 5★ Electro Claymore Stellar-Conduct support for 7.3.

What is the Tsaritsa's real name?

Her official name is Anastasya Feodorovna Snezhnaya. She's the Cryo Archon and ruler of Snezhnaya.