On July 1, Genshin Impact Version Luna VIII is set to officially launch. To be honest, I’m really excited for this update — as the main storyline continues to unfold and the lore of Teyvat is steadily fleshed out, as a huge story fan, I couldn’t be more delighted.

Let’s start with what I’m looking forward to the most: Frost Moon.

This isn’t just a limited-time event-exclusive map — it’s a permanent, fully explorable region that remains unlocked indefinitely. Players will finally set foot on the moon of Teyvat, exploring its Moon Sea, Dark Side of Moon, and even space stations. As revealed in the Version Special Program, the lunar surface features low-gravity mechanics and a space elevator, delivering a completely fresh experience for both world traversal and puzzle-solving.

Then there’s my all-time favorite character, Sandrone — the Seventh of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers. She will officially debut as a playable 5-star Cryo Claymore character in this update. In terms of lore, she previously sacrificed her life to protect the Traveler during the battle in Nod-Krai, and is now revived to return in this version.

Her core kit introduces a brand-new elemental reaction — Stellar-Conduct. To put it simply, triggering this reaction with Cryo and Electro does far more than just reduce Physical RES: it creates a field called the Polestar Field, which boosts Cryo and Electro DMG for the entire party while lowering enemies’ Physical Resistance. There will also be additional story interactions between Sandrone and Columbina. HoYoverse truly outdoes itself when crafting the dynamic between these two young women — it’s nothing short of brilliant.

As for the banner lineup, Phase 1 will feature Sandrone’s debut banner alongside a Citlali rerun, while Phase 2 will see reruns of Columbina and the Raiden Shogun. There is also a mixed Lightrace Wish banner featuring five characters: Yae Miko, Cyno, Wriothesley, Qiqi, and Yumemizuki Mizuki.

For anyone planning to pull for Sandrone, be sure to plan your Primogem budget well in advance. A new character paired with an entirely new team system means there’s plenty you may want to roll for. If you’re short on in-game resources, you can opt for COCODP direct top-up. It’s fast, so you won’t be left in a pinch when it’s time to pull on the banner.

For veteran players like me, however, the biggest surprise of this update is actually the Witch's Revelation system.

After accepting the quest from an NPC in Fontaine, seven existing characters — Qiqi, Wriothesley, Diona, Yae Miko, Cyno, Beidou, and Yumemizuki Mizuki — will receive additional Talent and Constellation enhancements. Take Wriothesley for example: while within the Polestar Field, the cooldown limits on his Charged Attacks are lifted, and he restores HP every two seconds. This completely revitalizes the Cryo Physical DPS playstyle.

Overall, Luna VIII serves as the concluding chapter of the Nod-Krai arc, as well as a prelude to Snezhnaya. With a new map, new characters, a brand-new elemental reaction, and buffs for existing characters, the sheer volume of content makes you wonder if the HoYoverse devs have been pulling overtime again.

If you’re still on the fence about pulling for Sandrone, my take is that she’s perfectly playable at C0. Her kit is straightforward and revolves around Charged Attacks. That said, the Stellar-Conduct team comp relies on high-frequency off-field Electro and Cryo application. If your budget allows, I’d recommend setting aside one extra 5-star pull budget for future supporting teammates. Of course, if you’re running tight on resources, COCODP can help you top up your Primogems quickly so you don’t miss the first wave of banners on July 1st.

See you on Frost Moon come July 1st.

Wish you all double 5-star drops on your ten-pulls! And don’t forget to free up storage space on your mobile device beforehand — this update is genuinely packed with a ton of new content.