If you're trying to plan your pulls months ahead, the date you really want to remember is September 28. That’s the short answer to the question, when is Genshin Impact anniversary—it’s the day Genshin Impact first launched on PC and mobile back in 2020, and HoYoverse has kept every yearly celebration tied to that date ever since. If you want to map out your Primogems, track likely banner timing, or just make sure you don’t miss the login rewards, knowing the anniversary window matters way more than it might seem at first.
When Is Genshin Impact Anniversary Each Year
Genshin Impact officially launched worldwide on September 28, 2020, when miHoYo—now HoYoverse—released the game on PC, iOS, and Android. That launch day became the fixed point for every anniversary after it. In practice, the related patch and events usually land in the Version cycle closest to September 28, which is why the celebration almost always sits in the late September period.
Timing does vary slightly by server because HoYoverse follows its usual maintenance schedule. The Asia server normally gets updates at 06:00 UTC+8, while North America often sees the patch arrive the previous evening in local time. Even so, anniversary login events and mailbox rewards usually become available for everyone within that same calendar window once maintenance wraps up.
Looking back, the pattern is pretty clear:
| Anniversary Year | Approximate Patch Window | Milestone |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Anniversary (2021) | Late September 2021 | Version 2.1 era |
| 2nd Anniversary (2022) | Late September 2022 | Version 3.1 era |
| 3rd Anniversary (2023) | Late September 2023 | Version 4.1 era |
| 4th Anniversary (2024) | Late September 2024 | Version 5.1 era |
| 5th Anniversary (2025) | Late September / October 2025 | Version 6.0 Luna I |
The 5th anniversary is a good example of how this usually works. It was tied to Version 6.0 Luna I, while the "Silvery Flux" login event ran from October 1 to October 21, 2025. So the rewards started a little after September 28, but the anniversary date itself did not change.
Genshin Impact Anniversary 2026 Schedule
The 6th anniversary lands in late September 2026, and it should line up with a Version update somewhere in the 6.x cycle. Going by HoYoverse’s usual six-week patch schedule, the anniversary patch will most likely arrive in the final week of September or the very start of October 2026, which would be very much in line with how the 5th anniversary was handled.
Before that happens, you can usually expect a Special Program livestream around two to three weeks ahead of the patch. HoYoverse typically broadcasts it on Twitch, YouTube, and Bilibili at the same time. These streams almost always include three redeem codes worth 300 Primogems total, plus the first real look at banners, events, and the patch’s headline content. If you're planning ahead, early-to-mid September 2026 is the window to watch.
Once the patch goes live, the anniversary login event tends to start right away or within the first few days. If HoYoverse follows the Silvery Flux model again, the daily login campaign should begin early in the patch and stay active for about three weeks. Mail rewards, which have historically included Primogems and Intertwined Fates, usually show up in your in-game mailbox as soon as the patch launches and expire after 30 days, so you really do want to claim them quickly.
Anniversary web events usually run alongside the in-game content. These are the lighter browser-based activities you access through HoYoLAB or the official Genshin Impact site, and they often hand out extra Primogems or profile cosmetics for simple tasks like checking a recap, sharing a card, or finishing a short quiz.
Genshin Impact Anniversary Rewards History
A big reason players keep asking when is genshin impact anniversary is simple: the rewards are predictable enough to plan around. Every anniversary has brought some mix of pull currency, Primogems, and upgrade materials, spread across login campaigns, mailbox gifts, and web events.
| Anniversary | Login Event Pulls | Notable Extras |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (2021) | ~10 Intertwined Fates | Limited namecard, community art contest rewards |
| 2nd (2022) | ~10 Intertwined Fates | Increased Mora bundles, profile frames |
| 3rd (2023) | ~10 Intertwined Fates | Hero's Wit bundles, Sanctifying Unction |
| 4th (2024) | ~10 Intertwined Fates | Expanded cosmetic rewards |
| 5th (2025) | 10 Intertwined Fates across 7-day login | 80,000 Mora, Sanctifying Unction ×10, Hero's Wit ×8 |
The 5th anniversary’s Silvery Flux login event laid things out very clearly: Day 1 gave 1 Intertwined Fate, Day 3 gave 2, Day 5 gave another 2, and Day 7 gave 5 more. On the other days, players picked up Mora and ascension-related materials. It was a nice structure, honestly, because it rewarded regular logins without forcing a strict consecutive-day streak.
For the 6th anniversary in 2026, most players expect HoYoverse to either repeat that reward level or bump it slightly. That could mean more Intertwined Fates, a better Primogem mail package, or both, especially since milestone celebrations have gradually become more generous over time.
Genshin Impact Anniversary Events and Banners
The anniversary patch is usually one of the busiest banner periods of the year. HoYoverse tends to stack major character releases into this window, so it’s common to see a new region’s headline unit or a highly anticipated Archon-adjacent character show up in Phase 1. If you care about pull value, this is one of those patches you really don’t want to walk into unprepared.
Reruns during anniversary patches matter just as much. HoYoverse often lines them up with whatever is relevant in current endgame content, whether that’s Spiral Abyss blessings, Stygian Onslaught enemy setups, or the allowed elements in Imaginarium Theatre. That makes Phase 2 reruns especially important for returning players and veterans trying to fill specific roster gaps.
Another thing worth keeping an eye on is the Chronicled Wish banner. It has already appeared during major updates, including the 6.5 Luna VI patch, and it gives players a more directed way to target an older 5-star from a regional pool. If HoYoverse decides to run a region-themed Chronicled Wish during anniversary season—say Mondstadt, Liyue, or Inazuma—it could be a massive value banner for accounts still missing staple units like Venti, Zhongli, or Raiden Shogun.
And then there are the livestream codes. These are basically free Primogems for showing up. The anniversary Special Program almost always gives out 300 Primogems total, but the codes expire in roughly 24 hours, so setting a reminder is the easiest win imaginable.
In-Game Anniversary Events
The daily login campaign is the centerpiece here. It usually lasts around 21 days and, based on the Silvery Flux format, doesn’t require consecutive logins. Just showing up consistently is enough.
Beyond that, anniversary patches have regularly included:
-
Limited combat challenge stages with Primogem rewards tied to completion tiers
-
Minigame events such as photography tasks, tower-defense modes, or exploration challenges
-
Community web events through HoYoLAB, often including a personalized journey recap card and share-based Primogem rewards
That recap-style event has become especially common. It usually shows off account stats like total days played, characters collected, or Domains cleared, then gives a small reward for sharing it through the designated channels.
Banner Planning Around Anniversary
Anniversary season is one of the two biggest pull checkpoints in the Genshin Impact calendar, with the other usually being the Lunar New Year period in January or February. For F2P players and low spenders, deciding whether to roll on the anniversary debut banner or keep saving is a real account-shaping choice.
New region debut units that release during anniversary patches often go a long time before rerunning again—sometimes six to twelve months. That alone makes the banner window more valuable. On top of that, Archons and Fatui Harbingers tend to get reruns close to major story beats, so anniversary-adjacent patches can be packed with high-priority targets.
A safe planning benchmark looks like this:
-
Minimum target: 80 pulls
-
160 Primogems × 80 = 12,800 Primogems
-
Safer target: closer to 160 pulls
-
Better for worst-case pity outcomes
-
Why this matters: Version 5.0 reduced the maximum pity ceiling from 180 pulls to 160 pulls for a specific character target
That pity change was a pretty big deal, because it lowered the absolute worst-case cost of chasing a unit during one of the most competitive banner windows of the year.
How to Prepare for Genshin Impact Anniversary
If you want to be ready by late September, the real work starts well before the patch arrives. The most reliable way to build a stash is still the boring-but-effective route: daily commissions for 60 Primogems a day, which comes out to roughly 1,800 per month, plus full Spiral Abyss clears for up to 800 Primogems per reset on Floors 9–12. Add Stygian Onslaught rewards each version cycle, and the total starts stacking faster than you might expect.
Resin planning matters too. In the weeks before anniversary, it usually makes more sense to focus on artifact domains and talent materials instead of dumping Resin into Ley Lines. The reason is simple: anniversary patches often include a Ley Line Overflow event, which boosts Mora and Hero’s Wit efficiency without extra Resin cost. If that happens again, saving your normal farming priorities for before the patch and using Overflow during the event is just better value.
For returning players, the anniversary period is an especially strong time to come back. If your account qualifies for Stellar Reunion, you can stack those comeback rewards with the regular anniversary login campaign. It’s also smart to clear unfinished Archon Quests and World Quests before the patch lands, so the new story content—and its Primogem rewards—doesn’t compete with limited-time events for your attention.
A few practical prep steps go a long way:
-
Set a Primogem goal based on whether you're aiming for 80 or 160 pulls
-
Keep up with commissions and Abyss through July, August, and September
-
Link HoYoLAB and do the daily check-in for passive extra Primogems
-
Check in-game mail regularly once the patch launches so nothing expires
-
Finish backlog quests early to free up time for anniversary events
The HoYoLAB daily check-in is easy to overlook, but over a few months it adds up. Pair that with monthly HoYoLAB tasks, and you get a small but steady stream of extra Primogems for almost no effort.
Genshin Impact Anniversary FAQ
When is Genshin Impact anniversary?
It is always on September 28, the date of the game’s original global launch. The patch and event timing around it can shift by a few days depending on maintenance and the Version schedule.
When do anniversary rewards release day?
The login event usually starts on the first day of the anniversary patch or shortly after. Mail rewards from HoYoverse arrive at patch launch and stay claimable for 30 days. Web event rewards need to be claimed manually through HoYoLAB or the official Genshin Impact website.
Does the anniversary happen on the same date every year?
Yes. The fixed anniversary date is September 28 every year. What changes slightly is the start date of the in-game celebration, since it depends on where September 28 lands within the patch cycle.
What is the best time to save pulls?
If anniversary banners are your priority, it’s best to stop spending on non-essential banners by early August at the latest. That gives you around three months of passive saving before the late-September anniversary window, and the difference can be huge if you’re also clearing Abyss and doing commissions consistently.
Conclusion
The key takeaway is simple: September 28 is the date to remember for Genshin Impact anniversary every single year. With the 6th anniversary coming up in late 2026, you can safely expect another late-September celebration window packed with free rewards, strong banners, and the usual mix of in-game and web events. Keep an eye on official announcements once September starts, stay disciplined with your Primogem farming through summer, and you’ll be in a much better spot when anniversary season arrives. Happy farming, Travelers.