Genshin Impact 2.8 release date, countdown, banners and new skins: All you need to know

Genshin Impact 2.8 will launch on July 13, 2022, with a plethora of content for Travelers to enjoy once that happens. It is the last Version Update before Version 3.0, so some players might be curious to know what's going to happen in this update. It's right around the corner, and the recent Special Program thankfully revealed several important tidbits.

This article will primarily focus on what's been officially revealed and not what has been leaked. There is some additional content via leaks that weren't shown in the Special Program, but some players prefer to get official content and not leaks. In that case, it's worth checking out what's newsworthy.

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Genshin Impact 2.8 information

Those who missed the recent Special Program and would like to watch it can check out the hyperlink in the above Tweet. That livestream covered all of the important tidbits of the upcoming update, although some might prefer a concise summary of a few particular parts.

Hence, this article will cover the banner and skin information, as that might be the most exciting news for some Travelers. Keep in mind that the release date of Genshin Impact 2.8 is July 13, 2022.

More specifically, it should launch at 11.00 AM (UTC+8), as all recent updates have. Players who don't know what that time translates to in their timezone can check out the following countdown.

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Countdown to Genshin Impact 2.8

This countdown is relevant for all servers, as players those will get the new Version Update simultaneously. It will count down to 11.00 AM (UTC+8) on July 13, 2022, so the reader doesn't have to bother with memorizing specific times. Note that this time is based on the expected release date, so any unforeseen delays won't be included in this countdown.

It's also worth mentioning that maintenance will begin five hours before the update goes live. This happens with every Version Update, so it shouldn't surprise most players, but beginners might get caught off-guard by that when they find out they can't play the game for several hours.

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Genshin Impact 2.8 banners

The official banners (Image via HoYoverse)

The official 2.8 Special Program stated the following regarding the character banners:

• 1st Phase: Kazuha & Klee reruns featuring Heizou as one of the main 4-stars
• 2nd Phase: Yoimiya rerun

The weapon banners weren't mentioned in this livestream, although Freedom-Sworn and Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds are expected to be in the first banner. Kazuha and Klee's reruns will begin on July 13, 2022, the same day as the new Version Update.

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New skins

The new two skins belong to Diluc and Fischl. Diluc's will be similar to past 5-star event outfits in that it is only available via Genesis Crystals. However, it's different from Jean and Keqing's outfits in that it has new special effects and a new idle animation.

Fischl's skin is available for F2P players, as they just need to collect enough Phantasmal Conches in the Golden Apple Archipelago to acquire it. The Genshin Impact 2.8 Special Program didn't mention how many the player had to collect, so they will have to find that out later.

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