Genshin Impact Anastasya release date speculation, voice actors, and lore

Holly Alice

Updated:Nov 6, 2026

Genshin Impact 

Let's take a look at the fabled icy queen herself, Genshin Impact's Tsaritsa, Anastasya. After six years, we finally get to see her playable form and meet her in the story during the 7.x updates. It's been a long while, but soon, we can add the seventh archon to our teams.

For more lore around Genshin's leaders, check out our guides on Genshin Impact's Zhongli, Genshin Impact's Raiden Shogun, and Genshin Impact's Columbina.

Genshin Impact Tsaritsa's release date speculation

The Tsaritsa, officially called Anastasya, got drip marketing on November 6, 2026. This means her release will be in update 7.3, a few weeks after her first post. She's a five-star character who uses the cryo element.

Who is Genshin Impact's Tsaritsa?

The Tsaritsa is one of The Seven and presides specifically over Snezhnaya. She's the current ruler of the nation but was not an original member of the Seven. She rose to power after the Archon War, but before the Cataclysm that rocked Teyvat 500 years ago. The name 'Tsaritsa' is Russian for Empress and is another term for Tsar. In both Chinese and Japanese versions of the game, her title is 'Empress of Ice', and in Korean it translates to 'Queen of Ice'.

Tsaritsa is the head of the Fatui - they are her organisation and follow her will to a T, including the Harbingers on their mission to get the other Archons' gnoses. She bequeaths the Fatui with Delusions - fake Visions - so that they can wield elemental power. These agents include the Cicin Mages and Mirror Maidens that frequently spring upon the Traveler in the overworld.

Genshin Impact's Dainsleif mentions the Tsaritsa in the Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview when he mentions Snezhnaya, and introduces her as a god who has no love for her people. The people of Snezhnaya also have no love left for her, either. He also states that there will be a rebellion in the future against the divine, which again likely points to her using the gnoses against Celestia.

As for where else she's appeared in the story and lore of Teyvat, we know that she met with Morax the Geo Archon (or Genshin Impact's Zhongli to us), and managed to negotiate with him in order to get the Geo gnosis. As for what she gave him in exchange for it, we need to wait and see. According to Zhongli, we Travelers will 'find out ourselves' as we venture across the regions of Teyvat.

In terms of what she's like as a person, Genshin Impact's Tartaglia states that she is "actually a gentle soul". This is surprising, considering her Harbinger status. Something in her past led to a huge change in character, it seems, likely to do with what she saw during the Cataclysm, as he goes on to say that she declared war on the entire world because she dreams of peace.

For more on what's coming to Genshin sooner rather than later, check out the Genshin Impact banner schedule and Genshin Impact tier list, and make use of these working Genshin Impact codes.