Version 7.2 continues the Snezhnaya chapter with two more Archon Quest acts, a bonus deadline in mid-December, and a World Quest requirement hidden in the middle of the first act. If your quest stops at the Transport Bureau, that requirement is why.
This guide covers what unlocks the acts, where people get stuck, how long the quest takes, what the bonus pays, and the exact time the bonus ends on your server. Spoilers are light and gameplay-only: quest names, the nations you visit, trial characters and puzzles, not the plot.
Quick answer: Genshin 7.2 adds Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act V "Hour of Ruin" and Act VI "A Yesterday Sent From Beyond", both permanently available. To unlock Act V you need Adventure Rank 18 and a completed Act IV "A Rekviem for the Underworld". Act VI unlocks when Act V is done. Finishing within the bonus window, from the 4 November update until 2026/12/15 14:59 server time, pays extra Primogems (560, per HoYoverse's 7.2 events calendar and press release) plus Mitya's ascension materials. If the first quest stops at the Transport Bureau, finish the World Quest "To the Kristall City" in Novokitezhgrad. Game8 times Act V at 1.5 to 2.5 hours and Act VI at about 1h45 to 2h20 at a normal pace.
Article status: written 6 November 2026, two days after Version 7.2 "Hour of Ruin" went live on 4 November. Every unlock rule and deadline on this page was read today from HoYoverse's live in-game announcement feed: notice 21988 (Version 7.2 Update Details), 21970 (the Archon Quest bonus), 21969 (The Grand Defense) and 21971 (Where Kristall Roots Run Deep). HoYoverse mirrors these on the official Genshin Impact news page. Quest steps and per-quest rewards come from the community wiki, and play times come from Game8. Both are labelled where they appear. No leaks or beta builds are used.
What is the Genshin 7.2 Archon Quest?
Version 7.2 continues Chapter VII, the Snezhnaya chapter that began in Version 7.0. The version is named after Act V.
| Act | Title | Added in |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter VII: Act I | Everwinter Without Mercy | Version 7.0 |
| Chapter VII: Act II | Wraith's Nocturne | Version 7.0 |
| Chapter VII: Act III | White Night, Like a Dream Upon Waking | Version 7.1 |
| Chapter VII: Act IV | A Rekviem for the Underworld | Version 7.1 |
| Chapter VII: Act V | Hour of Ruin | Version 7.2 |
| Chapter VII: Act VI | A Yesterday Sent From Beyond | Version 7.2 |
HoYoverse states plainly that neither act ever leaves the game: "After the Version update, Archon Quests Chapter VII: Act V and Act VI will be permanently available. Meet the unlock criteria to unlock said Archon Quests." (in-game notice 21970). The quests stay. Only the bonus for finishing on time runs out.
Both acts support Focused Experience Mode, according to the 7.2 Update Details (notice 21988). If you want to get through the story without open-world interruptions, turn it on from the quest menu.
How do I unlock the 7.2 Archon Quest?
The notices list a different requirement for each act:
| Act | Unlock requirements (notice 21988) |
|---|---|
| Act V "Hour of Ruin" | Adventure Rank 18 or above · Complete Chapter VII: Act IV "A Rekviem for the Underworld" |
| Act VI "A Yesterday Sent From Beyond" | Adventure Rank 18 or above · Complete Chapter VII: Act V "Hour of Ruin" |
If you finished the Version 7.1 story, Act V is already in your quest log. If you didn't, our Genshin 7.1 Archon Quest guide covers Act III and Act IV, which you need first.
I'm several regions behind. Do I have to play them all?
No. HoYoverse repeats the shortcut in notice 21988: players at Adventure Rank 18 who have completed Prologue: Act III "Song of the Dragon and Freedom" "can use the automatically unlocked Teleport Waypoint to reach Snezhnaya and begin Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act I 'Everwinter Without Mercy' even if they have not completed the preceding Archon Quests, such as 'Song of the Welkin Moon: Act X.'"
So the Mondstadt prologue is the only older story you need. From there you play Chapter VII Act I through Act VI in order. That's a lot of quest, but it skips Liyue through Nod-Krai entirely.
Why is my 7.2 Archon Quest stuck? (the To the Kristall City blocker)
If your 7.2 Archon Quest has stopped moving, this is the usual cause, and the fix is simple.
Act V opens with "Like Melting Snow". According to the community wiki's quest page, its fourth step, restocking supplies at the Transport Bureau Headquarters, won't move on until you complete the World Quest "To the Kristall City." The Archon Quest sends you into the new area, then stops until you do a separate World Quest.
Here's how to get past it:
- Get to the new area. Notice 21988 says that completing "Gunfire in the Silent Lands" in Act I "will automatically unlock a Teleport Waypoint northeast of Fellfrost Peak in Snezhnaya," and that teleporting there "will unlock a new railroad map." That's your way to Novokitezhgrad and Wingspan Peak.
- Start "To the Kristall City" at Byaroza Station. It's the first part of the new World Quest chain "An Ancient Song of Flowing Crystal and Stone Chests". Per the wiki, steps 4 to 8 use Third-Person Shooter mode, and the quest automatically unlocks the Teleport Waypoints at The Central Hub and the Royal Railway Transport Bureau along the way. It also gives you the shotgun Sosruko's Flame and 30 Primogems.
- Go back to "Like Melting Snow." The Transport Bureau step now continues, and you take the train to Port Belovodye.
Other new World Quests in the area, such as "Dark Clouds in a Wine Bottle" and "Borrowing a Gold Coin From a Portrait", only need "Gunfire in the Silent Lands" from Act I (notice 21988). They don't block the Archon Quest, so you can leave them for later.
If you can't reach any of Snezhnaya's new waypoints, our Snezhnaya teleport waypoints guide covers how the region's waypoints unlock.
What are the quests in Act V and Act VI?
The quest list below follows the community wiki's Chapter VII pages as of 6 November. Trial characters are listed because they change your team for certain fights.
| Act | Quest | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| V "Hour of Ruin" | Like Melting Snow | Snezhnograd → Novokitezhgrad → Port Belovodye. Needs "To the Kristall City". Vesna joins as a trial character for the monster wave. |
| V "Hour of Ruin" | A Step Toward the Future | Temple of Space section: collect 6 runes, then a long meeting at Zapolyarny Palace with many returning characters. |
| VI "A Yesterday Sent From Beyond" | Trial of the Usurper | You pick which nation to visit, then each nation's trial plays out. |
| VI (Trial of the Usurper) | Wind and Freedom | Mondstadt and Dragonspine. Party limited to a trial Venti for the flying sections. |
| VI (Trial of the Usurper) | Thunder and Eternity | Inazuma, Seirai Island and Amakumo Peak. Raiden Shogun trial, including a solo wave defence. |
| VI (Trial of the Usurper) | Nature and Wisdom | Sumeru. A fragment-placing puzzle. Party limited to the Dendro Traveler from step 8. |
| VI (Trial of the Usurper) | Fire and War | Natlan. You choose a tribe for a ritual, then head to an Obsidian Totem Pole and reach the destination within a time limit. |
| VI "A Yesterday Sent From Beyond" | Knocking at the Door to the Final Act | The ending. Gives a Memory of Piercing Frost. |
The nation order is your choice. The first step of "Trial of the Usurper" on the wiki reads "Choose a nation to travel to", followed by "Select the next nation to visit". The fixed trial characters mean you don't need a strong account for those fights. The wiki lists the trial Venti, Vesna and Raiden Shogun at level 90 and Constellation 3, each with a level 90 weapon and a full artifact set.
How long is the Genshin 7.2 Archon Quest?
HoYoverse doesn't publish play times. Game8 timed both acts in its Act V and Act VI quest guides (checked 6 November):
| Act | Speedrun (auto-dialogue, skipping) | Normal pace |
|---|---|---|
| Act V "Hour of Ruin" | 50 minutes to 1 hour 5 minutes | 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Act VI "A Yesterday Sent From Beyond" | 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes | 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 20 minutes |
Added together, a normal playthrough of both acts takes about 3 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 50 minutes, plus the time "To the Kristall City" takes. For comparison, Game8 timed Act IV "A Rekviem for the Underworld" at 2 hours 25 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes at a normal pace, so each 7.2 act is shorter than 7.1's finale. Two acts make the total longer.
If you need a weekend plan: do Act V and "To the Kristall City" in one session and Act VI in another. Act VI splits naturally into nation trials, so you can stop after any trial.
What are the 7.2 Archon Quest rewards?
There are two reward types, and many players mix them up.
1. The time-limited completion bonus. Notice 21970 promises "Primogems, Character Ascension Materials, Character Level-Up Materials, Snezhnaya regional specialties, and other rewards" for finishing within the window. The notice itself doesn't give a Primogem total, but two other HoYoverse sources do: the official Version 7.2 events calendar marks Archon Quest "Hour of Ruin" Limited-Time Rewards, 11/04 to 12/15, with a 560 Primogem badge, and the 7.2 press release says finishing within the designated period grants 560 Primogems and Character Ascension Materials for Mitya. Mitya's own showcase adds that Test Run plus Chapter VII: Act VI within the window give ascension materials usable up to Level 60. If you're pulling him, our Mitya build guide lists the rest of his materials.
2. Normal quest rewards. These are permanent and you get them whenever you finish. The community wiki lists:
| Quest | Primogems | Other rewards (wiki) |
|---|---|---|
| Like Melting Snow | 0 | 700 Adventure EXP, 31,125 Mora, 3 Hero's Wit, 6 Mystic Enhancement Ore |
| A Step Toward the Future | 30 | 1,000 Adventure EXP, 44,000 Mora, 4 Hero's Wit, 8 Mystic Enhancement Ore |
| Knocking at the Door to the Final Act | 30 | 500 Adventure EXP, 22,000 Mora, Memory of Piercing Frost x1, 2 Hero's Wit, 4 Mystic Enhancement Ore |
"Trial of the Usurper" itself and each of the four nation trials also give Adventure EXP, Mora, Hero's Wit and Mystic Enhancement Ore, but no Primogems. Nature and Wisdom gives the most at 38,100 Mora. Treat the wiki numbers as a guide, not a promise. The bonus Primogem figure is the official one.
When does the 7.2 Archon Quest bonus end?
Notice 21970 sets the window as "After the Version 7.2 update – 2026/12/15 14:59", tagged as local server time. That means 14:59 on your server's clock, so it lands at a different moment in each region:
| Server | Bonus ends (server time) | In UTC | Example local time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia / TW, HK, MO (UTC+8) | 15 Dec 14:59 | 15 Dec 06:59 | 15:59 Tokyo |
| Europe (UTC+1) | 15 Dec 14:59 | 15 Dec 13:59 | 13:59 London |
| America (UTC-5) | 15 Dec 14:59 | 15 Dec 19:59 | 14:59 New York |
It's an afternoon cut-off, not midnight. Don't leave the last act for the evening of the 15th.
What's The Grand Defense, and why does it need Act VI?
The free 4-star event of 7.2 is built around the story. Notice 21969 says "This event is closely tied to the Archon Quest and will unlock as you progress through Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act VI 'A Yesterday Sent From Beyond.'"
- Eligibility: Adventure Rank 20 or above and Act IV "A Rekviem for the Underworld" completed. That's two ranks higher than the Archon Quest itself needs.
- Quick Start: at AR 20 with Prologue Act III done, you can enter through "Quick Start" on the event page instead.
- Operations: Emergency Rescue, Securing Air Supremacy and Tactical Sweep. Lowering the Holy Soil threat enough lets you invite one of Amber, Xiangling, Thoma, Collei, Lynette, Kachina, Aino or Alyosha, plus Primogems, Crown of Insight and other rewards.
- Duration: all of Version 7.2.
HoYoverse also notes that after the event ends, "you can still experience the 'Trial of Usurpation' as you progress through" Act VI, with your progress kept. The story content stays, but the free 4-star doesn't. Our 7.2 free 4-star selector guide covers who's worth picking.
What else in 7.2 has a deadline?
While you're in Novokitezhgrad for "To the Kristall City", keep two more deadlines in mind:
- Where Kristall Roots Run Deep (notice 21971): exploration missions in Novokitezhgrad and Wingspan Peak pay an extra 400 Primogems, with a deadline of 2027/01/26 14:59 server time. That's later than the Archon Quest bonus, but the same trip counts toward both.
- Issue Fix Compensation (notice 21988): 300 Primogems for accounts at AR 5 or higher by the update, to be claimed before 2026/11/07 06:00 (UTC+8), which is 6 November 22:00 UTC. Open your in-game mail today. The separate 300-Primogem maintenance compensation can be claimed until the end of Version 7.2, but HoYoverse says compensation mail expires 30 days after it arrives, so don't sit on it.
For every other 7.2 event and its Primogems, see the Genshin 7.2 events calendar.
FAQ
Is the Genshin 7.2 Archon Quest time-limited? No. Notice 21970 says both Act V and Act VI are permanently available. Only the bonus rewards end, at 2026/12/15 14:59 server time.
Why can't I continue Like Melting Snow? You need the World Quest "To the Kristall City" first. It starts at Byaroza Station in Novokitezhgrad. Finish it and the Transport Bureau step continues.
Do I need to finish Natlan or Nod-Krai to play the 7.2 Archon Quest? No. At Adventure Rank 18 with Prologue Act III "Song of the Dragon and Freedom" done, you can go straight to Snezhnaya and play Chapter VII from Act I, according to notice 21988.
How many Primogems does the 7.2 Archon Quest give? HoYoverse's 7.2 press release puts the time-limited completion bonus at 560 Primogems. The wiki lists another 30 each from "A Step Toward the Future" and "Knocking at the Door to the Final Act".
How long is the 7.2 Archon Quest? Game8 times Act V at 1.5 to 2.5 hours and Act VI at 1h45 to 2h20 at a normal pace, so about 3 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 50 minutes together. That doesn't include "To the Kristall City".
Do I need Mitya or Valeriy for the Archon Quest? No. The hard fights in Act VI use fixed trial characters (Venti, Raiden Shogun, the Dendro Traveler), and finishing the bonus window is one way to get Mitya's early ascension materials.
More Genshin Impact guides
Playing through 7.2? These pages are updated along with this one.
