When Everything Actually Happens
September 28th vs September 10th — What’s the Difference?
Okay, this gets confusing every year. The official anniversary date is September 28, 2025 — that’s when Genshin first launched back in 2020. But here’s where it gets interesting: Version 6.0 drops on September 10, and that’s when all the good stuff actually starts rolling out.
Maintenance times are pretty standard if you’ve been through this before. North America gets hit September 9, 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM (UTC-5). Europe’s looking at September 10, midnight to 5:00 PM (UTC+1). Asia — you’re up early at 7:00 AM to noon (UTC+8).
Version 6.0’s bringing Nod-Krai, which is… honestly pretty fascinating from a lore perspective. It’s this autonomous region way down south in Snezhnaya, completely outside Archon rule. Think icy wasteland meets political independence. The livestream’s scheduled for August 29 at 7:51 AM (UTC-4) — weird time, but that’s when we’ll get the full breakdown.
The Free Stuff (And Whether It’s Actually Good)
That 5-Star Selector Everyone’s Talking About
Here’s your roster: Diluc, Jean, Mona, Keqing, Qiqi, Tighnari, Dehya, and Yumemizuki Mizuki. Standard banner characters plus the newer additions. Available through login starting September 10.
Real talk? Jean’s your best bet if you’re running Furina teams — her instant healing completely negates Furina’s HP drain mechanic. Tighnari’s solid for consistent Dendro DPS if you’re missing that coverage. The others… well, it depends on what you need.
Login rewards are decent this year: 10 Intertwined Fates, 10 Acquaint Fates, 1,600 Primogems, couple Fragile Resin, some enhancement materials. Nothing groundbreaking, but hey — free’s free.
Genesis Crystal Reset — Actually Worth It This Time?
Buy Genesis Crystals bonus reset hits September 10. Every tier gets doubled again: $0.99 nets you 120 crystals instead of 60, all the way up to $99.99 giving you 12,960 instead of 6,480.
Important note: if you’ve got unused bonuses sitting around, they don’t stack with the reset. Use 'em or lose 'em before September 10.
New Characters — Who’s Actually Meta?
Phase 1: Flins and the Usual Suspects
Flins (5-star Electro Polearm) is your main DPS for Phase 1. Rapid attack patterns, tied to some Lightkeepers faction we’re still learning about.
Word is we’re getting Yelan as a rerun — which, honestly, is probably more valuable than Flins for most accounts. Zhongli might show up with a new skin, because of course he does.
Phase 2: Dendro Support and Hydro Options
Lauma (5-star Dendro Catalyst) looks like off-field Dendro application with some Bloom enhancement called Lunar Bloom. Sounds niche, but Dendro supports have been consistently useful. Nahida’s the expected rerun here.
Aino (4-star Hydro Claymore) rounds out the new faces as sub-DPS. Could be interesting for Genshin Impact Anniversary Recharge planning if you’re looking at the bigger picture.
Events That Might Actually Be Fun
Clink Clank Clash — More Than Just Another Minigame
Adventure Rank 20 minimum, plus you need ‘Song of the Dragon and Freedom’ completed. Four different gameplay modes: chase sequences, explosive combat, robot exploration, and stealth sections.
The variety’s refreshing, honestly. Most anniversary events feel samey after five years, but mixing stealth with explosive combat? That’s… actually creative. Plus there’s a free event weapon.
Memento in Motion brings back photography challenges — six days of Kamera work. Dodoco’s Blow-Up-Erative Bomb-Nanza (seriously, who names these things?) offers co-op bomb placement strategy. Spikey Fish enemies, Boom Points rewards. Sounds chaotic in the best way.
Cosmetics and Collection Stuff
New Nod-Krai themed Wind Glider — first free anniversary glider since 2021, which is honestly overdue. ‘Little Dragon’ pet gadget looks cute. Anniversary weapon skin’s details are still under wraps.
Livestream codes drop 300 Primogems total (three codes, 100 each) with the usual 24-hour expiration. Set those phone alarms.
Character Selection Strategy (The Real Talk Version)
Who Actually Helps Your Account
Jean’s the smart pick if you’re running modern team comps. Furina synergy’s incredible — instant healing plus Viridescent Venerer support. Tighnari gives you stable Dendro DPS without complicated rotations.
Keqing can work in Catalyze teams, but she needs constellation investment to really shine. Yumemizuki Mizuki has unique Anemo DPS mechanics with automatic Swirl, but… the damage output’s pretty average. Single-target performance is weak. Only grab her if you really like the playstyle.
Qiqi’s C6 gives team revival utility, which is niche but occasionally clutch. The others are collection picks unless you’ve got specific team gaps.
Story Content and Lore Implications
Nod-Krai exploration promises mystical aesthetics outside traditional Archon influence — previewed at Gamescom 2025. Two new Archon Quests feature Traveler’s Sibling appearances, plus we finally meet Rerir and get Columbina’s debut.
That’s… actually significant. Columbina’s been teased forever, and the Sibling plotline needs progression. This could be the anniversary where story momentum picks up again.
Pre-Anniversary Prep (Actually Useful Tips)
Get Adventure Rank 20+ done. Complete ‘Song of the Dragon and Freedom’ if you haven’t. Clear your Resin reserves — you’ll want space for new materials. Organize artifact inventory because new characters mean new builds.
Pre-events worth your time: Mementos of Teyvat (August 21 - September 1) and Ley Line Overflow (September 1-8). That Overflow period’s perfect for resource farming before the new region drops.
Banner strategy? Evaluate whether Yelan/Nahida reruns fill bigger gaps than Flins/Lauma. The free selector should complement your pulls, not replace strategic planning. Consider your Genshin Impact Top Up budget accordingly.
The Questions Everyone’s Actually Asking
When does stuff actually start? September 10 for Version 6.0 and events. September 28 for the official anniversary date. The 18-day event period covers both.
How many total pulls are we getting? 30+ wishes minimum. 10 Intertwined, 10 Acquaint, plus 1,600 Primogems from various sources. More if you grind all the events.
Which character should I actually pick? Jean for meta relevance, Tighnari for Dendro coverage, or whoever you’re missing for collection. Don’t overthink it.
Genesis Crystal reset — all tiers? Yep, $0.99 to $99.99, everything gets doubled bonuses again. Unused bonuses don’t carry over, so spend what you’ve got.
What’s actually new besides characters? Entire Nod-Krai region, which is substantial. New Archon Quests with actual plot progression. Events that might not suck. Cosmetics including that long-overdue free glider.
How do I maximize rewards? Hit the requirements, save resources, participate in Ley Line Overflow. Pretty standard anniversary prep.
Ready to dive into year five? BitTopup’s got competitive Genesis Crystal pricing and solid customer support for all your anniversary spending needs. Because let’s be honest — you’re probably gonna pull for someone.
